Cheque

Doing my civic duty, I reported to Holmes County Court House on Monday, October 24, 2011, promptly at 8:30 a.m. as summoned for jury duty in Florida's 14th Judicial Circuit. I was Juror Number 184. Last time when I reported for jury duty, I requested to speak to the judge privately to be excused from jury duty. The clerk of the court, Cody Taylor, after talking to the judge laughed, and said that the judge doesn't want to talk to you, and excused me from jury duty, so I didn't serve on the jury last time. Taylor has been the Clerk of the Court since 1977.

This past Monday morning, the Clerk of the Court asked the prospective jurors numerous times if anyone wanted to speak to the judge privately about not serving on jury duty. Since the judge didn't want to talk to me the last time that I was summoned for jury duty and requested to talk to him, I figured that he wouldn't want to talk to me this time, either. So I didn't talk to him. At any rate, shortly afterwards, the court said that they resolved the legal matter earlier that morning, that there won't be any trials this coming week, and excused everyone that hadn't already been excused from jury duty. So why ask prospective jurors if they want to be dismissed in the first place, since you're excusing everyone anyway?

To my surprise, I received a check (check date 10/24/11; check number 8826)from the court in the mail today, Tuesday, October 25, 2011, for $15 for jury duty services. To the best of my knowledge, I'm not entitled to it, because I'm unemployed. I told the clerk when I signed in and presented my summons for jury duty on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, that I was unemployed, and she wrote that on the summons. After I read on the original mailed summons that she wrote I was unemployed, I signed it. Again, to the best of my knowledge, I'm not entitled to the $15.

I called Holmes County Clerk of the Court's office today, Tuesday, October 25, 2011,and asked to speak to accounting. I spoke to a young female who identified herself and her position, and I explained the situation, and told her that I was returning the check. She said wait, kept me on hold, and said that she spoke to the Deputy Clerk, who said that I was entitled to it. I don't know whether or not I'm "entitled" to it, but I'm not cashing the check, and will return it tomorrow. I don't want to get into any trouble.

At the risk of seeming like a "Nervous Nellie," I don't want to get arrested or be subject to another late night SWAT raid for $15. Some anonymous poster on a local board once jokingly said that they won't ask questions first before shooting on the next SWAT raid. Obviously, this anonymous poster was just joking, but he seemed to know about the first raid.

"Set-up's okay"

Around 5:30 a.m.Central this morning (Sunday Oct. 23, 2011), the alarm device sounded an intruder to the south of the house. It was still dark and the temperature was in the mid-thirties. I didn't investigate, because I figured that it was some animal visiting the compost pile. The alarm sounded again 10 minutes later. I figured breakfast was over. At 6:45 a.m. I was outside attending to some chores when I (and others) heard a male's voice with a distinctively southern accent say, "Set-up's okay." The voice came from about 50 yards to the north of the house in the woods. I immediately investigated, but couldn't find anyone. After a few minutes, I gave a holler. No reaction. I looked around for awhile longer, but couldn't find anyone. Bizarre.