October 12, 2005
Jury Duty: DAY ONE.
I woke up around 7:35 AM for what was sure to be a day of new experiences. New experience numero uno? Take the PATH train from Hoboken to Journal Square in Jersey City. The PATH train map couldn't be easier to understand...but I asked a PATH employee just to be on the safe side. I was on the train for one stop and got off to switch trains. Unbeknownst to me, when I got off, Amy (she's taking over my job while I'm at jury duty) was across the platform waving and yelling at me. But I wasn't sure I got off at the right stop, I was in mild-panic mode - I didn't even see/hear her. Mild-panic mode goes something like this, "Was it this stop or the next stop? Is it really, really hot in here or is it just me? Oh my God, why do I always get lost!? Did I leave my iron on?"
Happily, the Journal Square train arrived about 8 minutes later, whew! I've driven past Journal Square before but never had reason to stop. To be honest, Jersey City is a little rough around the edges for my taste. I can handle the A & P but that's about it. On my walk to the courthouse, I stopped to ask a guy (an officer of the law) if I was headed in the right direction. He pointed to the building and gave me one piece of advice: "Remember, they don't arrest innocent people." Ha ha, wow. As I got closer to the courthouse, I overheard a nice man talking on his cellphone to his Mom or perhaps it was his girlfriend...that went something like this, 'Damn, Bitch, you didn't call the mother f#%king lawyer yet?! What the f%$k am I doing here?!' I carefully walked around him.
After going through the metal detector (They do a much better job than at the airport), I reported for duty! Here's the jury waiting area:
Bob sat here
for many hours
They gave us a booklet and asked us to watch an informative video. From the video, I learned that as a juror, I WOULD NOT be able to investigate the case I was assigned to...now they tell me?! After they signed everyone in, they called a bunch of people to go to a courtroom for jury selection (I didn't get called at that time). I sat there from 10 to 12:15, then we got an hour for lunch. The lunch options outside were plentiful. Kentucky has KFC, Jersey City has DFC:
Dancing Fried Chicken!
I'm happy to report that I did not eat there, I found something as simple as possible. When lunch was over, my name (and a bunch of other people) was called to a courtroom, hot damn I'm fulfilling my civic duty!
They were still picking people for the jury at the end of the day, so I have to go back tomorrow. I may get picked, I may not and no, I will not talk about what kind of case it is.
I got back to Hoboken around 5 and I was crazy tired, then it hit me, I fell asleep on the sofa the night before. I really have to stop doing that. For dinner I just picked up a chicken at the supermarket. But before that, I stopped off at Target. I wanted to buy one of those ipod alarm clocks. My alarm clock is on the blink and my friend Walter says the ipod alarm clock sounds pretty good. It's a little pricey but it would be an early birthday present to myself (my birthday is this Saturday). So, I pick up the box and the damn thing is $130! It's $99 everywhere else! To Target I say this: HORSES*#T! And on that note, I'm going to end today's diary.
Thanks for all the positive comments on my new banner -- it was a lot of work and I'm very happy with it. And for those negative comments, turn up your hearing aid grandpa! This is Bob '05! (I don't know what that means)
Have a good day!
Best,
Bob
I woke up around 7:35 AM for what was sure to be a day of new experiences. New experience numero uno? Take the PATH train from Hoboken to Journal Square in Jersey City. The PATH train map couldn't be easier to understand...but I asked a PATH employee just to be on the safe side. I was on the train for one stop and got off to switch trains. Unbeknownst to me, when I got off, Amy (she's taking over my job while I'm at jury duty) was across the platform waving and yelling at me. But I wasn't sure I got off at the right stop, I was in mild-panic mode - I didn't even see/hear her. Mild-panic mode goes something like this, "Was it this stop or the next stop? Is it really, really hot in here or is it just me? Oh my God, why do I always get lost!? Did I leave my iron on?"
Happily, the Journal Square train arrived about 8 minutes later, whew! I've driven past Journal Square before but never had reason to stop. To be honest, Jersey City is a little rough around the edges for my taste. I can handle the A & P but that's about it. On my walk to the courthouse, I stopped to ask a guy (an officer of the law) if I was headed in the right direction. He pointed to the building and gave me one piece of advice: "Remember, they don't arrest innocent people." Ha ha, wow. As I got closer to the courthouse, I overheard a nice man talking on his cellphone to his Mom or perhaps it was his girlfriend...that went something like this, 'Damn, Bitch, you didn't call the mother f#%king lawyer yet?! What the f%$k am I doing here?!' I carefully walked around him.
After going through the metal detector (They do a much better job than at the airport), I reported for duty! Here's the jury waiting area:
Bob sat here for many hours
They gave us a booklet and asked us to watch an informative video. From the video, I learned that as a juror, I WOULD NOT be able to investigate the case I was assigned to...now they tell me?! After they signed everyone in, they called a bunch of people to go to a courtroom for jury selection (I didn't get called at that time). I sat there from 10 to 12:15, then we got an hour for lunch. The lunch options outside were plentiful. Kentucky has KFC, Jersey City has DFC:
Dancing Fried Chicken!I'm happy to report that I did not eat there, I found something as simple as possible. When lunch was over, my name (and a bunch of other people) was called to a courtroom, hot damn I'm fulfilling my civic duty!
They were still picking people for the jury at the end of the day, so I have to go back tomorrow. I may get picked, I may not and no, I will not talk about what kind of case it is.
I got back to Hoboken around 5 and I was crazy tired, then it hit me, I fell asleep on the sofa the night before. I really have to stop doing that. For dinner I just picked up a chicken at the supermarket. But before that, I stopped off at Target. I wanted to buy one of those ipod alarm clocks. My alarm clock is on the blink and my friend Walter says the ipod alarm clock sounds pretty good. It's a little pricey but it would be an early birthday present to myself (my birthday is this Saturday). So, I pick up the box and the damn thing is $130! It's $99 everywhere else! To Target I say this: HORSES*#T! And on that note, I'm going to end today's diary.
Thanks for all the positive comments on my new banner -- it was a lot of work and I'm very happy with it. And for those negative comments, turn up your hearing aid grandpa! This is Bob '05! (I don't know what that means)
Have a good day!
Best,
Bob
