“A game of chess, is like a sword fight. You must think first, before you move.”
The Lord

So I had my day of “public service”.
Things that suck: sitting in that room for hours.
Things that suck worse: being called to a court for possible selection.
Things that suck the most: Almost ending up on a week long murder trial.

When I say this I mean I knew that they wanted to pick me as a juror, I need to lie more or something. They ask questions to try and eliminate people early on and I could tell from my manner and responses that I was equally suited for the defense or the prosecution. I have a parent who works for the FBI. I have been arrested and I didn’t bitch about it. I work in human services with people like those on trial, and I was a young black man like the defendants. I will say since I was never even close to being on a case that big it was very interesting to see the Legal teams picking the Jury. Like a game of chess. I had an understanding of what was going to happen when they came down to the selecting and striking of jurors, but it was interesting to watch…I think the State messed up a little cause she didn’t get too many white folks on the jury. I know it wouldn’t have been in the interest of the two gents,but for me it was like watching a game when you don’t really have anyone to root for and you just get into the game itself. The only thing that kept me out of it was the last question they ask: Do you have any pressing matters that would prevent you from serving on this jury for the full duration of the trial. The bad part about this that the reason I couldn’t have stayed on sucks. Basically the three -3, tres, trois-(including me)members of my staff have to re-order about 430 files by social security number, copy them and place them into boxes. That made the Judge put me at the bottom of the list. I started to think they would choose me after the question about if you or a relative of yours had ever been arrested. I mention my cousin’s and my own incidents and the Judge asks did I think I was treated fairly. I realized as I gave the actual response that I was messing up. I said I had it and it was illegal and the old white judge says, “I heard that.” Then they asked about my job and he was praising me…I realized then that I was looking good, but in a way the made me liable to get chosen. I did get to finish the book I was reading though. Jury duty still sucks, but at least I should have a year before they try me again.