Jury Duty

A canned post was slated for today. I did not expect to have the ability to connect to the Internet and have a laptop in the jury pool. Yet I do. So I'm releasing both posts.

Canned

Right now I am performing my civic duty and watching paint dry. Yes I am serving on a jury, or more likely am part of the pool of people they will unlikely call. I'm really in it for the experience. I watch Law and Order all the time.

Frankly I want to see someone break down on the stand. I know that's mean but like I said I've been watching too many cop shows.

I hope I'll meet a cute boy, I mean, not someone who's either defendant or plaintiff. So we'll see what happens. In the mean time. I'm going to be reading a lot and bitching about all the time I'm loosing. All I can hope for, is that a good story will come out of the experience, or at least a few blog posts.

Live: First Day of Jury Duty

There’s a lot of waiting going on. The guy has processed my summons; it took a few key strokes on a very old computer. My thoughts focus on the ease of his government job and the fact that he’s the only government employee that I’ve ever encountered, that’s actually smiling.

The pool, the holding pen, painted with murals and wood panels is filled with people, some in pin stripe suits and business shirts, women that have their hair done with iPods strapped to their ears are a plenty. There are people unkempt and those immaculately groomed. I’m checking out a guy that looks like a very young Hugh Grant, he’s wearing a really tight shirt that shows off his dancers body. He’s smiled at the girl in front of him so I don’t know if he plays for the side of the bench that I’m on (figured I should use a somewhat legal reference).

They’ve played a tape that features the history of jury duty, they mention that people were once dunked in water and hands stuck in boiling water to judge innocence (is this supposed to make me feel better), now there’s a judge, with a strong old voice, that has the sing song up and down nature of a seasoned public speaker. He’s motivating us, insuring us the value of our service; mentioning that trials are interesting.

I’m more interested in the Hugh Grant type, he’s listening to everything intently, he’s also reading the weather section of the New York Times, this perplexes me, his arms are well sculpted and seem strong.  He’s the only one in the room that seems nervous, even as he reads the paper.

I on the other hand have my laptop, iPod and cell phone, my very portable writing office. So I’m content to work all day and have little distraction; of course unless I’m called to perform public service.

They’ve called the first batch of names, I’m not among them. Of course this is always an odd thing. I always want to go to the podium and ask if it’s correct. I’m prone to spacing out and missing my own name. Friends know this about me. They often make sure to email me directions so I can plug addresses into my Palm Pilot; I’m truly unable to retain simple cross streets. So listening for my name at jury service, might be a task that I might not be apt for. Does that automatically make me unqualified, or will they throw me in jail? Huh. We’ll have to see. Will I hit on the cute Hugh Grant type? Stay tuned.

Cue commercial here.

Comments

[rob]

Your comment on the government worker was right on the money. This past year I worked for the government - I have never met a more unhappy bunch of people in my life. They spend their whole day finding someone else to do their work and covering their ass. The experience sucked the creative energy right out of me. The only entertaining moment was when a high ranking General asked if I "Fly Fished" - My response - only on a good day sir, only on a good day. He had no clue.
Thank God I found a better job.