May 21, 2006
SpiderWomanKnits vs. Berkshire Superior Courthouse Security Case # 51706
So last Tuesday night a lovely little package arrived in the mail with a book for my DH and a book for me. Finally my copy of Mason Dixon Knitting had arrived! I have been a big fan of their texture and color selections for a long time and this book is appealing to me because of its domestically delightful patterns. I immediately cast on for the Ballband Dishcloth but it was late and I was tired so I decided it would be the perfect project to bring along the next day when I was scheduled to report for JURY DUTY. Now I might have mentioned that I flew to Ohio two months ago to visit a dear friend and didn't have any difficulty bringing my knitting on board the plane so I had no reason to believe that bringing knitting to jury duty would cause any stir. Boy was I wrong.
Flashback to last Wednesday, May 17th 7:30 AM. SpiderWomanKnits has Jury Duty.
After driving around for a ludicrously long time searching for a parking spot outside the courthouse that allows you to park for more than 90 minutes I enthusiastically climbed the majestic sandstone stairs to report for my first time ever as a potential juror. I was really excited about this. Eventhough you always hear people complain about jury duty I never wanted to let that effect my experience. I also have some weird attraction to the law/justice that even made me take the test to be a New York State Trooper at one point in my life (which I passed with flying colors). I think in license plate numbers sometimes and remember details as if they will need to be entered into a police report. It's really strange and also a story for another time. Back to the Berkshire Superior Courthouse. Anyway, I was excited not only to perform my civic duty but also to have some time to sit and knit undisturbed. Hey, I don't mind waiting around as long as I have my knitting.
So I go through security and get "wanded", no problem, but as I look to my right the security officer is opening my bag and removing my KNITTING (without any regard for dropped stitches either he just grabbed it and ripped it out!) With a big, fat smile on his face he hands me a ratty piece of paper with a number on it and says, "You can pick this (my knitting) up later IF you get a break but you can not take it in to the Jurors Waiting Area. Make sure you keep that number. It's the only way you'll get your stuff back."
Silence. My heart is sinking and my face is flushing with confussion and outrage. HE TOOK MY NEWLY CAST ON MASON-DIXON DISHCLOTH ON #7 CLOVERS AWAY FROM ME! This might not have caused me to panic had I brought along the book I am reading or a magazine or something but I had nothing, nothing. Just me and my dishcloth. Stunned, I navigate down two flights of stairs in a blurry haze and the panic sets in. I walk up to the bailiff (a woman) and ask her if it is really true that you can not knit while you are waiting, I say that there must be some mistake because the security guard upstairs confiscated my knitting, a dishcloth, could she possibly get it back for me? All I got in return was a stealy eyed stare and a direction back to my seat.
Typically I am a calm person sometimes I even borderline on a doormat because I can take a lot of crap and not be affected but I started to feel postal. I was like an animal. I hit a low point in my life here people like an addict or something. I needed my knitting didn't they understand that ? My hands were aching already, I was starting to shake. I didn't know what I was going to do and all I could hear were the guys behind me talking about how they had to wait for 7 hours the last time they served. Looking around me everyone was wearing something knitted, by machine, but still knitted. How could they turn on me. I felt betrayed. They needed me to knit, I could clothe the world, didn't they understand that?! I took my notebook out of my purse and decided the only way to relieve my tension was to go through my purse and write down ALL the other things that were MUCH more dangerous than a freaking DISHCLOTH the guard didn't take away from me! Here is what I came up with...
22:20 Permalink | Comments (28) | Email this | Tags: Knitting (ENGLISH)
Comments
I saw her that night, people. She still had that cornered, frantic look in her eye - the whole knitting group gave her a wide berth.
;o)
Posted by: JessaLu | May 21, 2006
Makes me *this* much happier that 2 weeks after I moved to Pennsylvania, I was called for jury duty in Mass. To bad I wasn't a resident anymore, huh?
I bet your glad to have your knitting back! : )
Posted by: Amanda Cathleen | May 21, 2006
I have managed to avoid the jury duty thing my entire life! And I'm thankful for it. I'm sorry about your knitting, that is very irritating indeed, but now you have to come to terms with the fact that you are a junkie. A real one. :)
Posted by: Heather | May 22, 2006
Yes, I was stuck there until 12:30, December 22, 2005. A date that will stay branded in my brain.
Why can you take knitting on a plane (wood or plastic needles) but not into the jury waiting area? Are they afraid that a potential jurer will go stark raving mad, take your knitting needle and run it through the bailiff? mmmmm, a thought just occured to me. Sorry, I can't share it.
Just remember, deep breaths, you'll be okay.
Posted by: Jane | May 22, 2006
I'm so sorry you were knitting restrained!
Thankfully, In Chicago, we can knit while we are waiting for our panel to be called. I knit a personal best a while back while I sat for 7 hours in the jurors room.
I was worried that my knitting wouldn't be allowed. I can relate completely to your near panic when you were halted.
New to your blog. came from birdsongs....
Posted by: kathy b | May 22, 2006
Good Lord, your list is hilarious, esp. the hot tea and maxi pads.
The Webs tent sale was over yesterday and we all went out to a bar to celebrate. I had biked to work, packed light and forgotten to bring any knitting. So I grabbed a sample garment that needs to be knit up. No matter that I already have two going for the store. Being seated without knitting is torture, even with beer handy.
Posted by: Cirilia | May 22, 2006
I know the nerve of them! To make you sit around for hours bored stiff. Why can we knit?! They think we might needle soemone or something? Hope your drying out , out your way.. Starting to hear I think? I bet your excited about your new book!! Mine around this past week too!! YEAH!
Posted by: Michelle | May 22, 2006
Yeah, I've had that issue with Jury Duty. I think you can bring in bamboo circs, or Denise needles with now problem though. At least at my courthouse you can. I'm sorry you had to go through that . As if jury duty isn't bad enough.
Posted by: Jennifer | May 22, 2006
You poor thing! I hope the security guard had clean hands!
The INDIGNITY of it all!
They let you have a PEN but not your knitting. How absurd.
The last time I was called for Jury Duty I had to wait until the night before. And then did a happy dance when I called the number and wasn't chosen. 3 years of clean air!
Posted by: Laurie | May 22, 2006
I feel your pain, and almost hate to relate that I got an enormous amount of knitting done when called to jury duty last winter... it is REALLY small around here, and everyone must already know I'm basically harmless.
Posted by: Birdsong | May 22, 2006
That stinks!
I had jury duty in Springfield last year and I was able to bring my knitting in, no problem, so it must be a Berkshire thing.
(Although you'd THINK they would be more paranoid in Springfield, wouldn't you???)
Great list!
And are you going to Cummington?
Posted by: Katy | May 22, 2006
What a great list! Too funny. Of all the things to be restricted...knitting...come on. Glad to hear you survived. :)
Posted by: Julie | May 23, 2006
LOL LOL LOL! This is just too funny. The outrage! Call Johnnie Cochran! Call Greta van Sustern! Call that crazy Nancy Grace woman on CNN!
Posted by: Ann | May 23, 2006
You know, maybe if you had a set of Denise interchangeables, you could break it all down into points and cables, and sneak it all in, then reassemble it when you got past security, like some undercover assassin sneaking their weapon into the building. It would look all innocent like and then when you were in the waiting room, you could whip it out and get your knit on.
Posted by: LeighB in ATL | May 24, 2006
I feel a class action coming on. We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore!!!!
Posted by: Kay | May 24, 2006
Dear, you need help. Get thyself to the detox centre, STAT!
Seriously, I probably would have been pacing like a caged animal if they confiscated my knittng. I feel your pain.
Posted by: Tara | May 24, 2006
Stick with calling Greta - Johnnie died!
They allow knitting on bamboo circs where I am since the head Jury woman WAS A KNITTER and made the rules! WHEW!
Posted by: Linda | May 25, 2006
Oh, good God in an gansey! What a horrible story! I'm getting the jitters just thinking about it. One thing we have in common- I also "think in license plates." I think it's a part of my light OCD, and it's on my hundred things list that I...haven't posted yet on the blog. But will!
Posted by: Julie | May 25, 2006
Poor you! While I waited for jury duty in lovely little Owosso, Michigan, not only was I allowed to knit,* but the woman beside me was doing her tatting. I ask you. Tatting! How incredibly cool! People also read, did paperwork from the office, listened to their personal music devices, and chatted.
Other good points: there were no enforced films, and some sort of officer thanked us for coming in, apologized for the wait, and said that the judge was working hard to clear out all the cases that could be settled so that we could go home quickly. Plus, he urged us to fill out our paperwork so that we could get our small but welcome gas money for the trip.
*allowed -- no one even lifted an eyebrow. We walked through metal detectors at the entrance to the building. That was the only checking going on. I heart Owosso.
Posted by: anne | May 25, 2006
OH NO!! I too live in MA and have jury duty in a few weeks!! I was "planning" on knitting but looks like I might have to have a back up plan to kill my 7 or so hours!! What am I going to do?? Amd seriously I have knitted on NUMEROUS flights and even months after 9/11 with no problem but I can't knit in a courthouse?? I just might have to call them and find out first!!! Thanks for the heads up!!! I LOVE your blog!! Knit on!!!!
Posted by: Katie | May 26, 2006
i completely understand your trauma. i'm in chicago, but when i had jury duty earlier this year, they wouldn't let me take my sock with him in the waiting area. i wanted to scream, then my blood began to boil. i had to walk around for a while before i calmed down.
Posted by: lynette | May 26, 2006
What a freaking travesty! I've done jury duty twice since 9/11 and was able to keep my knitting both times. I think I had metal needles, too, though circular of course.
Glad I live in Portland, Oregon, and not some place they confiscate knitting! I'm so sorry for your experience!
Posted by: jeanb | May 27, 2006
They don't let any needles in for jury duty in Massachusetts. Jerks.
Posted by: Laurie | May 29, 2006
Great storytelling! I found out when I went to get court docs for Em's adoption. They took mine at the entrance too.
I feel the same about this as I did when there was talk of not letting you have them on planes ... God help the poor dead criminal/terrorist who tries to take my needles out of my hands and makes me drop a stitch.
Posted by: Nancy Littlefield | May 30, 2006
I'm coming in late on this conversation, but I just can't ignore this one! What on earth are they afraid of? I brought my knitting with me to jury duty in downtown Manhattan and had absolutely no problem (this was last fall)! Size 3 long needles! In fact there was another woman knitting in the waiting room and she helped me figure out a problem I was having in my pattern!
I think if one can bring knitting into NYC jury duty a few blocks away from the World Trade Center site, one should surely be allowed to bring it into other courthouses throughout the country.
Should we start a letter writing campaign? 'Cause that's just ridiculous.
Posted by: Jenny | June 02, 2006
I was on Amtrak about two years after 9/11 and they would not even allow me to have a Q sized crochet hook! I can’t sit still to save my soul and had a two hour layover. The bus left Amtrak early with out checking for passengers so I had another 6 hours with out any yarn. The people in the station were very nice and helped me make a crochet hook out of a ball point pen. It didn’t work very well, and my gauge was off. But it sure helped with the withdrawals!
Posted by: Melanie | June 07, 2006
Just clicked over from MDK... I was able to crochet in the waiting room in Chicago (with a wooden hook), but if I'd made it into a courtroom I wouldn't have been able to work there. Around here I don't think it's a safety thing with the metal needles, I think it's that they don't want people's attention to be anywhere except the proceedings. (You're not allowed to listen to your iPod in the waiting area, for example.) Still sucks, though.
Posted by: Rachel | June 16, 2006
I have the solution - since stabbing the guards with knitting needles until they come to their senses would probably be counterproductive.
Take a drop spindle and spin. If they give you any trouble, take a dowel, a cup hook and a CD, and build it once you arrive.
It is portable, mesmerizine, curious enough to start converstaions, and will give you something to knit later.
Posted by: Lance | June 20, 2006
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