Jury Service

Last year, son got a notice that he was summoned to do jury service.  I was instantly jealous; it’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

Actually, I did get a notice to serve many years ago when the children were small, but ex made me (yes, I know, it’s bad but it’s how it was back then and I didn’t even realise it) write in and ask to be excused.  So I did as I was told with all genuine reasons; exhorbitant cost of child care, no living relatives to help with the children, etc.  Of course, if he’d been willing to look after the children, it would have been fine and I could have served, but that was not an option because he didn’t want to.

Anyway.

Son’s jury service started last week.  I arranged to take him in for his first day and after that, he’d know the lay of the land and would go by bus.  I drove to the county town, dropped him off and drove home again.  It’s a journey I do at least three times a week for work, so no problem; I put on BBC local radio and do the journey without even realising it half the time.  The biggest news item that day was the start of a trial in the crown court son was at for someone who had committed a couple of murders in London.  I felt quite excited that son would be part of it all.  Living vicariously or what?

Within ten minutes of me getting back home, I got a text from him, "On bus on way home."  He hadn’t been called.  Every evening since then he has followed the court directive to phone in for instructions for the next day,  And every evening since then the recorded message has just told him that he isn’t needed the next day and to phone again in the evening.

It’s such a letdown.  I now just expect next week to be more of the same.