JACKSON -- Attorney General Jim Hood was scheduled to meet with Speaker Philip Gunn Friday morning to discuss legislation designed to curb Hood's ability to hire outside attorneys to pursue lawsuits against the state.

Hood apparently caught Gunn in the parking lot of the Capitol and told him to jump in his truck and ride to Clinton with him  where he was going to get some welding work done.

The welder, by the way, is related to Gunn.

Whether the quick trip to Gunn's hometown gave the pair -- law school classmates at Ole Miss --  time to reach a compromise remains to be seen. The House will begin work this week on a new version of the legislation.

At least they got the welding work done.