Free At Last

There's nothing like the feeling of freedom. It makes one kinda giddy and carefree. At least that's how I felt at lunch time today when the judge said we were free to go.

Day 2 of jury duty: the overwhelming majority of jurors showed up at Room 122 on the 13th floor of the criminal justice building in downtown Los Angeles. We waited half an hour until the remainder (8 people) arrived.

After we were all seated, the defense attorney completed her cross examination of the 22 prospective jury members, while the rest of us sat in the audience. Next up, the prosecutor did the same thing. Then 6 jurors were dismissed, replaced and an alternate chosen.

And then the magic words: "Audience, you are all released from service." Oh yeah. I didn't even stop for lunch. I was gone.

When I got on the bus this morning for the court house, I left my fate in the hands of the Creator. With the pressure of school starting on Monday and my boys back from school, I wanted to be anywhere but in a court room. But I was determined to do my duty.

Thank you, Hashem, for allowing me to fulfill those duties at Old Navy. I say it again - oh yeah.