Dammit!

Back in 2004 I received a letter in the mail from the US District Court which said "You will eventually be called for jury duty. Fill in this card, blah blah blah..." So I filled in the card and mailed it back. I was actually excited about the possibility of serving on a jury and getting the chance to see our judicial system in action. I had fantasies of serving on some ridiculously important case, being sequestered and being able to say to my friends "I am on that jury, I can't talk about this case. No no no! You cannot taint this juror, nosiree!"

Fast forward to 2008, 4 years later, I have finally been called and my summons date is 17 June 2008. Normally my fantasy of being the important juror would have kicked into overdrive, and I'd be pestering Todd with "I wonder what kind of case I'll serve on! Will it be a murderer? A drug dealer? It could be anyone! Will we have to go into the witness protection program because I put a big bad guy away??"

But no, actually I am quite irritated with the timing of the US District Court. I am starting my brand new job on 9 June, and my summons is a week and a day after my first day on the new job. I have been unemployed for the past seven months, and the Court couldn't be bothered to call me then. Nooooooo! They have to wait until I finally get a job, and then WHAMO! they dish me up a summons.

Today I called the Jury Administrator to see if I could either have my summons pushed up a few weeks, before I start the new job, or get it postponed. They said I have to write a letter explaining why I'd like a postponement, and then they will decide if my reason is valid enough to get postponed. I swear I detected a hint of snideness in the Jury Administrator's tone, a bit of "Now now, Princess, you have to do this, you can't get out of it." But I am trying not to detect that. I am sure the poor guy has heard every excuse in the book.

But really, I don't want to get out of it. I want to serve on a jury, and I told the guy on the phone as much. I just don't want to serve on a jury one week into my new job and have to say to my new employer "I know that I just started here and all... but I need to take a day off for jury duty... so, um, sorry 'bout that."

Internet, please cross your fingers for a postponement. I am trying to remain optimistic, and don't want to hear any "Yeah right, they won't postpone you for this." No negativity allowed, please. Just humor me and tell me that I will be sure to get a postponement. Please? Pretty please?