Category / Turkey Talk

by admin

Doing My Civic Duty

This past Monday, I was summoned to appear at the Will County courthouse for jury duty.  This was my fourth time being called overall, and third in Will County.  All previous sessions have ended without me making it onto a jury and, considering I had plans to attend Purdue’s opening game in the Big Ten Tournament earlier today, I was hoping for more of the same.  Alas, it was not to be.

The call for a jury pool came late Monday morning and, after an early lunch, we had to report back at 12:45.  Which we did, but nothing happened.  Eventually, we were brought up to a courtroom to wait some more until the judge and attorneys were ready for us.  By the time we made it into the actual courtroom, there was not enough time to complete voir dire.  After returning to the courthouse on Tuesday morning, the jury was selected: twelve jurors and two alternates.  I was the second alternate.  At this point, we were told that the trial would take about two days and should wrap up by Wednesday afternoon.

And then we waited.  And waited.  And waited some more.  The trial started Wednesday, so I figured I was still safe for Friday’s game.  But then there was more waiting.  After two witnesses, we had to wait for the third, who had left the courthouse to pick up her children.  Which, I will say, is understandable.  But the jury was told to make other arrangements for child care, so I don’t know why the same standard didn’t apply to the witnesses.

More delay tactics on Thursday morning, including calling all of the jurors back in one by one to ask if we had been deliberating before the end of the trial, which then led to a wasted afternoon as the judge had prior commitments and necessitated our return on Friday.  After closing arguments, we deliberated for far longer than I had expected to come up with the verdicts: guilty on four counts of domestic battery and not guilty on one count of resisting arrest.

The good news is that I’m unlikely to be called back for jury duty in the Will Country Circuit Court for some time.  The bad news is that I am already on the docket for Federal District Court next month.  Hopefully, that goes more smoothly and doesn’t take up another entire week.

by admin

A Different Point Of View

Five years ago today, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered a Tesla.  I took possession in late July and, until a few months back, sent a good portion of my paycheck to Elon Musk each month.  Which meant something different in 2017 than it does in 2022.

For reasons that I don’t entirely understand, Musk has, in more recent times, aligned himself with the fringe right wing.  He has recently announced his intentions to purchase Twitter, promising “free speech”, which the right wing has taken to mean it will be open season on any minority or marginalized group.  Persons who have been previously banned for their bad behavior on the platform are expected to see their accounts restored.

Two weekends ago, I was pulling into the parking lot at Guaranteed Rate Field and there was someone in the car parking next to me who seemed very excited by my car.  I’ve had people comment on it in the past, because they are still somewhat rare, but never to this level.  I acknowledged his interest with a head nod, existed the car, and started walking towards the stadium.  Which is when it occurred to me: maybe he wasn’t excited by the car itself, but what Tesla, and Elon Musk, now means to him.  And does that meaning include attacking minorities and marginalized groups?  Suddenly, it may not be such an exciting time.

by admin

Goodbye

All I wanted was to say goodbye

I’ve known this day was coming.  I wasn’t expecting it to be today.  I also was expecting it to be today, if that makes any sense.  I think that’s why I sent the text

Would you have told me if I hadn’t texted?  Or would I have found out days later thanks to Instagram or Facebook?  That question will haunt me for months

I cycle quickly through different stages of grief.  Skipping denial and acceptance, for the most part

Anger… why today?  why wouldn’t you tell me?  why do you keep avoiding saying goodbye?

Depression… did I not matter?  is this the end of our friendship?  will I ever see you again?

All I wanted was to say goodbye

Is it too hard for you?  Or too easy, not worth the trouble.  That question will also haunt me for months

I send another text.  Wishing you the best.  Sending my love and that I will miss you.  Holding you to the lunch we were supposed to have this week

You reply “Deal”

No love, no missing, just Deal.  So we will see each other again out of obligation?

I wanted more.  I needed more.  I expected… well, about this

I get through work, somehow.  I feel alone for the first time despite being working home alone for nearly 2 years

I try to put it… you… out of my mind.  Hell, I’ve been trying to do that for years.  One of these days, it will work

We had some good times since we met.  Some bad ones too.  Through it all, I thought we had built something meaningful for both of us.  Was I wrong?

Haunt… months…

I wanted to do it last week, but you said wait.  We were going to get together that one last time.  We would do it then

Did you know?  That we would not get together and that you would sneak away and leave me alone to the bad thoughts in my head?

All I wanted was to say goodbye

by admin

A Double Birthday

Just like two years ago, we celebrate Angelina’s (and my) birthday with this picture of us, taken just minutes before the end of our birthday as Danny’s band competition wrapped up at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis and we were getting ready to go out and “celebrate” with a late night dinner at a dive diner, which went about as well as you can imagine, considering it was the Saturday night before Halloween.