People Who Meet People

I got a jury summons in the mail today. I know most people are annoyed when that happens - the ones at the old office certainly whined about it - but I still don't understood why. Maybe my first experience was SO good that I relive it every time I'm there? It really was fun - just one of the advantages of living in The Jungle. (I do know that it wasn't typical.)
But I really don't mind jury duty. I suspect I might have had a career in the spy business had my life taken a left turn at Albuquerque way back when. I love to watch people and listen to their conversations. There is a lot of that going on when you wait to be called for a jury panel. The young, hip kids complain loudly, as if that will somehow convince the registration desk to let them go. The older crowd, usually retired or government employees, are calmer, more relaxed and usually quite enjoyable to converse with. Some suits bring their laptops and try to work. Others spend all their time on their phone trying to make us all believe they are important. Still others, like myself, bring a book and pretend to read it while following the interactions around them. It was highly amusing to watch this guy hit on another potential juror; you know he was making stuff up, trying to sound like he understood her job and had similar connections. She left with him at the end of the day though. I wonder if she didn't know he was schmoozing her or if she thought he was cute enough it didn't matter?
I guess with the holidays coming and everything they sent the letters out early. I don't have to report until January, which is kind of good. The end of a year is so crazy busy. Have I mentioned I have four big activities on the first Saturday of December? Yeah. I do. Oy.
But when the new year begins, I will be downtown at the courthouse maybe doing my civic duty and sitting on a case. As long as it doesn't interfere with eavesdropping on the guy next to me...

This is me, with a jury summons notice.