As you may have guessed, I’m not a very social person. Not to say I don’t like to socialize every now and then but people exhaust me. It’s a new year and so far 2023 isn’t playing nice. Today I get to go serve my civic obligation of jury duty. What a nightmare. I have worried about this since Friday night. Why? Because that’s how I tick. Parking, where do I go, security, what to bring to keep me occupied, will I be late, what about meals (I can’t have a lot of foods due to health issues), will I be picked for a jury, how far behind will I be at work when I get back (or how screwed up will my stuff be). I’m so wound up now that I am lucky if I don’t have a nervous breakdown before I get there. ARGH! This world isn’t made for introverts!
I got to the courthouse just fine, in plenty of time. No issues with parking, no issues getting with security. Didn’t even have to sit in the room to wait to be called up, went directly to a courtroom. So all my worrying was for not. Now a new anxiety creeps in. I have to talk in front of a room full of people when they ask me questions. I’d rather fade into the wall unnoticed. Oh how I loath this part. Luckily I’m not the first one called. That gives me time to hear the questions they are asking and prepare mentally. If I don’t, I swear I forget how old I am, what city I live in or if I have children. It’s like my brain decides to play possum the minute I’m put on the spot to open my mouth and speak. Oh joy!
And I swear, my face has some type of neon writing on it that only extroverts can see. It says “COME TALK TO ME”, yes, in all capital letters. It gives them the go ahead to start asking me questions, tell me their life story, and continue to as long as they possible can. I don’t mind talking to people, but I am not one for small talk. If you want to discuss something in depth, I’m on board. If you want to talk about something like the weather, or gossip, you will lose me after “Hi, how are you?”. And please, for the love of all that’s holy, once you have said something please don’t repeat it to me fifteen more times. That doesn’t make your point any more solid. In fact, it annoys me and makes me shut down in wanting to converse with you anymore. Sorry, just how I am.
I have survived all of the above and lucky for me I was dismissed after serving my duty to my community. Just to be transparent, jury duty is VERY important. It supports our justice system that allows for a trial by a jury of our peers. So though inconvenient to most citizens and a somewhat traumatic experience to introverts, be willing to do your duty. It’s worth it in the end.
