The clerk promised me that being selected for jury duty is strictly random. She told me that on my seventh trip to court. A few days ago I received my ninth — ninth!! — call to jury duty in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I know people who have never been called. How could it be that I have been so fortunate?
I should only be so lucky with the Powerball. Now, I actually studied statistics in college and grad school, and even taught the subject at one point. I know that my chances are slimmer than the proverbial snowball’s in hell. But I do buy a ticket when the jackpot is really, really big since my chance of hitting all six numbers is no less with a large jackpot of $300 million than with a small one of only $10 million (yeah, I know, “only $10 million” sounds crazy). That way, if I’m not going to win, then at least I will not have won a big jackpot.
And what the heck, this is entertainment. I can get several day’s worth of heart-pumping adrenalin awaiting the morning paper with its publication of the winning numbers. I think it might even count as aerobic exercise.
But back to jury duty. I have been summoned to trial court. Again. I will either be chosen, or will spend another four to five hours of my life sitting on a hard chair in a stuffy room, and waving a number placard overhead in response to questions. Would that count as aerobics, or weight lifting?
In theory, I think it would be a very interesting experience to sit on a jury, and I know it’s a civic duty. But, shouldn’t the other seven million people in Massachusetts have the chance to serve? I am willing to share my luck.
The court system in Pittsfield, MA must be some of the same people that never picked me to be on the volley ball team when I was in middle school. I have received a jury notice to serve three times now. Before each appointment date, I receive notice that the court date has been cancelled. Since I am retired, I do look forward to there type of adventures. But when I worked in NYC and lived in Westchester, I spent three weeks on jury service while all the work piled up on my desk. So that is a combination of good luck and bad luck which every way you care to slice it. I did learn, however, that jury duty was not at all like what we see on Judge Judy.