In the anonymous jury duty room

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

Jury duty is over!

I’m glad I did it — made me feel like I belong here — but otherwise it was just like jury duty in Ohio and Florida. 

You sit there (at least the chairs were comfortable) with about 200 others, watching/ignoring a movie, hoping you don’t get called, then wishing you would because at least it would cut the boredom. You nod off, then sketch the heads of the people in front of you, then read, then eavesdrop on true-life conversations (“XXX is going to coach at XXX?” “I heard the principal at Elk Grove refused to hire XXX back …” “My daughter wants to go to college near the ocean, but I say not too close because then she’ll never get to class. She’ll just go surfing.” “My boss was out and they asked me to fill in for her. I could handle the people, I just couldn’t handle all the emails she gets…”) 

About 4 p.m. we were asked to line up and hand in our juror badges. I was near the front. “Did I hear her say we don’t have to come back tomorrow?” I asked the guy in front of me. “Yes!” he said. “It’s a blessing.” 

Yes.

On the lucky side — Zing went to the gym with Sandra today, and the weather was delightful, and I live close enough to walk to court. On the way home I had a Thai Iced Tea at Temple Coffee, which some call an overrated Starbucks clone. But I’m becoming a fan.

Love,
k

The people in the first row are staring at the TV
The other shapes are posters and warnings