I’m trying to ‘unplug’ and not worry about my husband presenting for jury duty this morning. In Arkansas, you’re on the panel for 6 months, unless you are excused for some reason.
I was called years ago and was ‘invited to leave’ because I said I would follow the judge’s instructions “if they made sense to me,” and when asked, told the guy I didn’t have faith in the judicial system anymore. I guess they marked off my name in big, black magic marker or something, never to be called again. That’s fine with me.
My husband WANTS to serve. He would answer the same as I did if he told the truth. He has no compunction to do that, since he WANTS to get on a jury so that he can vote the way he wants regardless of instructions, to hang the jury or whatever is necessary to get someone off or to put them in jail, as HE deems just.
He is hard of hearing, rigid of opinion, extremely confident that he knows more than anyone. He will be 81 in November and has several health problems, none of which he will admit. He won’t ask to be excused. I just hope he doesn’t embarrass himself in any way. He’s a mess, but he’s my guy and I kind of like him.
One of the things he’ll have until he is no longer with us is a strong sense of who he is. He washed the Vette in the driveway yesterday because it was dusty and had cat paw prints going across the hood and over the top. Since our new cat stays inside, the culprit is ANOTHER, strange cat, who has come through the cat door in the garage. When he came in, he told me he threw up in the yard he got so tired washing the car. He refuses to stop work until the job is finished no matter how I encourage him to work in ‘sessions,’ as I do, resting and re-hydrating in-between. The important thing to him was that his Vette was clean and shiny for his trip to the court house this morning. It’s part of his image.
Since they keep the court house like a freezer, I made sure he wore jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, socks, and tennis shoes, rather than the tee, shorts, and sandals he usually wears. I also suggested he wear his leather vest. We gathered his glasses, his phone to keep in the car, made sure he WASN’T carrying the two pocket knives he usually has, and that he had his admittance ticket. He also decided to take his Kindle. He’ll probably start reading and won’t hear anyone call on him.
This is something I can’t control, so I’m really trying to simply let whatever happens happen, hoping he doesn’t embarrass himself in any way. I’m doing my normal stuff, but staying ‘available’ if he needs me. It’s kind of like sending your child to the first day of school…
UPDATE – he’s home. He didn’t ask to be excused. He says they will call him on my phone if they want him to appear. He said if we have a doc’s appt, or other appt, we can simply call and be excused for the day. As he sat down at the computer, he said, “I’m old and I walk funny.” I’m not sure what brought that on. I did mention that when “I” get up, I limp for several steps before my joints loosen up and I can walk more normally. He’s not getting old all by himself!
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