OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Today, for those of you who love dogs as well as cats, is National Dog Day. So if you have a dog or meet one in passing, give it an extra pat of affection. And if you don’t have one and have room in your home and heart, consider adopting one who is waiting at a shelter.
I’m doing what they used call jury duty this week. Now it is known as jury service. Same long process. Same long days. Same opportunity to take a peek into the nature of a the human mind. One woman actually got excused from jury duty because she missed her dog, who wasn’t used to be left at home. She swore that she would not be a good juror because she’d be worried about her dog the whole time she was away.
While sitting in the jury box this week, I began to wonder how Rags (the star in my Klepto 
Cat Mysteries) or even my own cats, Lily and Sophie, would handle the jury selection and serving process. (I’m a writer—of course I’m going to create a story out of the experience.)
1: How would they handle the waiting that accompanies a day (or more) as a prospective juror or an actual juror?
2: Would they enjoy meeting all the different types of people? A busy courthouse is a good place to people-watch.
3: If cats could talk, how would they respond to questioning? You all know cats. They can be quirky, off-the-wall, unpredictable…can you just imagine a cat being questioned as a potential juror? Lily would be asking, “Can I bring snacks into the jury box with me? Where’s the nearest litter box? Is it okay to bring my bowl of water? I must hydrate.”
4: Would they adhere to the rules—be prompt, remain in the designated area, avoid talking about the case, and stay awake through the proceedings?
5: Would the cat even care about the defendant in a trial or would she be more inclined to seek out the nearest chard of sunlight for a long afternoon nap?
Cats can be eye-witnesses. I’ve had Rags paw the bad guy in two of my 18 stories and he did so with amazing finesse and accuracy.
