Runaway Jury

Okay, I admit it.When I received a summons for jury duty I groaned. This was not working into my busy schedule. In fact, it could not have come at a worse time. Reluctantly I appeared downtown at the courthouse at the appointed time to try and not get picked.Out of several hundred people present I thought I had a great chance of getting out before noon and back to my own schedule. But I got called.Then about 35 of us left for the courtroom to be grilled by lawyers for the case to see who would be eliminated. This was my chance! Great ideas came to me as to what I could say to eliminate myself from the running. But...they were lies and I couldn't bring myself to do it. I still had a good chance to be passed over. I was juror number 22. Hey, they only needed 12!You know what happened..I was selected as juror #8 on the panel of 12. I was about to go ballistic when I realized the honor I had to be able to serve on a jury...after all that's the essence of America's judicial system. It's what we were all about.... I still didn't want to be there.Three days later we were done. Twelve citizens had appropriately passed a verdict on a case. I met some great people and left almost a little sad it was all over. It felt good to have been a part of our judicial system. And yes, I did feel pretty guilty I wanted out of it so badly.So when you're called the next time for jury duty I encourage you to buck up and do your civic duty. It beats the heck out of living in a country where there is no democracy run by a Saddam Hussein-type leader.Hey, I'm $6 a day richer too.