Civic responsiblility

This week I was picked to serve on Jury Duty. When I called after 1700 last Friday, the automated voice told me I needed to report to 3700 E Tachevah at 0730 on Monday. Bummer I thought, but at least I get to check out the new court facility which is right in front of FedEx in the new building on the corner. I show up just before 0730, and have to wait on the sidewalk with everybody else until 0800, when they actually open. They had us wait in one of the side rooms. Then they had us sign the bottom of our forms, turn them in, ask if we need employer verification (which I did), and then return to the waiting room. A guy came into the room a little later, asked if we all turned in the form, and then informed us there was good and bad news. Good news, we are all being asked to serve for jury duty. Bad news, it's not here - but over by the airport in the newly reopened, renovated court house building. I drove over there with everybody else, and had to wait there in the lobby after going through security. We finally got to sit in the court room, where they had us wait. They weren't ready for us, so at 1030, they had us leave for lunch and return at 1300. We then sat there for another hour until they announced that they were ready to call prospective jurors for a sexual molestation case. They called people, they dismissed people. Finally, at 1645, they announced that court was in recess until tomorrow, and everybody needed to return at 0930 the next morning. Some people were upset because it was supposed to be "one trail or one day." However, this was technically the same trial they were trying to seat, so we were caught. I came back the next day, and they couldn't complete the process by lunchtime. Came back at 1315, and they process continued. I was getting exhausted mentally by the whole process. I was never called up into the voir-dire area, but had to stay the whole time. I couldn't serve on the panel because I have a couple of people in my family who are developmentally challenged, like the victim, and it would have been to hard for me to sit through that trail. Give me a theft or burglary. That I could handle. Finally, at 1400, both sides decided on a jury. We in the audience were all relieved. I went back to work, where I was feeling a little frazzled from the whole ordeal. My chorus rehearsal was also tainted by it. I'm just glad that I got out of it.