And This Will Be My Crazy, Post-Jury Duty Cat Lady Story

I was not selected, although I almost was. Truth be told, there was one case I wanted to be selected for: man from $$$ who drove while intoxicated hurt a Puerto Rican family. I wanted to know more of that of that story, but they needed me to serve everyday for 3 weeks. I had to say, "Um, my job would make this impossible": it's MLK month and a new semester, I can't give 15 days to a civil case, even though I'm intrigued and this would be educational.

Actually, the entire jury duty process is education. I was one of the first to arrive on a snowy morning with school delays, and was first in line to get my parking ticket validated (interestingly, the parking garage paid for by the State is the one that Chitunga manages). I then sat there for 2 hours while people came in late. The letter said to present one's self professionally. The other 200 potential jurors showed up in sweatpants, Timberlands, and unwashed clothes. There were two other people in ties: a man who looked like a judge (who had on a bowtie) and a woman with large breasts and a beard who also had on a bowtie (they caught my attention because they were dressed up).

I brought books and my laptop and kept quiet. Then a woman sat next to me. From my texts yesterday, this is what I've been able to capture (I couldn't take photographs)-

• 150 people waiting in line to check in. Of course I was first in line. People are still arriving. And the later they come, the more rude and disrespectful they are.
• As expected. No bar. Damn. It would make this so much more enjoyable. Or a gym to workout while we wait. And of course the crazy cat lady who fosters special needs children and loves to talk sits next to me because I look respectable. And she's in sweats and smells like urine. Cat lady is now eating deviled eggs and a granola bar. Definitely a smoker, too.
• 150 freaks. Always a window into the many worlds I don't know.
• Directions said to dress respectable. It looks like I am sitting in a homeless shelter. I definitely am one of three in a tie. 
• As expected. No bar. Damn. It would make this so much more enjoyable. 
• My inner capitalist is kicking in: 150 people stuck in chairs for six hours. 5 days a week. $1 a day. $750 a week. What can be created/sold to occupy all these bored bodies? It is a sitting gold mine and that's only a $1 a day.
• I am now hearing about why normal people never leave their homes or show themselves in public. It's because of the birds and cat lady points to the ceiling tiles.

I did a lot of work while there, but that one particular case (after getting out of so many others)  intrigued me: wealthy drunk White suburbanite hitting a car full of not-as-affluent Puerto Rican migrants...I was intrigued...but three weeks of time.

I couldn't cut it. They eventually let me go. When I left, the crazy cat lady remained. She thought she was going home right away, but I was excused before her. Meow.