Dear Mercer County Court System,

I'm fuming mad at you. I walk into the court room to report for jury duty. Sure, I've been able to squeak by before by saying the word "kids" and they let me forget about you and your little robed man up front until next time. This time the words "Grand Jury" pop up in my mail box and along with it says, "childcare is no longer an excuse." I show up today thinking I'll just say I'm racist or plea to the court that I am sole caregiver to my children and random little babies that show up on my doorstep and I'll be on my way. The judge looks right at me and says, "Ma'am, that is not an excuse. I've worked with foster children in the court and I know how it works. You should feel honored to be here. It's your civic duty and it's only once a week." Mind you, courtroom, he says this to me in front of about 100 people. THEN he calls me over to "side bar". There are six people standing there staring about 2 feet from me and he says, "Now about your "issues." Whoa. Okay courtroom, I've just frozen my tukus off sitting here waiting for this man to show up 2 hours LATE and he says "issues" like I'm some half wit trying to get out of here because I'm lazy. He goes into the same schpeal and I say, "I understood you the first time you said it in front of everyone."

Courtroom, please keep in mind he has only called up 23 of us. There are at least 80+ other people. Some of them I heard saying that they HOPE they get called. What's wrong with them? The ones that were called up were retired or had jobs and every one of them said, "I don't have any reason not to serve." I was the youngest one there and the only "house wife."

He turns around to the crowd and says, "The rest of you are free to go, we have our panel of 23."

Turns back to us, "You people will be serving every Tuesday for 18 weeks."

Courtroom, I hate you.

Lovingly,
Jennifer Meyerson