Yesterday was the second time in the past five or so years I’ve been called in to Jury Duty.

What I most recall from the first time was that I wound up sitting in the “waiting room” from when I arrived at approximately 7:45 A.M. and waiting…and waiting…and waiting…

During the course of that day maybe ten groups were called in to various trails.  Many of those folks returned.  One particularly unlucky guy was picked out and returned to the waiting room at least three times, I’m assuming each time being discarded from potential trials only to be re-selected and sent back to another one.

By close to 5 P.M., the alleged time we’re supposed to be “freed”, I had yet to be called and thought (along with “what a waste of a day”) that that would be it for me.

It wasn’t.

With only minutes to spare before five, the lady on the speaker says something to the effect of “Everyone who hasn’t been called until now, please come to the front.”  She then read off each juror number, including mine, and off we went downstairs to get scrutinized for a trail.

For over an hour the prosecutor and defense asked us questions and, in the end, I along with several others wasn’t picked, which was something of a saving grace considering the hour.  It was close to 7 P.M. and I had the impression the judge wanted to go forward with that particular trial then and there, figuring it would only take another hour or so to do so (it involved some youth that was arrested on Miami Beach for something or another).

But…what a wasted day.

Anyway, the second go around proved a lot more “exciting”.  There appeared to be far fewer people in the jury pool waiting room than before and, by the time they reached the fifth batch of summoned potential jurors, I had a feeling my number would be up.

It was.  At close to 11 A.M. (Unlike the last time I sat around only three hours) I was called in with another 34 people and off we went…

…to be continued!