Ghost of Midnight

Best of FPF: Wave and Say Hi

William shared some reflections on the Granville Forum we thought we were worth a share:

“I found myself in a jury pool again this week. I’ve had the pleasure previously when I lived in Boston, but this has been my first experience as a Vermont resident. As is customary, the court officer begins calling names and folks file into the jury area one at a time.

The officer called a man and then after a brief pause, he called the name again, a little louder and more clearly. A voice said, “I’m comin’!” An elderly man emerged from the pool, at a full-on shuffle. He looked fit, though a little hunched. While it was clear he was a senior, there was no question he could toss a hay bale or connect an ornery implement to his tractor PTO. His response brought laughter to the room.

As part of the process, attorneys ask questions of the potential jurors to make sure they are appropriate to sit for the trial. They will ask broad questions and jurors can raise their hand if they want to answer. The attorney asked if anyone in the jury knew either party to the trial. The man raised his hand and indicated he lived a mile or so away from them both. The attorneys were of course interested in his response and asked if he had occasion to speak to them or some such thing. The man answered, “If they want to talk to me they can, and if I want to answer them, I will.” He had everyone’s attention and we were all delighted. The attorney, wanting to clarify his relationship, asked if he could be objective in his deliberations. The man showed the tiniest amount of frustration as he searched for the words and then said, “Well, I might wave and say hi, but I’m not going dancing with ’em.” The courtroom, including the judge, erupted in laughter.

This was a good reminder to connect – and listen to some stories – from seniors in our communities. All too soon we’ll be in their shoes, “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise.”