notebook from jury duty

I was at jury duty yesterday. I woke up to catch the salem train -- which train I would, panicking in north station at 7:05 not seeing the 7:10 salem train I knew the MBTA website had promised me, find out was called the beverly train -- very much earlier than I'm used to waking up, and in dull stupor I packed two things in my backpack: a book to read and a notebook/pen. Yes, notebook/pen is one thing. I was just starting Infinite Jest, so that was the book, which may or may not be influencing this post's ramblings, but and also yes I love it. 

I was there for eight hours or so before being released, free of my civic privilege/obligation for three years (or so). I thought I'd share some clippits from my notebook. Things inside these: [ ], are modifications from now, the rest is from then.

NOTE BOOK CLIPPINGS:

Bailout for pens -- police guy who talked at the beginning [I think I meant bailiff]: "Mr. Obama won't send me any more pens." "Of the dozens and dozens of pens Mr. Obama sent me, all I have left is seven."

correct sp: impanelment

[in the courtroom, looking at bookshelves] Are these old volumed collections of books savagely outdated- and obsolete-looking?

 Judge from video: "I hope you've had the time to read the juror's handbook. " [I never saw one...]

Juror video is hilarious -- cut into talking in weird, tight rhythm, funny "relaxed poses," stenographer [nothing but this one word can convey the hilarity of this man], simple graphics... was this made in the 90s? 80s? [was it 80s or 90s-looking-like-80s?] 

After the video: exodus! [to bathroom]

Thought: Slug killing as a child still reverberates in me as a uniquely moral moment in my young life -- story: (character:) kills a slug in his adult life to recapture some emotion in him that was felt naturally as a child. Doing this for some creative endeavor? Creative/destuctive? Doing this for/to other creatures? What's the difference between doing it instinctively as a child a the "recreated" adult emotion?

This woman across from me: "My life has come down to textmessaging in the basement of a church. [...] Can't get closer to God than the basement." "I'm a big fan of Mary Magdeline." Very progressive, Space Pope?, very aggressive about it, about Euro counties being progressive, etc... "Most important issue: freedom of speech."

The judge said some really interesting things: he ended with some comments about how, after cases are closed, "juror after juror after juror" expressed they felt proud of what they did, happy, etc, he said that voting and jury duty are the pillars that equal this nation's freedom (the freedom we supposedly have), he talked about our forefathers coming here for freedom. It isn't voting that makes us free, I think. It is the freedom to "breathe free," as the judge says re: our forefathers.

Thought: I'm still so young; unused to running into old faces.

Reading IJ in jury duty (public) = Shame?

Thought: reject specialization.

[My fellow jurors] complain too much. Is this the American dream? The freedom to complain? At work, complaining. At school, complaining. In the stores, complaining. Jury duty, complaining.

This guy over here, with the tattooed arms [later he said he had the Boondock Saints prayer tattooed on him], works at Blockbuster and he says he's probably seen every movie you have. He just made a good point: "Sittin here in a church basement starin at a white wall for 8 hours, the perfect way build patience. Or the perfect way to kill yourself." Aren't the things that build patience always the causes of suicide?

I also made this drawing, which I have used expensive equipment to bring to you now, with voice over because my writing is too blurry: