Greetings, Dear Siestas!
I’m writing you from the jury assembly room of Harris County in Downtown Houston. I am blessed indeed to have an assistant who told me a few days ago she’d be happy to come pick me up and take me. I hope it goes without saying that I would not have asked her. I am fully capable of coming to jury duty by myself but, for a sanguine, it is a whole lot more fun this way. What’s in it for Michelle? Well, for starters, I think she smelled adventure and, to us, adventure is worth inconvenience. Her job is also considerably less lively if I’m not in the office so here we are and we have already gotten tickled enough to pay for the trip. One of the best parts was that she face-booked that she was at jury duty and someone who didn’t know we worked together told her I had jury duty today, too, and we could hook up.
There are several hundred prospective jurors here and, for the first little while, we amused ourselves by playing like this was a dating service and it was our job to match people. For a long time no one said a word (which made matches particularly challenging since I could not discern their personality-types) but now people are beginning to get to know each other because we’re all so nervous that we’re bonding. The atmosphere became more relaxed once we’d all taken the oath. Hawk felt the need to take the oath with us for fear people would think she was protesting by protecting her right not to make any promises. She, like me, is a rule keeper by nature. But not nearly the rule keeper my darling Amanda is. She saw that we were tweeting from in here and tweeted back with, “Are y’all going to get kicked out for tweeting?” It made me so happy. To be fair, I’m sure she was laughing when she asked because she would have known I would have thought it sounded just like her. I let her know that, as of yet, the bailiff had not told us that tweeting was strictly prohibited in the jury assembly room in the State of Texas and to take our tweeting outside.
I did just learn on the loud speaker that we will indeed get kicked out for smoking within 25 feet of the outside door so I’m definitely going to refrain.
Things have drastically improved since my last visit here. They now have free wifi (aptly called “jurywifi”) which is obviously how I’m corresponding with you. They also have a little snack bar where an unfortunate incident took place a moment ago. I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room for the second time and, on my way in there, smelled coffee. GOOD coffee. Like Starbucks coffee. I thought I was having a sensory hallucination until I came out of the restroom and, lo and behold, there was a little table with three coffee canisters. AND YES, with Starbucks, for the love! I leapt to it like a gazelle, pumped out my coffee with a big smile on my willing face. Then I looked up and saw a cash register. I hadn’t brought my purse because I left it with Hawk. All the sudden I was dumb-fuzzled and didn’t know what to do. I’d already poured it. So I jetted off from it like I’d committed a felony and ran back to the assembly room with guilt all over my face. I think I may have also been having a hot flash. Anyway, as far as I know, my cup is still sitting there all by itself under the Starbucks House Blend thermos. Getting cold. I feel robbed of my rights. Hawk suggested she could give me money to go back and pay for it but I am too shamed.
I have never gotten chosen for a jury before. Perhaps you find that surprising. I certainly want to be a good citizen so I’m willing as long as I can still get to Richmond next weekend. Of course, I’d rather study during my work hours and go to my regular job and, goodness knows I want to be with Melissa and Colin who come on Thursday, but I’m certainly here to do my civil duty if asked. (I’m being silly with you but I really do believe in the jury system and certainly would want a good jury should I need one. Should they find out that I poured coffee I did not pay for.) I will get paid $6 today if I serve then it goes to $40 the second day forward.
So, here I am waiting to see if I get chosen. If this is like the softball team in junior high, I’m in for a long wait. Hawk just told me that today is the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. And ultimately to serve on juries. So this is a great day to wear my big hair proud in this room.
While I’m waiting, have any of you Siestas done jury duty? Anything interesting happen? Any interesting cases? You know, I originally wanted to be a lawyer so I find all of this interesting anyway. So, do tell, Siestas.
PS. Hawk just went to get me some coffee. I’m so happy that I’m going to give her the $6 I make today.
PSS. She just got back with my cup of coffee and, yes, she said my previous cup was still there. Right under the House Blend.She poured me a new one though. It just hit me that my fingerprints are still on the other one.
Here is me writing to you:
And here is me saying what’s really important on this Wednesday: The Lord on high is mighty. He is for us and not against us. And, though He is lofty, He looks upon the humble and contrite heart with favor. Thank You, Lord, for a community where we can be serious and silly and maybe all on the same day.
PSSS. They just released all Bible teachers with big blond hair! Headed back to LPM but keep those jury experiences coming!
I have been called but never had to serve on a jury.
First time I was in college in a different city and was dismissed. The second time due to the sensative nature of the case it was moved to a diferent county and the last time I was called but did not serve. My cousin was an ADA and on one case I knew the wife for a defense attorney.