Duty calls

Today was my second experience with jury duty. I received my first summons two years ago, sat in the Washington County Courthouse basement and read for half a day (Lance Armstrong's "It's Not About the Bike") and went home. Today I sat for a couple hours in the basement (reading Vince Flynn's "Consent to Kill")....... and then my name was called to go upstairs.

Outside of "Matlock", "Law and Order" and "A Few Good Men", I didn't really know what to expect. As the judge pointed out, jury selection is rarely highlighted on those shows. I have no problem doing my civic duty or spending the day in Hillsboro. But I was really nervous about the responsibility of it all.

For the DUI trial, they would choose six of the 15 of us. I was No. 5, but when they found out that I'm a member of MADD and, because of my strong opinions about drunken driving, was not 100 percent sure that I could be impartial, I was dismissed. I turned in my yellow juror button and headed for my car.

I feel strange about the whole thing. You know when you leave a bad job interview and second guess all your answers? The defense attorney grilled me, and I don't think I responded well. I also feel bad that I had to admit in front of a room of people - and myself - that I couldn't be impartial. That's sort of a letdown.

Hopefully, when I'm summoned again in two years, I can better fulfill my duty.