Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Oh. Boy. For Joy.

As if I didn't have enough to do already, what with cleaning up, yard work, house work, hurricane crap, laundry, organizing the carport, and everything else that pops up, like actually wanting to cook something and blog about it, then this comes up. Click to enlarge and read. Freaking jury duty. I called last night after 6PM as requested and guess what.
I will be in Manteo at the Criminal Court at 1:30 this afternoon. Joy enters my life once again. Edited to add: I'm sort of an obsessive type and if I have an appointment, you can be damn sure I'll be early for it. I put some "court clothes" on, which I was hard-pressed to find since my wardrobe doesn't run that way. I'm heading out to the truck when I get stopped by some friends that are helping me with the yard cleanup. I know Rosie is an amazing person, what with all her myriad undertakings, but even Rosie needs outside help after a hurricane. They needed a ride up to TJ's, the local convenience store 1/2 mile away. " Jump in, but make it quick. I'm late already." "Oh, you got plenty of time." They get their lunches, we drive back home, I realize I forgot my wallet, I run back in the house to get it. Now I'm stressed since I know I won't be early. In fact, I will be late! It's 1:08!! "Don't worry," my friend casually tells me, "It's just 20 minutes from here to the Courthouse." I'm slightly calmed by this, since I know this person knows exactly how long it takes to get to the courthouse from here and it's not because she's a lawyer. I get back in the truck and zoom out of the Harbour. I have 3.8 miles on a 2-lane crappy road until I get to the 4-lane bypass where the speed limit is 50 but most tourists stay in the passing lane traveling 35 at best. While on Colington Road, which is 35 mph, of course I get behind a another car behind a Moped. The driver had numerous opportunities to pass the Mo-pedder, and chose none of them. We are traveling at 20 MPH. I finally get to the bypass, accelerate to 57 MPH. I figure 7 miles over is OK. Then I get a stop light. Here's the rule about stop lights on the Outer Banks: If you have the good fortune to hit one stop light, then you're gonna get every damn one. And I did. In spite of all obstacles, I pulled into Dare County Court House parking lot at 1:30. I had to park practically in Wanchese. The time is 1:32. I freaking sprint across the parking lot to the halls of justice. I run up the steps, taking two at a time. Only to find out that all jurors have been dismissed, thank you very much.

4 comments:

Marion said...

Rosie, if they go through the jurors in alphabetical order, you're a "W" - will be among the last to be picked. Happened to me.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Actually, I'm still an A.

And last time I went in for jury duty, they picked all 12 and I let out an audible sigh of relief. Then they picked the 13th alternate juror to serve. And I let out an "Oh shit."

Marilyn said...

Hugs, Rosie. I went through that earlier this summer and it was a pain in the neck. At least I never actually had to go in this time. This was the fifth time I had been called up for jury duty, though.

Meanwhile, the Foodie Husband has never been called for jury duty. How does that work?

Anonymous said...

BWAHAHAHA! Not a lawyer, again, BWAHAHAHA! Thanks for the laughs.