So yesterday, i grab the mail and its a letter forwarded from my former Waterbury address.

Jury administration?

Waterbury Superior Court!#@!!

They gotta be joking.

Nope, they weren’t! Calm down Tracie, i urged myself.

I continued reading the form- Nov. 8th 2018.

Think Tracie think…

I knew I had less than a month to get out of it.

I notice a pink addendum, included in with my summons packet with a website link it. Oh good! It was a way to respond to Jury service Summons Online. I continued reading- “visit on line To… Request a Disqualification.” Just what i needed.

So I go the link and skim the potential reasons one might legally be disqualified. I’m a convicted Felon who served 23 years in prison, not to mention the seven years straight i was warehoused in solitary confinement.

I plead guilty a quarter of a century ago. Literally. I was released less than three years ago. There has to be an exception for me.

I glance down at the mail now strewn on top of my bed-comforter.

…there’s a number.

I race to call it. When I finally get through to an actual human being, I explain my situation.

“Sorry mam you have to have been convicted of that felony within the last seven years.”

“Ok but there’s no way i could walk back in that same court room where i was sentenced to damn near life and ever send another human being to jail.”

She said, I’d have to go to the interview and tell them this in person “see what they say…” she suggested.

I’m frustrated. I look down at the pink form another option- change your address. I ask the lady, “While i have you on the phone can you handle a change of address for me?”

I gave her my New Britain address.

“Oh wait” She says- “Since you no longer live in the Waterbury jurisdiction, I’m gonna have to disqualify you.”