Jury Duty.

At 9:00AM, on a Monday morning, who wants to be sitting in a courtroom with a bunch of huffy-puffy strangers, waiting breathlessly to hear if they've (you've) been selected for jury duty?

Nobody, especially me.

The court warden, Rhonda, was good. At 5' 4", looking fierce in her vertical striped and tapered button-down, well-tailored pants and smart, rectangular rimless glasses, she had the restless courtroom under control. With a booming voice, she kept it real, detailing how it was our civic duty and responsibility to serve dutifully. No one disagreed. We all quietly resolved to fulfill our obligations as United States citizens and residents of Brooklyn.

Still, anyone one of us wanted out. They (NYS, Kings County) were selecting three juries of 23. In a room of approximately 80-90 people, we weren't all getting out.

They sorted our juror cards, according to ability to serve without hardship. (FYI, I don't clock hours, I don't get paid. Hardship? Yes.)

Slowly, they filled the juries. First, the 23 person jury that was to sit for 4 weeks (WHAT!?!) for which they took volunteers to start. Then the second jury, one of two sitting for two weeks, was filled. As people's names were called, some either accepted or walked up to discuss the possibility of being excused. Most were turned away.

Filling the third jury, my name was called. I was nervous. I wanted out, badly, but played it cool. I spoke with Rhonda (fierce!) and she acknowledged my hardship (fierce!), she put my card aside, for the moment, as they went thru the rest of the candidates.

I watched as they shuffled my card around. Rhonda (fierce!) called me up again, asking if there was anything they could do to accomodate me in the next two weeks. I humbly responded, I don't work, I don't get paid. My manager will fill my position with someone else.

Momentously, my name was called a final time and I was excused. FIERCE! Well, reprieved until August.

Whew.

Truth be told, if I had been called upon, I would have served happily because of Rhonda (fierce!)