Absolutely, you should take your lawyer to lunch! We always think that’s a good idea, but it is particularly appropriate today, being Law Day.

President Eisenhower first declared the first day of May as “Law Day” in 1957. A few years later, Congress adopted a Resolution making it so.  Thus today is a day when we celebrate and honor the role of law in the creation and maintenance of our republic.

Of course, May 1 is many other things as well. It is International Workers’ Day, celebrated in many Socialist or Communist countries.  May Day was the day when the Soviets paraded all of their military equipment on Red Square.  Do they still do that?

May is when we bust out the Maypole, a rite of spring celebrating fecundity.  “Camelot” celebrated “the lusty month of May.”

Catholic schools honor a May Queen every year—some girl who is usually very pretty and named Mary, Mary Ann, Mary Margaret, Mary Frances, Mary Ellen, Mary Pat, Mary Beth, or Mary Something.  If your name is Karen or Nancy or Susan, you can forget about it.

Speaking of Catholics, in 1955, in a move designed to counter Communism, Pope Pius XII moved the Feast of St. Joseph “the Worker” to May 1.  This could have had important personal implications for the Dawg.

That’s because on top of all these other things, May 1 is my birthday! (Thank you).  The year I was born was prior to 1955, and thus it was not yet the Feast of St. Joseph. The saint of the day back then was St. James. This is how I got my name.  It was my older brother’s idea. Being a pious little 8-year old, he told my parents that I should be named after the saint for that day.  So I became Jim Walsh.  Just think: If I had been born a few years later, I’d be Joe Walsh.  Welcome to The Hotel California!!

For those of you who don’t get that—Google it.

Anyway: Happy Law Day.

DAWG BONE: IT’S LAW DAY. DO SOMETHING NICE FOR A LAWYER.