DEMENTIA CARE: JURY DUTY FOLLOW-UP.

Yes, I jumped the gun in talking about jury duty before the excusal came through. But. The excusal came through.

And that's that. If I hadn't been excused, I'd have clamped up about jury duty. You don't want to be in contempt of court. The process, in full...

I receive a CITATION for jury duty. If I have to fill out a form to be excused, then I can contact the relevant authorities by assorted means. Telephone. Letter. Internet.

   On the internet, I read the guide on people who are excused. Lots of categories, most involving certain occupations. There's a catch-all category at the end for a special excuse, and that's the slot I will fill in.

   First, I print the form and check it out. Seems straightforward. I just pretty much skip to the end. They want my details, as listed on the citation letter.

   With a wry glance, I inform the authorities that I am prospective client number 13 and I wish to be excused.

   Scottish juries call for fifteen bodies, not twelve. The jury can fall to ten bodies through illness or other matters, and still function.

   The thirty-strong crowd selected for the lottery will go into the NED court. I may have meant the SHERIFF court.

   Ned: Non-Educated Delinquent.

   Sheriff: Educated Non-Delinquent.

There must be a crowd to select the jurors from. And if that crowd falls short, excused people are herded in. The people who had a holiday to go to, or a wedding.

I double-check the form I printed off. Then I buy postage online. I started buying online postage to save queuing in the Post Office. Granted, stamps are available in supermarkets, but...

   Some irregular-sized letters or parcels go through a magic formula to determine the cost. That's a slow process in every Post Office. Therefore...

   I slip my large letter on my own personal postal scales, read off the weight, check the cost online, and print my own postal label. Job done.

   The trip to the postbox is shorter than the trip to the Post Office, and requires no waiting time. I circle that red pillar, thinking I'm already on my way out as I blow the DEATH STAR up from the inside. Or some shit like that.

That's Monday, with the 1st Class postage kicking a rocket up my letter's arse. Usually, I don't bother with 1st. There are few letters that need to go out in a hurry. If something is truly urgent, I'll use e-mail.

   In this case, the e-mail path was less clear than the postal one. Occasionally, dealing with government is like that. I must contact the authorities with my form as soon as possible. Preferably within seven days.

Friday, and I receive the official word. Without opening the letter, it's obvious that I've been granted excusal. It's a formality to rip the paper open and read...

   I was granted excusal on this occasion. The rule is to send out another letter within a year, to the people who were excused for holidays and weddings, so that they do eventually serve their time on the fifteen-strong squad.

   My situation is a little more long-term than a one-off holiday-booking.

Anyway, there's the follow-up. No jury duty for me. Other caring duties beckon.