For 49 years I was never called upon to participate in the civic activity of jury duty. Now at 52 I am about to participate for the second time.

In my county your summons includes a number. In the weekend before you are to report they have a telephone number that you are to call. They read a range of numbers, and if your number falls in that range you have to report Monday morning. The top of the range ended at 717, my number ends with 713. You just don’t get any luckier than that.

I don’t mind serving. I do mind that my employer doesn’t pay and that the county will send me a check for a whopping $15. Seven days into the year and I’m going to have to burn a vacation day.

I just hope that this time is better than last when I was picked for the Grand Jury. They meet once or twice a month for the six months that you serve. I used my whole year’s worth of vacation to serve that time.

The key to surviving jury duty is to bring a good book. I could bring Glenn Beck’s An Inconvenient Book, but I’ve just about finished it. I think I’ll go with Secrets of 24 which I’m reviewing for Blogs.4Bauer.

See you when I see you.