Waiting…

My view from 6th floor outside jury room.

UPDATED 7:40pm: Only two groups of jurors were called today–two large groups. Some were dismissed and sent back to the jury assembly room to sit and wait with the rest of us.

Yet through it all, I wasn’t one of the many people called down to the courtroom. This means I’m done with jury service until after December 3, 2008, so I’m cool with that.

I suppose it’s just as well. I overheard one of the excused jurors tell us that he was called to the jury box but hadn’t even sat down when they asked the judge to excuse him. Go figure.

A few interesting things about my experience. First of all, it wasn’t until we were almost out of there when I noticed a guy that looked familiar. He was an older man, graying hair, tall. Yet I still couldn’t identify him.

During some small talk I had with the man next to me, he had mentioned that “even Duekmejian has to do his civil duty.” That’s when it hit me–that yet-to-be-identified man was former California governor George Deukmejian! Kinda cool. The guy will be 80 next year and doesn’t look anywhere near it, and is also a resident of Long Beach. I would have asked for a picture with him but since he was dismissed long before I was, I didn’t have a chance. Oh well.

I also behind a woman in the cafeteria that had four artificial limbs. Four, people. You know, there are people who want to avoid jury duty because they simply don’t want to be there. And here was this young lady, walking slowly down the often-out-of-order escalator at the end of the day, smiling all the way.

I excused myself to pass as she continued to her way down. (It was–surprise–not working and she was walking on the right to allow other to pass.) She smiled and apologized. Farking A-POL-O-GIZED. I smiled back and told her there was no need to; she was fine. This young lady could quite possibly be the greatest human being that ever lived.

Oh, and I saw a billboard downtown pushing yet another 2Pac Shakur CD, due out tomorrow. Look, I know it’s only a “Best Of…” CD, but c’mon. Dude’s been gone since 1996. Enough already!

And that goes for you too, Elvis.

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Now playing: Depeche Mode – Condemnation
via FoxyTunes