Jessica, thank you so much for your words of comradery and support.  Sometimes I just need to vent so I don't feel so alone. 

 I HAVE fired clients in the past.  One of them I fired TWICE (they were NASTY and I'm wondering if it's the same client you dealt with).  But they really have to push me over the edge to get to that point.  One of the many problems with being a vendor manager is that "my" people depend on me for their work.  Many that work for me choose only to work for my company because I made their lives easier and they want it that way.  I supply at least 75% of the work for about 50% of my abstractors.  I really do feel a sense of responsibility and if I let my (very hot and quick) temper get the better of me, it affects not only me but many other good, hard-working people.

I have to remember that -- even when I'm dealing with the stupid clients!  It's what the abstractors pay me for: to deal with the ignoranuses (clients that are ignorant AND assholes!  I hope you let me say that here, Robert!)  :-)