jury

I didn't really want to say anything, because nobody understands me, but I've been selected to do jury service.

A more contemptuous thing I've never done before or since.

I really shouldn't have  replied to the letter they send. The fun thing is I could have just claimed I didn't receive it, put it with the rest of my unopened mail and told no bugger. When they came looking for me, I could've just said, "dunno what you're on about?" Their literature isn't recorded delivery. It's sent by TNT Post who aren't exactly bursting with plaudits in the little time they've been operating around people's postboxes.

So it's my own fault. I went up to the courts in town last week to see what happens. Anyone can enter the Public Gallery to any case, so I sat in on an assault charge. I appreciate that I only heard the defendant's last couple of minutes on the stand, the judge's summing up and the defence and prosecution's closing statements, but I thought this bloke was guilty based on what I heard. Jury comes back in, headed by a "child" who's probably never been in, let alone seen, a street fight before and find this bloke not guilty.

I found it incredible the whole jury was in total agreement. I sensed the judge was urging them to a not-guilty verdict, but even so.

My worry for me is I will go in there, if picked, and be awkward because there's nothing I like more than going against the grain. I would be quite happy yawning or scratching my bum all day. "Civic duty" - what a joke. Fundamentally, I'm just not interested and no matter what goes on I will take it with a pinch of salt and apply the same sorry attitude to a defendant who deserves better. 

Things are moving completely out of my control, and the morals and beliefs I've tried to uphold throughout my life are slowly being eroded away by circumstance. Again, it's my fault for not walking the talk, and I wish dearly wish my Dad were here......