Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Do's and Don'ts and Other Stuff

Don't:  Come to jury duty wearing a bright pink, and very low cut, tank top (without a bra) and then think that covering it with a completely sheer top will count as "Business Casual" clothing.  Someone did just that yesterday.  I didn't see what happened after she was called into a panel, but I'd be willing to bet she got "the talk" from either the baliff or the judge him/herself because I saw her when she was leaving at the end of the day and she was almost doubled over with the effort to hid her ample chest from ANYONE at all seeing her.  Bill wondered if maybe she thought that dressing like that would get her excused, but she was back today (and dressed just about covered chin to toes) so I guess it didn't work, if that was her intention.
 
Don't:  Tell someone that crochet hooks are not allowed in the jury room when they call and ask - and then not even stop the other lady who took hers in without a problem.  I was walking out of the restroom in the jury room today and there was another prospective juror sitting in one of the chairs - crocheting (and yes, the hook was metal).  She said that they never said anything to her.  The signs specifically say no knitting needles and a few other things (some of which make no sense at all), but nothing at all about crochet hooks.  I told her what I'd been told and that my yarn bag was in the car.  She said that she'd left her scissors out of her bag because she expected that they would not be allowed.  My plan was to get my yarn/project/hook out of the car when I went to get my lunch and work on it this afternoon.  But then I got called for a panel, so the yarn, etc., stayed in the car.  I have to go back tomorrow but I don't have to be there until 9:30.  I think I'll probably take my yarn in with me, then if I don't get picked out of the panel I'm on and have to go back to the jury room I'll probably crochet until a) I get called again or b) I get released.  (I'm hoping for b).  I'll probably go in just a bit early so that I can run back to the car with it if the hook isn't allowed, but I don't really think I'll have a problem since they obviously let hooks in.
 
I'm on a panel but for various reasons, I don't think I'll be on the actual jury.  That is obviously just my guess, so who knows really.  Usually, if you haven't been put on a jury by Wednesday you will get released.  Not always, but they generally try to get all the trials set and in motion by Wednesday so that they end by the weekend.  I sat in the jury room all day yesterday without being called, but I did enjoy talking to the people I was sitting by.  I sat with some of the same people this morning, we had a nice visit.
 
I took my lunch yesterday, I don't deal well with forced inactivity and I knew I'd be ready to walk around by lunch so I left it in the car (in the ice chest) and went back to the car for the 1 1/2 hour lunch break we had.  I took my lunch today, but I got called to a panel and we just had a one hour lunch break.  I still went back to the car to eat, it was a very short walk but at least I got to get a little exercise.  I think I'll probably just buy my lunch at the snack bar in the courthouse tomorrow, which I probably should have done today since it was cold!
 
I also think that I'm officially "the older person" because I noticed that I'm now getting asked about the way things work and the people who ask are almost always in their early 20's!  I actually find it amusing.  I try to help people whenever I can anyway, but it is kind of funny.
 
Mostly, it's been a very boring last two days.  It rained most of yesterday, I got an automated call late in the afternoon from the electric company.  Apparently, there was a big lightning strike in the area we live in and the power was out for the afternoon.  Nobody was home, and it was back on by the time anyone got home.  We had a very loud thunderstorm yesterday in the evening, nothing bad but it was noisy!  The dogs slept through it, of course.

No comments: