The Vow

For me, the most difficult task of the grand jury is maintaining the required vow of secrecy. All that one is allowed to say is, "I am serving on the grand jury." Period. As the DA stated, "There are no Grisham novels, here." Pity, eh? And so it goes, and so it goes.

I am allowed, however, to mention that I'd not seen a certain court stenographer in over forty years, since law firm employment. I noticed this now-elderly gentleman and thought, "He must love his job." He's quite dapper looking, with thick, gray, spiked hair and perfect attire, from a gorgeous linen jacket right down to spit-shiny shoes. It took me a while to make the connection. Well, actually I didn't make the connection, till his name was mentioned. Then, my thoughts were all over the place. Wow, how time flies, only to sink you into a time warp.

'Twas the same when I heard that Barbra turned seventy, this past week. Can it be almost fifty years that she's been entertaining us? Did y'all know that she'll play Mama Rose in the incomparable "Gypsy"? Thing is, the part calls for a much younger woman, but I've got the faith... Ms. Streisand can accomplish anything she sets her brilliant mind to. Talk about a time warp.

So, for the next eight weeks, I'll commit to keeping under wraps the stories of those whose lives shall be discussed in front of a panel of strangers. People. Clearly, we mark time together. Clearly, we touch each other. No secret there.

Time Travel

It seems to me that we blink and voilà - another month has gone by. Or, in this case, make that two months. Grand Jury duty has been completed. Eight weeks vanished in a heartbeat. But then...

There are speed bumps to slow us down. Consider Long Island traffic on a Friday afternoon. It is brutal, and we complain about a half-hour delay. But hey, New York is a happening place. When the Direct TV blimp is floating amongst the clouds, events abound: the Yankees might be playing the Mets; the Belmont Stakes might be scheduled; and/or an old rock star might be playing at the beach. Ahem. And then...

There are the slowly turning wheels of justice. If you are afforded the opportunity to serve on the unique jury that weighs evidence, do take advantage and willingly report for duty; it's a crime to ignore the summons. It's enlightening and brings a better understanding of a painstaking process that strives towards justice for all. It's interesting - I learned. It's frightening - crime is rampant.

What's that? It's the middle of June? Oh my, the Friday of Summer is halfway past. Time. It's precious, eh?

To Note: All captures in this entry were taken through the windshield that Joe so kindly cleaned, prior to our trip to Jones Beach, last weekend. Hey, can't waste the precious commodity known as "time"... have to take advantage, each and every time that a photo op presents itself!