Happy Now?

The judge asked if we’d reached a verdict. I stood and said we had. I handed the clerk a form we’d filled out.

She read the verdict in an almost toneless voice. Probably she’d read hundreds of verdicts. 

I didn’t know if I was supposed to sit, but I had to. 

“We the jury find the defendant guilty…”

The judge said a few words and set a date for sentencing.  My heart sank.  We’d done our duty as jurors, but there wasn’t much to be happy about. A good kid was likely going to prison.

I’d learned a long time ago that expecting to be happy all the time led to being less happy more of the time.  As best I could, I accepted my sadness. A moment would come, sooner rather than later, to count my blessings and move on.

Today I might not be happy all day.

Jury Duty © 2020 by Ken Montrose

Jury Duty is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and anyone you might know is purely coincidental.

Other works by Ken Montrose are available at: www.greenbriartraining.com https://www.pinterest.com/kenmontrose/mt-rose/