The reason I had to get up so early is by virtue of living in Cambridge. You see while Boston is in Suffolk County, Cambridge is in Middlesex County. Had I still lived in Boston it would have been simply a question of going downtown. But because I live in Cambridge, I had to report for jury duty in Lowell, Massachusetts.
I first became aware of Lowell, Massachusetts in the late 1980's when I read Jack Kerouac's On The Road as Lowell was Kerouac's birthplace. Little did I know I would one day have to go up there to perform jury duty.
I've been to Lowell several times. Once to see a Lowell Spinner minor league baseball game in 2001. Four years later, I saw America in concert up there for the very first time and got to meet both Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell following the concert (but that is another story for another day). The last time I was in Lowell was this past July to see Fanny: The Right to Rock with my friend Don Hammontree.
Needless to say, today's journey wasn't one of reverie. I had to catch the 5:47 a.m. commuter rail train to North Station. Complicating matters was heavy rain and darkness. With seconds to spare and out of breath, I made my train.
Upon arriving at North Station, I immediately made a rush for the 6:10 train to Lowell. When I arrived in Lowell just after 7 a.m. it was light out but still raining. Fortunately, my recent trip to Lowell last summer made it relatively easy to find the courthouse. I was the first person to arrive. But that was the problem - the courthouse was closed.
Fortunately, I did not have to wait long. A security guard who was reporting to work let me in through the metal detectors. Glad I was the only one there because I was wearing several layers and had a lot in my pockets. From there, it was smooth sailing. The court officer who handled the jury pool was very professional. He had an ample supply of water and encouraged us to use the facilities.
This was as far removed from my experience with jury duty in New York City back in October 2019. Let's just say I was not the first to arrive and that the court officers and staff were quite sullen and abrasive as they advised us that we went to the bathroom at our own risk.
The only complaint I have is how they kept emphasizing that people who had served on a jury before said they would gladly do it again. If you are summoned for jury duty you are obliged to go or be at risk of criminal sanctions. The people who said this on the video we were shown were not very convincing.
But I must emphasize this is a minor complaint the grand scheme of things.
Unlike my previous jury duty experiences in Boston and New York, today I never saw the inside of a court room. Although there were a dozen cases pending all of them were settled without trial. After nearly five hours in the jury pool, we were dismissed and thanked for our service.
I would have to spend another hour in Lowell before I caught the train back home. Unfortunately, Lowell has seen better times. The courthouse is only steps away from skid row and I can scarcely imagine what it would be like at night.
Notwithstanding Lowell's bleak atmosphere, if and when I am summoned for jury duty again, I would much rather do so in Lowell, Massachusetts than in New York City. The verdict is unanimous.
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