Anyone who has served as a potential juror knows it's a day of waiting. You arrive at the courthouse with your morning coffee balanced in one hand and a bag with snacks and reading material in the other. In my county, the juror pool is huge. Several hundred people sit and wait for their number to be called.
I am one of those obsessed Outlander fans, desperately waiting for the next TV season to start. Only another obsessed Outlander fan can understand how the characters constantly intrude on my thoughts. Fortunately, I still have two more books in the series to read. I carry Jamie, Claire, Roger and Bree with me wherever I go. Yes, I carry around a thousand plus page paperback.
I entered the jury room and half listened to the introductions. I was almost to the end of, A Breath of Snow and Ashes. I had to know if Jamie and Roger got to Bree in time. No spoilers, I promise.
I breathed a sigh of relief when my number was finally called. Not that I was anxious to be picked, but desperate to finish book 6. That day I had packed two books in my bag. Heaven forbid I finished one and couldn't start the next. Jamie Fraser somehow makes time travel a good idea.
My group of potential jurors was directed to the judges courtroom, but the docket wasn't ready.
"Take a two hour lunch break," the court officer said.
I was thrilled. When do I ever get two uninterrupted hours to spend with my favorite hero and heroine.
For me, jury duty is one of those annoying obligations that you can't escape. But this time, in the company of my favorite characters the waiting was tolerable. This is why I read and write. Escaping into their story takes me away from the nonsense of everyday life.
Thank you to all the talented writers who give us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are.
