Released

"Shortest jury duty ever," the jury den-mother manager announced yesterday, as she told us we could leave the jury-pool waiting room-- and never return.

We'd been told we'd be in the pool for two weeks--
(waiting to be pulled to serve in courtroom trials)--
and we'd only been there 3 hours!

Because it was the week of New Year's, however, no cases were going to trial. Either the litigants had all settled (we'd been told this might happen) or the judges had cleared their slates.

At first I was elated. FREE, free!
I''d cleared my week, so I could choose to take an unpaid holiday, or not. 

And then I was bummed:
I'd kind of wanted to experience a trial and be helpful to our justice system, which is heroically holding out against DT.

And then I was relieved:
what'd really worried me––besides having to listen to gruesome testimony, if I'd been put on a criminal case––was having to come to a decision with eleven other people.
I expect I would not have enjoyed my internal reaction (seething silently) to the group process. 

So, all told, it's probably for the best.
I showed willing to serve (helpful in itself), and then didn't have to. 

Girlette Frankcolumbo will be awarded a Good Citizenship Badge and it has been determined (by the ‘doll pool’) that I will be too. (I must construct these.)

I am taking today off. 
I feel low, though. . . Post-holiday slump and the deflation after plans fall through (even if that's welcome).

I want to go lie on the ground at the lake and recharge, but it's cold (10ºF / –12º C) and it's snowing lightly. It's pretty, anyway. I will put on my snow pants and go for a walk.
Or go back to bed?

________

UPDATE: I put on Queen's Greatest Hits and that perked me up. 

Rock n roll, everyone!