Jury Duty con Burritos

Checked the courts' site Sunday night. No need to go down to 400 McAllister Street on Monday.

Same Tuesday.

Same Wednesday.

Thursday, well, Thursday I was supposed to be there by 8:30 a.m. and, having been told by his nibs that the screening with the metal detector at the front door sometimes backed up, left at 7:30 a.m. to make sure I wasn't dashing in at the last minute.

Caught the F Line over to U.N. Plaza and walked over to McAllister, arriving with plenty of time to spare.

Sat in the jury room all morning. They called up one panel, two, three ... I was reading a really lame Og Mandino book and scribbling. Maybe I'd be spending all day in the jury room and never be called for a panel. Maybe I'd earn my one-year waiver just by sitting.

But no. A bit after 11:30 a.m., they called yet another panel and I was sent up to Room 306, Judge Kevin McCarthy's courtroom, along with another forty or so people. We were the second panel sent up that day. Another panel would be sent up after lunch. They needed that many potential jurors to choose a jury and alternates.

McCarthy gave a general overview of what the civil trial would entail and went over the schedule, which days would be court days, which days would not. The trial had multiple defendants, multiple plaintiffs, multiple attorneys. Estimated duration: five weeks.

Those potential jurors who had a hardship (the judge explained what was and was not legally considered a "hardship") filled out a short form explaining what the problem was, and the judge decided which hardship requests to grant. Those who had no hardship excuse for serving for a five week trial were given a very long questionnaire to fill out and were told to fill out the questionnaire, turn it in and be back in the courtroom at 10 a.m. Monday.

Alas. I had a hardship. We already had plane tickets and plans for two different jaunts that conflicted with the judge's schedule. I couldn't be part of what Judge McCarthy characterized as a very interesting trial. The judge excused me and I had to choose a date within the next six months to reschedule my jury duty.

Jury duty delayed until the first week in August.

Headed out. Stopped by for a quick look-see at what's happening at the Asian Art Museum a block or two away, then walked down Market to Taqueria Cancún for a burrito before hoofing the rest of the 2.4 miles home.

Cancún's carne asada burrito was just what I needed. Cheap. $3.99. Filling. I like Taqueria El Zorro's fare better -- Taqueria El Zorro is the neighborhood taqueria at the corner of Columbus and Grant-- but their burritos are $5.45. Cancún was what I needed, right price, right space, right time.

Need to know where to find the best burritos in the city? Check out Burrito Eater.