Jury duty

**This post may contain uncomfortable descriptive words - you've been warned.**

Today I went to jury duty. Yip pee. I totally got there late (which is super awkward when a million people watch you try to find a seat). And I don't know if that's why but I was in the 3rd group to be assigned a court. I got Criminal County Court #8. I was juror #8. We went upstairs and filled out our questionaire then got called in.

To my great delight (and by delight I mean dismay) it was an indecent exposure case. I knew I was in trouble when the judge started reading the definition of indecent exposure. There was just something about this older distinguished judge repeatedly using the words anus and genitals that got me giggling. (What am I? A 12 year old boy?) Luckily I had the sense to bite the insides of my cheeks to keep from making an audible noise. And I think I was mostly able to conceal the smirk.

So they ask us a bunch of questions about how we feel about police officers and if we can do the whole innocent until proven guilty thing and if we are uncomfortable with a case involving genitals. (I heard that word more times today than probably ever in my life combined.) It's all nice and uncomfortable. And the district atty kept making dumb comments about whether we'd rather be on vacation. Um, no I'd much rather be here than on vacation. Here doing my civic duty listening to your questions about this unfortunate man's genitals. That's what I'd rather be doing. Sheesh!

So to keep a short story short (even though I'm pretty good at making them long - even when they aren't interesting - just ask my mother) I didn't get picked. And as I left the courtroom it struck me that there were no women on the jury. Which I'm sure was fine with each of us. So I went and got my $6 paycheck (although I felt awkward not donating it to charity) and gladly left for home. All in a good 3 hours worth of "work". I got paid $2 an hour for performing my civic duty. I just felt bad for the 6 men who would be there most of the day hearing about genitals and get the same $6 paycheck.

I think that someday I'd like to be on a jury. (Although I imagine I'm a bit too opinionated and vocal to be selected.) I'm just glad that today was not that day!