Very Important People

I was excused from grand jury duty today. I finally figured out that the ideal situation is to volunteer when your name is called, risk getting picked, but then just get lucky and not get picked, which is what happened. I can not tell you how incredibly inconvenient a 4 week jury appointment would be for me at this point with wedding planning and such, but I guess everyone feels that way, actually I know they do.

The court room was stuffed with all types of people, impatient, put-out, shifting and sighing and reading newspapers, magazines, novels, occasionally peering over their half glasses with raised eyebrows and an attitude. The rules were explained and then we were asked if we had any questions, people had a lot of questions this time. Some woman raised her hand and when she was called on she said simply, “airline tickets” in an abbreviated I-dont-have-time-for-this-you-get-the-point New York fashion. The clerk responded, “No, we dont sell them here.” I liked that he said that. She wanted to know if she could get out of it because she had airline tickets during the time she had to serve.

Another man was blatantly talking on his cell phone while the clerk spoke. So the clerk turned to the man and asked him to turn the phone off, the man put his hand up saying "just wait". The clerk said he was going to confiscate the phone. The man got off and then said that it was a "sort of crisis" from the way he looked I am going to stereotype him and say that his client is not happy with the quality of printing of the poster he designed.

I am not saying that I wanted to be there this morning, but it is just funny when you see everyone in that situation all wriggling to get away, to get back to their very important lives. Everyone in Manhattan just thinks they are so important, but the court doesn't really care and I like that. But maybe I am just happy I got released into the bright sunny Monday to do what I need to do today.