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Please be considerate of 70 or more participants and keep your story to 100 words. Thank you.
The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll
Genre: Some might find it humorous
Word Count: 100
This is based on fact. I recently was called for jury duty. A day spent waiting…and reading. I think I can blame Russell for the inspiration. When I wasn’t sketching or snoozing, I was reading my signed copy of “The Perils of Heavy Thinking.” That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
MEMBER OF THE BORED
My day in court arrives. I spend hours in a sterile waiting room with 74 other potential jurors before moving to the courtroom. To pass the time I sketch the man in front of me.
Who among us will be chosen to spend the next five days deliberating? Not I.
So…
Will it be the blonde with a rock on her finger the size of Texas? Or maybe the brunette whose attributes are barely contained will catch the judge’s eye. Or what about the dainty young thing in striped hoodie and floral pajama pants?
The possibilities fire this writer’s imagination.
***
Not Boring
A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY
The coffee table companion to Havah’s Trilogy
or HERE
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
How interesting that we both saw courtrooms. You evoked that wait so well
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Dear Neil,
It was quite the wait. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Good story, Rochelle. It’s great you had interesting ways to pass the time. I feel lucky now. I sat on a jury once and things progressed fairly quick. It was one person’s word against another’s so no one ended up going to jail. We had a good foreman who used common sense. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Dear Suzanne,
I ended up not being chosen for this particular trial. Since I’d been a star witness in a lawsuit for the plaintiff I don’t think they wanted me. 😉 I do wonder how the trial ended up. So I only had one day invested. Managed to read at least four of Russell’s stories and sketch four pictures. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I couldn’t do jury service when I was called years ago but now as a writer I’d love to!
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Dear Louise,
I wasn’t chosen for the jury so only had to give one day while they decided who would serve and who wouldn’t. It was a great place for people watching. 😉 Thank you for stopping by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Good story of people watching while waiting patiently, or not, for the Jury selection. Brings back memories of the ones I observed when called.
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Dear Jan,
People watching…a favorite pastime. 😉 Thanks for reading and commenting, m’love.
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I’ve been called twice, and have yet to be selected. Good time for a bit of reading and napping though!
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Dear Ian,
I was happily not selected. 😉 Thank you for reading and commenting.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Vivid description, you took me there with you. I wonder if more stories will spring from this potentially interesting experience.
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Dear Jilly,
Who knows? Another story might eke it’s way out. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh this is brilliant. I must admit I was lucky, I was picked for a six week murder trial and as a law student I found it fascinating.
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Dear Bettina,
I suppose, as a law student, a murder trial would’ve been fascinating. I don’t think this particular trial would’ve held quite the same fascination. I consider myself lucky to not be selected. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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People watching and putting those ‘wasted’ hours to good use. What else would a writer (or artist) do?
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Dear Susan,
Precisely. 😉 Thank you for reading and commenting. It means a lot.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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They do sound interesting.
I was among a group of people being considered for jurors on a high profile murder case about a decade ago. I actually got to see the defendant, who I believed was guilty as sin. I wasn’t chosen, which was probably a good thing, but later the person was found guilty.
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Dear James,
I wasn’t selected and this was no murder trial. But the people were fun to watch…to a point.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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we are blessed without having any jury duty so i take from films.. somehow I can’t imagine you sitting among 11 angry men…. but maybe it’s interesting as well. I have no clue about they are selected at all…
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Dear Björn,
The selection process was to answer a raft of questions from the lawyers, the one for the defense and the one for the plaintiff. I think if I’d been selected it would’ve been closer to 11 disinterested and yawning people rather than 11 angry men. 😉 At any rate, they passed me by which suited me fine. 😀 Thanks for stopping by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve only been forced to wait to find out about jury duty a few times…not recently, but I still remember the horrible feeling of frustration waiting to get it over with. At least you conveniently found a way to keep busy. Nice, realistic depiction of the other ladies there.
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Dear Larry,
This was my first experience with jury selection. I only wrote them as I saw them. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I have been disqualified from two juries because I have strong opinions about stuff. A simple question like “Mr. Carroll, what do you think about Monsanto?” will net the interlocutor a ten minute diatribe. I am sure you’re surprised 😉
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Hm. No I don’t think I’d be the least bit surprised. No doubt my having been a key witness in my friend’s wrongful termination and age discrimination suit did not make me a desirable candidate.
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Rochelle, I got a kick out of the humor and your drawing. At least you made the best of a boring situation. I have never been called to jury duty, which I find sad. I would like to experience the process once. Maybe someday.
Susan
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Dear Susan,
I would’ve been happy never to have been called. 😉 With no electronic devices allowed in the courthouse I was left to my own devices. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
A most constructive way to while away the day, I think! Tired of reading? Draw! Tired of drawing? Read!
And we get to read a fun story in the end,,,
I’ve yet to be called… and don’t feel the need to add that to my list of experiences!
Lotsa love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I wasn’t even allowed a cell phone. Gasp. Sputter. And when I got tired of reading or drawing, I daydreamed. Which of course means spinning stories in my head. I hope if you get called that it will be a more interesting case. 😉 Thank you re my story. Glad you enjoyed.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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No phone? Gasp indeed! 😀
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Nothing electronic. Which left me to my own devices. 😀
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Hyuck hyuck
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*Wisoff grin.*
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😁
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Tick tock… tick tock… I wonder how you were perceived, Rochelle, as you people watched… and sketched… and people watched. I hope you don’t mind but I found myself yawning as I read this (in an appreciative way!)
Love your new banner, btw, by Russell Gayer. It also helps to host a photo challenge, me thinks.
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Dear Kelvin,
That is the rub with people watching. I do wonder at times how I’m perceived. Perhaps I should write a story from the other person’s point of view. How I perceive how others perceive me. Too convoluted, I think. 😉
Yawning is perfectly alright…as long as it’s appreciative. I was certainly delighted to hop in my car at the end of the day, knowing that I didn’t have to return the next day.
As for the banner, I try to keep them interesting by alternating them each week, in hopes that they will be read.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Juries have to decide independently. Does it matter if judges notices the attribute of one juror?
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Dear Abhijit,
It’s the judge and lawyers who question the jurors to make certain they will be impartial in a particular case, without bias toward one or the other party. So the answer is ‘yes’ the attribute of one potential juror does matter.
Shalom,,
Rochelle
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OK I see the angle.
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It’s been a few years since I was in that sterile room. The lawyers didn’t much care for me. Not rock or other visible assets and a bad habit of speaking my mind had saved me so much time.
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Of that I have no doubt, Alice.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m not sure how they are chosen, I just hope it isn’t me 😉 So, a potential juror needs to be impartial and someone who is pleasant to look at for the duration of the trial?
I like the coffee table companion book. Very nice.
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Dear Trent,
An impartial jury as possible is what the lawyers prefer. it’s hard to sway a biased juror in the other direction, I suppose. 😉 At any rate, I was happy to not be chosen. Thank you re the book. I’m pretty thrilled with it. Will be more thrilled to sell them all. 😉
Shalom,
Ropchelle
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That all sounds extremely boring (the waiting, not the writing). But what an opportunity for people watching. Such great, vivid descriptions. How many will show up in your next novel?
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Dear Gabi,
Considering that my next novel is set in the middle of the 19th century, these folks aren’t too likely to show up. Although their ancestors might. 😉 As for boredom, my sketchbook did get a workout. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve never been called, much to my relief. I can’t stand going to the cinema because of the constriction of movement, and I’m sure no-one would appreciate a juror strolling around the courtroom in the middle of a trial. You captured the essence of waiting. In style.
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Dear Sandra,
You know me. I’m all about style. 😉 Thank you for sitting long enough to read and comment. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can just see you, sitting at the back, looking down, glancing up, looking down, pencil going busily – you gave me a vivid picture of how you passed the time!
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Dear Penny,
Do you have a hidden camera on me? 😉 Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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member of the bored (board) – so much not boring here and the people descriptions were my top takeaway – hoodie and pjs at the post office recently
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Dear Yvette,
I suppose the pj’s and hoodie is the 21st century answer to curlers in the hair of the 60’s. Glad you weren’t bored by my story. And caught my pun. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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😉
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You’ve made a good thing, a couple of good things as i i can see out of a bad situation. Constructive time management. Loved the loaded sarcasm in this story. As usual you are outstanding, Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
I would go stir crazy if I didn’t have something to do in a situation like that. 😉 And what better place to people watch than a room with 74 other people? 😉 Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yay to daydreaming and to finding a way to wile away the time while waiting for snail-ish machinations to do their thing …
Here’s my contribution to this fascinating photo prompt. I had a few ideas. They squabbled. This won. (yeah, I left at link at the link-a-dink)
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Na’ama Y’karah,
Daydreaming is how stories are born, isn’t it? This one certainly was. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Absolutely! No daydreaming, no stories. 🙂
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I love to sketch the characters, in the crowded places, in my book of my mind. Liked the way you spent your time in court.
https://ideasolsi65.blogspot.com/2018/09/uncertain.html
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Thank you, Kalpana. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Never been called up for Jury duty, I imagine i may be one day so I’ll take a pad and pencil, problem is i’m appalling at drawing! Good stuff well written and sounds so tedious, I can’t believe the law would pick jurors on what they look like or what they are or are not wearing!!
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Dear Shrawley,
I’m not sure the jurors were selected by looks, but if I were a lawyer, I’m not sure I’d choose the hoodie-PJ girl. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Can the lawyers choose? That seems a trifle corrupt.
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I think the lawyers do choose…along with the judge. They’re supposed to select those who seem the most impartial, after grilling them for hours. First the lawyer for the plaintiff and then the defense.
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Dear Jonnette Cameron Swayze,
I glad you found the time to start reading classic literature. I’ve served 3 hitches on jury duty and served as Foreman once in a civil case–although there was nothing too civil about it. The highlight of the trial was the pizza ordered for the jury by the judge. In the end, the plaintiff didn’t get enough money to pay his lawyer. Being a jurist is a dirty job, but there was no way I was going to let a good pizza go to waste.
Keep on Ticking,
Tommy Timex
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Dear Tommy-Justin DaNikov Time,
Apparently you were more desirable as a juror than I. This was my first time having to appear. Interesting experience. I don wonder what the outcome of the trial was, but I can’t say I was too disappointed. Although I did enjoy the literature. I’m sure people around me wondered what was so funny.
Taking a licking and keepin’ on ticking,
Jonnette Cameron Swayze W(T)F
PS A package of entries is on it’s way to you. TY
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Thank you for reminding me how much I love people watching,
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My pleasure, Michael.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice drawing of the guy in front of you.
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Thank you, Phyllis.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Wow so many writer/artists among us!
Jury duty, what fun! That is a very democratic room: everyone waiting feels equally small. You do a good job of conveying boredom without being boring. And your character takes us, in her conjectures, beyond jury selection to the trial itself, and the “lucky” ones who do get picked, to decide another citizen’s fate.
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Dear Andrea,
If one can’t make lemonade out of the proverbial lemons, life loses it’s luster. 😉 Thank you for your kind and affirming words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Goodness! This story left me hoping none of these people would be on the jury if I ever got arrested! What a delightful take on the prompt.
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Dear Lish,
I might’ve exaggerated a teeny bit. 😉 However, the PJ girl with the hoodie I wrote as I saw. Really? That’s how you show up for jury duty? Thank you re my story. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We don’t have juries in India, they were scrapped after a high-profile murder case in the ’60s when the murder was proven beyond doubt, but was let-off by the jury because he was a decorated Navy Officer, and had killed his wife and her lover in a fit of rage on catching them together. More on it here: https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/the-case-that-inspired-rustom-and-abolished-indias-jury-system
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Dear Anurag,
What a horrible case. Can’t believe a jury would let him go, but we have way too many cases here where the guilty party walks away or the not guilty is wrongly convicted. Thank you for reading.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Maybe you’ll get a job as the court artist 🙂 I’ve never been called but I’ve heard that it’s an awful lot of waiting around.
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Dear Ali,
I’ve recently had similar thoughts about being a court artist. I think I might have missed a potential calling there. I watch some of the sketches that show up on the news and think, “I could do that!” 😉 Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I find my self more often observing strangers and wondering about silly things in their lives. I was there with you, watching you draw them. Great story, Rochelle.
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Dear Loré,
People watching and wondering about their stories is what writing is all about, isn’t it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This had me smiling a lot Rochelle. I spent a lot of my earlier life in and around courts (never in the dock, thankfully) and used to wonder what was supposed to be so great about guilt or innocence being decided by a jury of our “peers”. Then I took a closer look at the alternative – judges and magistrates. Oy vey!
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Dear John,
Perhaps it’s arrogant of me, but to call some of the jury candidates ‘peers’ set my teeth on edge. 😉 Your smiles are my compliment. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Not arrogant at all, Rochelle. I put “peers” in inverted commas on purpose, for that very reason. I suspect the people who send out the jury notices have a sideline selecting participants for shows like Jerry Springer’s and the UK’s (even worse) Jeremy Kyle.
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I’ve always wanted to do jury service, but I’ve never been asked! If I am I’ll remember to take a sketch pad and pencils!
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Dear Keith,
Always take a sketchpad. At the very least, a pocket notebook for recording interesting characteristics. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Since you’re a writer AND an artist with OODLES of imagination, I doubt you ever get bored. Enjoyed your story… people watching is fun indeed.
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Dear Magarisa,
I often feel overwhelmed, but rarely am bored. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As a student, I’ve always been able to defer my jury duty summons. But I’ve always thought it’d be a place where I’d see the strangest people and let my imagination wander. Great story!
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Dear Jacob,
This is the first time I’ve actually had to show up. I’ve dodged the bullet for years. There were some—shall we say? Interesting folks. 😉 Thank you re my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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74 hours??!!! I hope you were allowed to eat and sleep?
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74 other JURORS, Liz! Not hours. I was only at the courthouse for about 8 hours.
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Just when the reader thinks the protagonist is a potential juror herself/himself, the surprise springs up.
Cool 🙂
Have a great week!
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Thank you, Anita. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I loved this. When I’m on the train I give my fellow passengers back stories in my head to pass the time. Thank goodness they can’t read my mind!
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Dear El,
I would never want to be able to read someone’s mind, although I’m guilty of trying which usually gets me in trouble. I’m certainly glad they can’t read mine. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And then you get to write on the trials of life 😉 Though with your talents they should have called you to work as a sketch artist.
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Dear Subroto,
Sometimes I wonder why I never pursued a career as a courtroom sketch artist. I have to say I enjoy what I’m doing these days now. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I liked the title itself. BTW, I don’t know why your story evoked the movie 12 angry men, maybe because of the court house and jury. Liked the way you have sketched the courtroom with your words.
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Dear Anshu,
Someone else mentioned 12 Angry Men. Must be the courtroom thing. 😉 Glad you caught my title. It’s fun to pun. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Waiting – the hardest thing to do. Lucky you know how to entertain yourself!
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At least it wasn’t 74 hours. 😉 Thank you, Liz.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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i wonder what the other people in the room were up to. perhaps they were doing something creative with their smartphones. 🙂
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Most other people were reading books or magazines, Plaridel. We weren’t allowed to have any kind of electronic devices, such as tablets or smartphones. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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i think these devices are allowed in the assembly room in california. they can’t use the camera though.
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You capture the dreariness of waiting so well. And the Texas rock and ‘attributes’ are definitely Russell – you have channelled him scarily well. 🙂
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Dear Sarah Ann,
I hate to admit that in many ways Russell and I might just think alike. 😉 I just hide it better than he does. Thank you for your kind words. It makes the day of boredom worth it somehow.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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that’s the one certain thing coming from jury duty–story fodder, characters….
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Dear Sascha,
I knew one writer who used to go into bars with a notepad. Some of those people would show up in his novels. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I can definitely believe you’d find characters there! 🙂
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Querida Rochelle,
I’ve been in that long waiting do-nothing but stare at puck-green walls and wish I could throw up so they’d excuse me. BUT … you made this quite humorous, mi amiga. I think there’s a possible stand-up comedy in your future. LOL You and your cousin-in-law had a few moments of banter here. Where did he go? You’re probably frightening to him. LOL
Anywho … estoy muy tarde. Donde se va el tiempo? Ahhhh … espero que le guste mi cuento.
Abrazos y Shalom,
Isadora 😎
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Querida Isadora,
Mi primo Kent dice, “Hola” a ti. Dice que no puede escribir hoy dia. He and I have done some stand-up comedy actually. 😉 Estoy contenta que te gustas mi cuenta. Mejor tarde que nunca. ❤ Gracias.
Shalom y abrazos,
Rochelle
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Never thought of the boredom aspect of jury duty. I’ve never been called up and wouldn’t mind doing it as long as it wasn’t a gruesome murder trial.
I have always loved people watching and am concerned that with the omnipresence of screens these days, it is becoming a dying art. You can learn so much and I think it’s actually an important part of being human and part of society…or even adrift from it.
Best wishes,
Rowena
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Dear Rowena,
People watching is an interesting pastime for sure. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love how you create such a good story from ‘boredom’. It makes your hours of waiting into the start of a short story – clever stuff.
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Dear Francine,
I like to get a little mileage out of an otherwise painful situation. 😉 It’s there if one looks for it. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I am an avid people watcher. It’s a great way to come up with interesting characters. A good way to pass the time, along with reading and drawing of course. Glad you weren’t selected. =)
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Also, lovely illustrations on the coffee companion to Havah’s Trilogy! =)
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Dear Brenda,
I was pleased to not be selected. 😉 I really didn’t want to spend five days of deliberation in the state of boredom. Thank you re my book and illustrations. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Time ticks slowly by when all you want is to escape. This showed that in detail.
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Dear Stu,
True story. It’s amazing how time slows down to a crawl when you don’t want to be somewhere. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Don’t think I’d like to do jury service! Great piece, great attention to detail.
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Dear Lisa,
I was relieved to only have to spend one day rather than five. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This makes me think of waiting in doctors offices with my ex. i did a lot of waiting but I didn’t mind, the characters were endless.
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Dear Dawn,
Waits were like that in my OB/GYN’s office. Too bad I wasn’t a writer back in those days. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It’s hard for me to imagine there was a time you never were a writer.
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That didn’t come out right, but you know what I mean! lol
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😘
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There is always writerly inspiration all around us if we just know where to look! I’m glad the wasted day wasn’t completely wasted
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Dear RG,
All we have to do is open our eyes. 😉 No day is totally wasted, is it? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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🙂
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You truely are an artist Rochelle
And oh the waiting… waiting… I think jury duty picking is the longest day ever
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Dear Laurie,
It was a very long day to be sure, but yesterday I received a small check in the mail so it wasn’t a total bust. 😉 Thank you for your lovely compliment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I bet the judge had their eye on you! Were you sent down?
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No, Patrick. I was passed right over. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Ah people watching and trying to guess at their stories, one of my personal favourite pastimes. I can imagine sitting waiting there myself Rochelle
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Dear Michael,
I think people watching is a favorite pastime of many…particularly of those of us who are writers. 😉 Thank you for coming by.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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