Last night, the courthouse voice mail told me that I was excused from jury doodie.
I kept counting out 12 and they only needed 6.
How about that?
Learned somethin' new.
Let's rewind to the day I received the summons.
The familiar red inked bifold envelope with my letter number and reporting date.
I'd joked with Matthew saying, "Ooooooo! I wonder if I'll get the Trayvon Martin case!!"
The week before my June 10th reporting date, Kayla posted an article about the trial and how there were crowds expected and a media circus, blah blah blah.
The date the jury selection started? June 10th.
I'd called the Friday before the Monday reporting date and the message told my letter group to report on Tuesday.
So, I thought I was in the clear.
Here's what I wrote on Tuesday while I was waiting around in the assembly room:
6.11.13
George Z trial jury selection. I answered the questionnaire. Maybe included some detail they would ask about. Re: no cable news, etc. Now I'm drinking black coffee & sitting on the floor. I find it funny that when, in a room full of random strangers, there are those people that immediately start chatting each other up. People want to share things. With or without the internet. The quiet rumble of small talk & mumblings of details. No one has chatted me up yet. I am the quiet observer.
My juror # is I68. Before we filled out the questionnaire, George Z and the lawyers came in to check us out. One dude looked to be counting-bobbing his head down each row...silently doing the math. They said this could last anywhere from 4-6 weeks. I might also be dismissed. Kind of exciting once I got here. News trucks and a camp set up for
media outside. Looks like they'll be here for 4-6 weeks, too. I bet they're hoping for a riot when the judgement comes down. I bet my lack of news watching or cable at home makes me appealing.
One of the deputies in here just told another that she ate her avocado and was "good to go". The Seminole County deputies are some strong and able looking women. Makes me curious to know their stories.
There's a kid - can't be a week over 18. He's sitting bent over in his chair sleeping on his knees. He's shaped like the number 4. I wonder what he thinks of this. I guess the fact that he's sleeping kinda gives that away. Now he's gone to the floor in the corner to continue his nap.
Meanwhile, I just had a cool idea for a story. A jury duty serial killer. Would make interesting commentary on how we're just numbers and quick to give up details to random strangers. Maybe. Or it's a stupid idea since it's in a courthouse. Also makes me daydream about if there are courthouse bathroom hookups. Like the airport hookup from 6ft Under.
Yes, it all really does come down to sex & violence.
The first judge that came in to qualify us was the same judge McIntosh that precided over the 1st jury duty summons I was selected for. Pretty good chances for this one but they have a big pool to choose from.
I like the bitchy people who don't wanna be here. The ones that have 4 kids 5 jobs & no spouse. The ones who don't care what any one else is going through cuz it couldn't possibly be worse than their situation. "I'm too distracted to be here..." It's not like the jury summons snuck up on you. There's a 3 or 4 week notice at least. There were a few folks that had people in the hospital and one guy that was leaving for honeymoon tomorrow. They got excused. The one lady who was "too distracted" pulled some 'tude early in her explanation. I'd keep her here just for that. Twat.
Shitty coffee tastes better black.
The sleeping kid is a mouth breather.
And a farter.
3hrs so far of just waiting. It was so exciting earlier. Some of that has died down. I wonder what the people who didn't bring a diversion & aren't talking to people are thinking about. How to get away with jury pool room murder, I bet. Or bathroom hookups. Just to sit and stare, seemingly comfortably, for hours on end. Those are the folks to worry about. What's going on in that noggin?
I did a quick counting like the one head-bobbing lawyer dude did & estimated close to 150 people in here. We broke for lunch. They gave us an hour but I figured by the time I got out of the parking lot, found food I can eat & got back, I'd only really have a half an hour, if that. People brought in fried stuff & wings & it smells good. I ended up snagging a better parking spot & came back in. So I could sit around and wait some more. And eat my nut sack.
The vending machine was sold out of delicious Aquafina water, but gave me $2.10 after I pressed the button to return the $2 put in. Pretty good ROI on a soda machine, but I'm still thirsty.
Trayvon supporters are out front with signs & sitting in the shade. I wonder what they're thinking about today. I bet they're thirsty, too. I was going to take of picture of the folks out there but thought better of it.
GAWDAMN the skinny girl next to me is eating fried empanadas and they smell like awesome grease. I bet she'll purge afterwards. Skinny girls don't eat like that.
I'd like to conduct a study that tracks people's seating habits. We all left the room and came back to sit in the same spots we left earlier. It's not like we have assigned seats or anything.
My feet keep falling asleep cuz of the way I'm sitting. My luck, they'll call me & I'll stand up and immediately fall down cuz my feet will be napping. Disinterested feet, much like the Sleepy Mouth Breathing Teen.
I hope something happens during this half of the day. I may have to come back tomorrow. They've been calling B#s and there have been about 5 or 6 BINGO jokes. Also of note, some of the B#s were in a different courtroom. So that makes sense as to why we were called in today. I wonder if the people they're looking for have skipped out after lunch.
I'd also like to conduct a study on why people always look at their finger after scratching an ear itch. Pretty sure it's an involuntary movement at this point in our evolution.
Now I'm sitting here thinking about how seriously quiet it must be in the courtroom upstairs and how talkative and lighthearted it is down here in the pool room. There's occasional laughter. Probably not too much of that happening upstairs. How drastic the difference in atmosphere is depending on which room of the building you're sitting in.
I am that girl that talks to herself while playing games on her phone.
I'm not the talkative pair infront of me that have been chatting since we came in this a.m. First it was college friends, now it's gym training at LA Fitness & 5ks. Yuppie convo nightmare.
It's raining.
Oh, I forgot to mention, about 20 mins ago they dismissed the 1st round of folks. I'm still here.
I bet I'll have to come back tomorrow.
Someone just leaned against the emergency door and set the alarm off.
This concludes this afternoon's excitement.
This guy over here in the talkative pair will not shut the fuck up. He's seriously been talking nonstop for 2+hrs. To the point where he finally cracked open his lunch time water.
I'm gonna move over to the other side of the room..... oh wait. he just got up and walked away!
His chat partner looks slightly relieved. I bet her ears are sore.
It's sorta comforting to know that the deputies they have in here are just as bored & tired of waiting as we are. The jury officer just went upstairs with all of our summons papers. Hopefully some news will follow shortly.
The later it gets, the louder everyone in here gets. Almost 8 straight hours of just sitting around waiting. What does that do to people? Makes them louder.
