Thievery at the Courthouse

So, I had Jury Duty this week. Had to go Tuesday for the mandatory "orientation" where they show a video and a judge comes and talks about the jury selection process. Then a list of 40 names were ready. Those 40 had to stay, the rest were free to go and just call that evening to find out about Wednesday. I was one of the 40... We went across to the courthouse and packed in a small room. We sat there for about an hour, and then the bailiff came in and said we could leave until 10:55. So we disperse, I go get a cup of coffee and a scone.  I return early, to get a comfy chair. At around 11:30 the bailiff comes in, and reads ten names, those ten people got to leave, however they still had to call in to find out about Wednesday.. I was one of the ten.

Why couldn't they have released those ten when they recessed?!? I had things to do, appointments to make. Oh. Well.

I didn't have to go on Wednesday, so I went to work. Nothing exciting happened there.

I did have to go today. In the cold, pouring down rain. Did I mention, jurors have to park about 3 blocks away from the courthouse? Luckily, I had a trusty umbrella in the car. I also remembered to bring a magazine.

I went through the security scanner, got comfy, pulled out my magazine and was reading about the different models of disability (I'm a nerd, I know). The potential jurors were separated into 2 groups. My group got to go to another room, where the seats were much nicer, although, since they were on wheels, I wouldn't recommend them to some of the people in my group!

We sit there for about an hour or so. Then the bailiff comes in, followed by the judge. The judge explains that the cases scheduled to start today had been cancelled, and thanked us for our service. Woohoo! Freedom!

Oh Shit! Where's my umbrella? I left it in the other jury room. So the bailiff, another person (who left his lunch there) and I make our way through the labyrinth of the courthouse back to the other room. Someone stole my umbrella! It was not there! The other man, said he remembered seeing it under the chair as we were leaving.

Really? You are there to serve on a jury, and you steal an umbrella? What if it had belonged to an old lady who had to wait for the bus in the rain? If you were stupid enough to not bring one of your own, that's your problem! Don't take it from someone else!

At least I can walk pretty fast, so I didn't get drenched.