tears

I was called to do my civic duty and was asked to report for jury duty in downtown San Jose this morning.  Great.  Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of time.  Plus, I adore crime novels so I figure I must be kinda into the way the US justice system works, right?  Not this week thank you you very much!

As stated in the previous post, my mother-in-law is in the hospital.  David and I have plans to go to Southern California to visit her tomorrow.  I was just going to think positively ... I was not going to get on a jury.

The morning started out well.  And by well I mean uneventful.  Our group was not called.  In fact, we were even let go for an early two hour lunch.  Woo hoo!  I don't know if I've ever had a two hour lunch. (Oh yes I have ... when Redhead Jen came and visited me at work in Menlo Park ... we definitely took a two hour lunch ... I digress).  After lunch I go back to the courthouse and am very optimistic that I can just ride out my jury service in the jury holding tank/waiting room.   Ummmm no!

At approximately 2:45 they summon us to a random courtroom on the 4th floor.  Oh crap.  We file into the gallery of courtroom 301?? and are greeted by the stares of a judge, jury, prosecutor, defense attorney, defendant, sheriff's deputy, and two random court ladies.  Um folks, this is real.  I seriously got goose bumps.  Hello, I already mentioned that I love crime/spy/fabulous novels ... I was now in the midst of it.  The judge proceeds to tell us that they need to find two alternate jurors for a criminal trial.  Hello criminal trial - so fun!  No, I need to go to LA tomorrow!  I can't be at the courthouse tomorrow!  After explaining the charges against the defendant (crazy!!!) the judge says he'll hear hardship arguments from the potential jurors (that's us).  Okay little wife, you can do this.

After waiting in line with nearly every other potential juror in my pool (apparently no one believes in civic duty) it was my time to shine.  They brought us one by one into the courtroom.  We stood behind a podium, smack dab in the middle of the room, directly facing the judge.  The prosecutor, defense attorney, defendant, sheriff's deputy, and random court ladies were all staring at me.  I say, "I need to go down to Southern California with my husband tomorrow."  To which the judge replies, "Oh, are you going on vacation?"  And then ... I CRIED! 

I got about four words out between sobs.  Mother-in-law ... hospital ... brain tumor ... last night.  Okay, that's six words.  More tears.  The sheriff's deputy handed me a tissue.  Apparently I looked quite pathetic.  

I was dismissed.  I walked out of the courthouse with my head held high ... crying all the way.  Then I cried all the way home.  Awesome.  I'm going to get another jury summons in November.  Whatever.  At least I'll get to go down and see my mother-in-law tomorrow.

**Note:  I am okay with the fact that I'm turning into my mother.  I don't know how I feel about the fact that I may also be turning into my sister.