Jury Duty

Every two to three years.. Like clockwork.. I get called for jury duty.  Now, those who know me .. know that I have a 60% or more hearing loss in both ears.  I have to be looking at you to get what you are saying even when I am wearing the hearing aids.  I do not hear radio or cd’s well at all.. unless I have headphones.  I wear amplifiers with headphones at theaters and rely on closed captions here.  How can I get them to understand this?  The very first time I was called, I was there all day long.  I don’t remember much but I do know that after I was called (second to the last) .. as soon as I let them know my hearing impairment.. they let me go.  Every time since.. I have been excused the night before.  I was not needed.  However, the week of Angel’s vacation.. I was needed.  First I had to put pants on over the sunburned legs.. that was painful.  It had only been two days since the burn and it still felt awful. 

The plan was, Angel would take the girls to the park and maybe the movies.  Since we didn’t get to go to the drive in the night before (due to rain) we went out to eat instead.  Doing that alot lately.  I went in.. signed the papers, had a seat.  The lady there went up front and started listing out the rules and expectations.  I think I heard maybe 3 words.  It was awful.  She then put in a dvd of the court procedures.. thankfully that had closed captions.  I went over and explained my situation to her after the dvd was over… however she could not help.  I was going to have to stick it out. 

Sat back down, tried to read… someone else is now talking.. She seems to be calling names.  I listen closely and hear my name called.  She says something and half the room walks out happy.  Ok.. did she just say if I didn’t call your name you can leave?  Or if I did?  so I sit.  Now everyone is standing when names are called.  I am the last one sitting.  Everyone is now looking at me.  Lovely.  I get the heck out of there. 

I know some won’t understand my feelings here.. but this is humiliating to me.  My husband thinks I should just enjoy it and take the 20.00 I get each time.  But he just doesn't understand how this affects me. 

Since it was just about 10:30, we all headed to Borders and hung out there for a bit.  Went to Panera’s to grab lunch.. but the line was out the door.. so we headed over to Bj’s and grabbed a quick lunch and slushies.. then headed home.  The girls had pizza the night before, then pizza at bj’s and then pizza again that night (leftovers) while I ate my leftover pasta with sun-dried tomatoes.  Yum. 

The girls certainly started to get tired of pizza!  LOL