So, I had to get up pretty early to make it to the courthouse on time. Morning bus driver didn't "like" my five, but he didn't think it was fake, he was just a nutter, he talked to me about the gold standard and how the currency isn't backed anymore.
It's... more complicated than that, but I am not going to get into a political argument with someone while they are driving A BUS. So I just nodded as if he were imparting sage advice.
I transferred busses in a place that looked as barren as a moon, but with concrete and a gas station. Like, I've spent a lot of time in Chula Vista, but I hadn't been to that corner before.
Second bus was one of those accordion type dealies, much nicer than the busses I usually ride. Full of teenagers, and they were all glued to their phones, no talking at all. Was a bit eerie. I'll give them points, their headphone discipline was on point. No on bus DJ's at all!
At first I thought google messed me up because maps crashed when I walked up to JAIL, but that was an honest mistake, the bus stop was just on that side of the courthouse/JAIL divide. Probably makes transfer somewhat easy for the region.
The little jury service infomercial they make you watch was both amusing and terrible. The Jury lounge had a library, first time I've seen something like that, but I'd brought my own. Then an actual judge came in and decided to go on a series of unhinged rants. She says she never gets picked for jury duty and wishes she could do jury duty, and then began talking about all the countries she doesn't like. She also gave a civics lesson on the three branches of government that was worryingly wrong. Got the strong feeling she thinks the judicial system needs Jesus.
I think... she was trying to cheerlead our jury trial system? But was just a bless'ed nut? Either way, when I realized this was the same bingo hall type calling system as every other time I've had jury duty and that Ranty Mc Judgeface didn't really have any power over us and was just using the podium to workshop her open mic set, I walked to the dining hall and took a nap. There was a screaming baby and whatever gameshow Wayne Brady hosts is very loud. Someone in the lounge shut the door to the dining hall, trapping me away from overly loud gameshows, screaming babies, and ranty judges. That person is my hero. I continued my nap. Around 10 AM they excused all the groups BUT mine. I read some of Colbert's first book. It's funny, but I think I was in a techno-thriller mood. Goodwill had nothing yesterday.
The dining hall was quiet as a grave, air conditioned, and had some fairly nice tables for me to rest my head on. My only company was the microwave.
Honestly the jury lounge sucked about as much as the waiting room at the DMV or a doctor's office, it had those chairs that are designed to hurt you if you sit in them over 30 minutes I'm thankful for the dining hall. They had big stupid plastic bucket chairs from the 70's.
I was excused at noon and had exactly 90 seconds to get to the bus. I didn't make it, but the bus was exactly as late as I was. The ride home was quiet and uncomplicated.
I had to settle an insurance mistake that would have been extremely expensive unfixed. I got the notice in the mail yesterday, and the deadline to fix it was oct 31st... no pressure, right?
Wrong, there was totally pressure, because their phone system said "Due to high volume, we are not taking calls now, please call back later." So I put a 30 minute timer on my phone, but kept getting that recording. Then I remembered they occasionally robocall me, scrolled back in my phone, and called THAT number. The receptionist seemed shocked that someone got through, but was willing to help.
Turns out, I didn't have to do anything, they'd received my updated paperwork on the 23rd (I'd mailed it on the 15th) and everything was just fine.
One thing I will say for getting up so early for the bus, no sunburn if the sun isn't out yet.
