Member-only story
100 Days of Gladness, Day 2
Jury Duty
The mail came in and I was called to jury duty. I filled everything out, and sent it back. Weeks later, the actual summons came. I am one of those very few who are excited about jury duty. I wanted to be part of this process. Everyone was so grumpy and put out.
But jury duty is where twelve random people decide what someone’s fate is. It’s an incredible responsibility. And I’m not naive. I know they pick us based on questions answered that the attorneys involved think will give them the best chances of winning. But still. I wanted to be part of it.
When I arrived for what I call the “culling,” there were about 250 of us. I wish I’d been savvy enough to take a photo of the crowd. Such a truly diverse crowd. Humans from all races, ethnicities, ages, sexes, sexual orientations, genders — you name it. We were a rich crowd.
As it happened, by the time they called my number, all the jurors had been chosen, and now it will be six years before I’m eligible again. But think about it. Ordinary citizens in our country are charged with coming up with a fair decision about what to do in the event of some possible crime. It’s kind of sobering. And amazing.
