My JURY DUTY
Entering the Federal courthouse after filling out a jury questionnaire weeks earlier, our group was directed to a waiting court room. There the Judge sits formidable high above the dais. The room is respectful with silence. Numerous smiling attorneys sit looking at us all like fish in a fish bowl. Questions begin and those in our group are excused. One for scheduled chemo treatments and one whose child’s first day of kindergartner was the following morning. The judge calls 15 random names, I’m number 15. More questions are asked when he announces that soon 9 jurors will be chosen for this civil case. When the 8th name was called I said to myself only one more name and I am so outta here. I was accepted for the case as juror number 9. We started the trial immediately. I sat there thinking why did they pick me, was it my age, my gender, my bandaged finger? I believe now it was the finger.
Nine people weeks later are no longer strangers. New friend Juror #8 turned 92 during this trial and male Juror #7 baked a delicious cake from scratch for her birthday. By the way this is Juror #8’s, eighth and final jury duty and yes she could have been excused but she would fight to be doing this duty. She is a spitfire. Not one of us since that first day has taken this job lightly. We listen but at times have struggled with eye closings and snores. Juror #5 actually did snore once but Juror #4 hit his chair, thankfully the judge did not notice. We are getting to know more of one another daily yet we have no clue as to how one feels about this actual case per the judges rules.
Now weary of living in a hotel room and eating from restaurant menus and that’s coming from one who says “it’s a good day when I don’t cook. Strange how fully captivated in this trial I’ve become. My mind is starting to form a direction after what seems like a flipping of back and forth depending on which attorney was speaking. We were told to just listen very close and you will figure it out and know. Now I would fight to remain on this case. From security guards to the judge you are made to feel and understand daily that we are revered for the job that we have been selected to accomplish. Yes someone in this case will probably be called the winner and one will lose. But this is what I have discovered so far by this process. That I have changed my mind about serving on a jury even with all the inconveniences, that I believe I’m wanted and that’s a feeling I had not felt for some time, plus that my brain still comprehends and is operational but most significantly of all I am so proud of ME for actually being a Juror.
Juror # 9, Carm Piquette
