I got called to jury duty! Joy and rapture! Some of you are probably wondering why the joy and rapture, but to me jury duty is almost always a winning deal. I get a day off from work, fully paid, during which I get to read books and maybe answer a few questions under oath. I got lots of books for my birthday, too, so I am all set.* I'm looking forward a day I don't have to drive to Bala Cynwyd (shiver) and during which I can use my juror badge to get a discount lunch at the Reading Terminal Market.
I did jury duty about twelve or thirteen years ago**, and I thought it was fairly interesting. Admittedly, I would have found it less so had I been stuck on the Scarfo jury or on some dreadful asbestos litigation, but I lucked out and got a criminal trial. Big shout-out to our founding fathers for that speedy-and-public-trial thing, which ensured that my jury service began and ended within five days. That was long enough for a pleasant break from work, but short enough so that I didn't want to strangle the other jurors. I was elected foreman, too, which meant I got to read the verdict, which was both more and less dramatic than I expected.
*Although A Feast For Crows is on its way, I will have finished that book WAY before jury duty begins.
**It's pretty terrifying that I was old enough thirteen years ago to discharge the duties of an adult American.
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