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Trial
by Jury Duty PAGE
TWO This process repeats itself four more times over the course of several days. In between, I wait. And wait. And read. And wait. I am called to panel, questioned, thanked and excused. On my ninth day of service, I see from the signs taped to the walls that it is Jury Appreciation Week. It will be celebrated by domino and spades tournaments during lunch hour. There will also be a rubber stamp artwork demonstration by a retired volunteer. The drab assembly room is decorated with balloons and streamers, which magically transform it into a drab assembly room with balloons and streamers. I look next to me at a large lady in an orange pantsuit with matching lipstick as she eats day-glo orange Cheetos from her long curved nails. They look like the brightly colored talons of some exotic bird. She holds a tiny television and watches Star Jones talk about the pros and cons of spanking children. We exchange weak smiles when the P.A. system clicks on. The monotone voice announces that there will be a raffle with prizes because of Jury Appreciation Week. Well, at least it'll help pass the time… precious wasted time that I wanted to waste in my own way. The raffle tickets are being passed out by a woman whose bone colored heels are so high, they cause her to teeter dangerously from side to side. She really needs someone to spot her as she moves perilously around the room. A large plastic container of free vending machine treats are offered in appreciation of jurors on a chair directly in front of me. This friendly gesture causes a fierce stampede. A young woman, wearing a large gold necklace spelling out "I Love Jesus," is scolded by an older craggy faced man for taking two treats instead of one. I wonder if her necklace refers to the Jesus or maybe her boyfriend. A very tall man wearing red suspenders and two pair of glasses simultaneously, steps hard on my foot on the way to his foil wrapped Rice Krispie treat. The combination of free food and agonizing boredom doesn't bring out the best in this group. The P.A. clicks on again and the monotone voice begins announcing the raffle prizes and winners. The first giveaway is a package of six ball point pens. The response is lukewarm, but it's a free gift, so there is still a measure of excitement. A number is announced and a woman with a long thick braid and very large teeth, who had been knitting constantly, gets up to collect her prize. She is happy but clearly embarrassed to have been singled out. The next item is a C.D. holder. There's another mild but detectable response from the crowd. Another number is announced and a rail thin man in a seersucker suit and new white sneakers talks on his cell phone as he receives his new C.D. holder. Then, the last prize is announced. The monotone voice says that the last prize will be completion of jury service for the next ticket holder, no matter where you were in your ten days. A hush falls over the large room. Voices start filling the air in waves of excited anticipation. Everyone wants that prize. This will mean freedom. And soon. This is the motherlode of Jury Appreciation Week. The voices die down and a crackling silence fills the room. There is an almost religious air about the place. It feels like a chapel full of silent prayers to whomever and whatever people pray. I have a clear, strong, direct moment with my mother who passed away seven years before. I say, "Idah, please. Help me out here." There are a few more seconds of loaded silence as I stare at numbers on my ticket. As they are read, I match up every number with the ones called. I won. In this moment, I couldn't have been more thrilled if I had won a million dollars in the lottery. It feels like I have been sprung from the Big House. I jump up and look out at all the people in the room who are cheering. Even though they hadn't won, there is clearly a vicarious thrill that at least somebody, somebody is getting to leave. I take a spontaneous bow and feel the need to apologize to the cheering crowd, because they have to stay. The lady in orange says, "Don't apologize, Honey! Get out of here and enjoy your life!" I gather my things, thank the monotone-voiced lady who scans my juror's badge for the last time, and wave goodbye to the room. I am
euphoric. The only thing I have ever won was six pork barbecue sandwiches
in high school. And I was a vegetarian. As I walk the distance to
my car, I don't know whether I am more grateful for my liberation
or the way it had happened. My mother had been my partner in this
victory. I asked for help, she heard me, and came through. Maybe
it was just blind luck, but it sure felt like something else. During the juror's lunch hour, I got to know downtown Los Angeles. I took advantage of the wide array of incredible multi-cultural eating opportunities: Japanese, Chinese, Lebanese, Korean and Kosher Burritos. I watched people at the amazing Central Market. I saw storefront wedding chapels crowded with immigrants eager for citizenship. I mourned the passing of an era as I stared at the grandeur of a faded movie house marquee. I watched an artist paint a colorful folk art mural on the side of a building. I saw homeless people living in a city-within-a-city of cardboard boxes. I went to MOCA. I marveled at the magnificent eight story wrought iron and wood lobby of the Bradbury building. I walked in Los Angeles. This is a city of extreme geographic isolation and social segregation. The eclectic mix of humanity downtown and at the Criminal Court revealed many, many different aspects of life. It's way too easy to not see things here. Too easy to go about your business in your car and stay in your little protected bubble and not see what's around you. I was grateful for the reminder. All in all, I think I came out way ahead. And now, with the "one day, one trial" system, the citizens of Los Angeles have been spared that ten day drudgery. So, next time that pink document arrives in my mailbox, and it will, I won't have any of my past hesitations. Oh,
who am I kidding?
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Okay,
it's ludicrous, but I knew I was being judged as unsympathetic and
I didn't like it. I could relate to this person because no matter
where we came from, we were both human beings. I have to just accept
the defense's request and let it go. But, I can be as fair as anyone
else. After all, I am a Libra. Balancing scales. Justice is supposedly
in my true nature. The fact that I am thinking about my astrological
sign might be reason enough to excuse me. "Thank you number
2193. Please return to the Assembly room." 
