Many of you are aware that i was summoned for jury duty this past week. It was a relatively publicized trial for Bowling Green as it involves a murder and kidnapping. And it is a death penalty case. And as I was watching the final 16 jurors (out of 144) get called, there were no happy faces among them. They were slow to stand, and grim faced to the last one. Me… well, it was a difficult thing to decide. It seems to be the thing to not want to serve on jury duty. But really, I think it is a truly interesting experience. So much intrigue and drama. It’s an open invitation to delve into the deepest recesses and nastiest part of humanity. Those parts that I would never see first hand (thank goodness), but that I’d see on television. But, I can also say that the processes of getting selected for large trial like this is a long and tedious thing. Like most things involving the government, it’s all about you be on time and prepared to wait, and wait . . . and wait. Me, I felt a lot like I was being picked for teams. You know the feeling, that dreaded anticipation. Who will pick you, let it be the team with your friends. Oh, please don’t let me be the last one picked. Sure, I’ll never be among the first ones picked, but at least let me get a solid middle selection. And if they don’t pick you, you sort of feel like somehow you failed. What was wrong with me? Why wasn’t I good enough. I also learned about myself, or rather revisited, the aspect of my personality that doesn’t do well with extended periods of quiet, when there are others present. I can’t sit in a jury room with 18 people and not eaves drop on another conversation, or not fling out a comment. I can’t watch people approach the bench without trying to read the judge’s lips and determine what they are talking about, and if I can’t figure it out, then I must make up my own scenario and then wonder if it’s true. There is a lot of imaginative play that goes on when you’re forced to wait for a long period of time with strangers. And then I fight the urge to shout out random smart ass comments, though i don’t seem to able to refrain from muttering them under my breath. Maybe next time, I should bring a book, or a nintendo. Though, I’m more likely to bring an .mp3 player and the sound track to law and order. I mean if it’s going to be going through my head the entire time, then I might as well play it for everyone else too (chung chung…). But, any comments on how I would handle an actual trial will have to wait, as I didn’t get selected for this jury (though I know they both wanted me). And, I won’t have to serve for another 2 years I think. So, in the mean time, I’ll just have to find something to spend my 37.50 on; and try to let go of the regret of not taking full days off from work when I could have because I was really wishing i got picked for jury duty – and the 18 days off from work for the trial that would have come with it.
