So I dodged the proverbial bullet on Monday. Myself and approximately 125 other fine, upstanding citizens of our nations capital showed up for.....jury selection! 

  I know I know its part of living in this great country, it's an honor to help enforce the justice system blah blah blah. These comments are only made by people who are NOT up for jury duty!

  Now granted this case would have been interesting...a man was suing a couple for slander and they were counter suing for sexual assault and harassment...but it was scheduled to last four to six WEEKS!!! Weeks!!! There was a gasp from the panel when the judge said that let me tell you.

  It's a civil trial so they only need six jurors and the judge opted not to have any alternates so I thought my odds were fairly good. The first twenty numbers are called...no names are mentioned unless you are picked to serve.....17 men and 3 women. Twenty people. Of course they can get six out of twenty. Shows what all my years of watching Law & Order taught me.

  It becomes very clear very quickly that the lawyers don't want any men on this jury. The judge releases some people based on hardships...mostly financial because while your employer must give you time to serve on a jury they do not need to pay you....but the lawyers release every man left. And of the three women one was excused for health reasons.

  Two people. Out of twenty. I look around and I'm still doing ok in the odds department. There is easily 75 people left. More women than men now so that's promising. Another twenty numbers drawn. Mine is the third! My stomach clenches because there is no feasible way for me to do this short of my husband working from home for the next two months. But I take my place in line as my brain throws out one reason after another why I can't serve.

  The first woman is taken. The second has the mother-load of all excuses...she is getting married Saturday and her honeymoon is in Thailand! The judge wishes her the best and off she goes. 

  I step up into the witness box still with no idea what I'm going to say. The judge asks me is there any reason I can't serve. Before I even have a chance to think about it I calmly explain how my elderly aunt is having heart surgery the next day and while she is recovering I am her primary caregiver. The judge smiles sadly and wishes her the best of luck on her surgery and releases me. I step down and walk out of the room. A free woman.

  Now technically I didn't lie. My aunt had surgery yesterday and it went very well. She will be in the hospital til early next week and will, fingers crossed, make a speedy recovery. I will be helping take care of her but principle caregiver might be a stretch. I can live with stretching the truth if it means I'm not sitting in a jury box for six weeks. I guess that makes me a little guilty.

  Ang