On Our Way To Crazy

Well, it’s over. For me anyway. The trial must go on without me.

Because Aaron and I had plans to fly to Los Angeles tomorrow morning before the trial started, I have officially been excused from my duty. As instructed, I informed the judge that I was scheduled to be out of town, and she told me that the trial was not expected to last three weeks (!) and if it did, an alternate juror could be called to replace me.

So. Three weeks of testimony, lawyers, courthouse cafeteria food and evidence. OH SWEET LORD, the evidence. I’m not sure I can discuss it before the trial is over, but let me just tell you that this evidence, it was not pleasant. It was not pretty. It was bad and disturbing and has infiltrated my brain.

Two days of deliberation. Two days of trying to come to twenty-one separate unanimous decisions with eleven strangers, many of whom are certifiably insane. You’d think they would screen for that stuff. Trust me when I say – do not do anything, ever, that requires you to go before a jury. These people, they are not smart.

I’ve been spending eight hours in the courtroom followed by three in my office every day to get ready for the event we’re flying to Los Angeles to attend. It feels like I haven’t seen my husband or my dog in weeks.

But it’s over, even if I didn’t get to deliver a verdict. An alternate will show up in the morning to help decide the remaining counts, and I will get on a plane and go to California where I have no plans at all other than to drive around and look. I can’t wait.

I feel like I’ve been completely disconnected from the world for three weeks. I haven’t seen my friends or coworkers, I haven’t been cooking or doing work at home, I haven’t been shopping or running errands. I have a lot of catching up to do.

I’m exhausted.