Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.

Jury Duty

By Suzie2b

Charley walked into the apartment after her duty shift with the mail. There was a letter from her father and a "care package" from her Aunt Emily. There was also letters from home from Tully's mother and two sisters, along with a suspiciously official looking envelope from a Kentucky District Court.

Charley read the letter from her father with a smile, then began to open the box from her aunt. That's when Tully walked in. She looked at her husband with a grin and said, "Not that I'm complaining, but you're home early. Everything go okay out on patrol?"

Tully set his helmet on the table and gave his wife a kiss, then said, "Yeah, everything went fine. We found the information Captain Boggs wanted and came on home." He picked up the mail that had his name on it. "I see the mail finally made it."

"Yep, there's one there from a District Court in Kentucky."

Tully shuffled through the envelopes until he came to it. "Looks important."

Charley was emptying the box onto the table. There were cookies, socks, shampoo, and a stack of comic books tied with string, among other things. "Better open it."

Tully shrugged and tore the end of the envelope off. He removed the papers from it and began to read, then his expression turned from curiosity to a frown of disbelief. "It's a summons…"

"For what?"

"Jury duty."

Charley chuckled. "I guess they didn't get the notice that you're out of town."

Tully flipped through the sheets of paper. He looked at one in particular and said, "This says I should fill this form out and return it to the District Court if I can't be there."

"Well, there's a pen on the shelf there next to your head. The sooner you get that filled out and back to the court the better."

"It can wait until after I read my letters first…"

Charley smiled as he walked over to the bed and sat down. Tully read the letter from his mother first. She told him about the latest goings-on on the farm, the gossip from the neighbors, and what was happening around town. The other two letters were from Katy and Beth, who talked about school, friends, their horses they rode for 4-H, and their latest boyfriends. It always made Tully wonder how his little sisters got old enough to even have boyfriends.

After he was done, Tully went back to the table, got the pen, snagged a cookie, and sat down at the table to fill out the court form. There wasn't much to fill out. He just had to explain why he couldn't report for jury duty. Then Tully addressed an envelope, placed the form inside, and sealed it shut. "I'm going to drop this in the outgoing mail. Wanna come along?"

Charley took his outstretched hand with a smile. "I always like to take walks with you."

#################

Several weeks passed and the jury duty summons was forgotten. One day, after Hitch and Tully had restocked the jeeps for the next day, they stopped by the mail center to check on the mail. Hitch received a box from his mother and picked up a letter for Daisy. Tully received an envelope from the District Court in Kentucky.

As they walked out of the mailroom, Tully tore open the envelope and read the letter within. When he was done, he frowned and said, "I don't believe this!"

Hitch asked, "What's wrong?"

"A few weeks ago I got a summons to do jury duty back home. I filled out the form explaining why I couldn't do it … and now they're saying being in the military isn't a valid excuse."

"Did you tell them you're in North Africa?"

Tully nodded. "Well, I told them that I was out of the country for an unknown length of time. We've always been told not to go into too much detail when it comes to telling people where we are." He shook the letter angrily and said, "They're telling me I'll be held in contempt if I don't show up and could spend time in jail along with a fine."

Hitch said, "Why don't you go talk to Captain Boggs. Maybe he can help."

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

Hitch and Tully went their separate ways and Tully walked over to headquarters. However, Captain Boggs wasn't in his office and Corporal Green inform him that the captain wasn't expected back until the next morning.

On the way out, Tully stopped by the courier's office and found Charley typing up a report. She looked up at him as he walked in and said, "Hi there. What brings you to my neck of the woods?"

Tully sighed and handed the letter to her. "That court in Kentucky says being in the military isn't a legitimate excuse for getting out of jury duty."

Charley quickly read the letter. "This is ridiculous! I read what you wrote. They shouldn't have had a problem with it."

"I came to talk to Captain Boggs, but he's out for the rest of the day."

"He'll be in bright and early tomorrow. You can talk to him then."

That evening Tully and Charley met Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Daisy in the mess hall for dinner. After they sat down with their meals, Troy said, "Hitch gave us the rundown on your predicament with the courts back home. Did you talk to Captain Boggs?"

Tully started to put hot sauce on his meatloaf and said, "He wasn't in his office. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

Moffitt said, "You may have to wait on that talk. We have an assignment and plan to leave before sunup."

"This letter says they'll hold me in contempt if I don't show up."

Charley said, "I'll see the captain tomorrow. Why don't I get the ball rolling on this situation while you all are gone?"

Tully gratefully handed the letter over to her. "Thanks, sweetheart."

#################

The next morning, after seeing Tory, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully off, Charley went over to headquarters. It was early, but there was always work that needed to be done.

Daisy walked into headquarters with a small group of office workers and noticed a sliver of light coming from the courier's office where the door had been left ajar. Wondering who had come in to work early, she sauntered over and poked her head in. Daisy smiled as she said, "I had a feeling it was you."

Charley filed one last report in the cabinet and looked at her friend with a smile. "I had breakfast with the guys before they left. Didn't seem to make sense going back home before coming to work." She stretched and said, "Besides, I get a lot done when no one's here. You know how James and Terrence are about doing their paperwork."

Daisy gave a light laugh, then said, "They're always trying to get someone to type up their reports."

Charley looked at her watch. "Oh, Captain Boggs must be in his office by now. I need to talk to him."

"About Tully's summons for jury duty?"

"Yep. I can't believe they're threatening to hold him in contempt if he doesn't show up."

Then the two women parted ways so Daisy could get to her work station and Charley could go upstairs.

Captain Boggs was sympathetic to the problem as Charley explained and showed him the letter from the court. She said, "I saw what Tully wrote when he filled out that form. He told them he was out of the country for an unknown length of time do to military service."

The captain nodded. "That should have been enough, but occasionally this happens. The courts automatically think a person is just trying to get out of serving jury duty. Military service is not a valid excuse. However, Pettigrew is out of the country fighting in a war zone. What I'll do is write up a letter explaining the situation as his commanding officer. That should put an end to it all."

Charley sighed with relief. "Thank you, sir. We really appreciate it."

#################

Several weeks passed and nothing came through the mail from the District Court in Kentucky. Tully thought the situation had been taken care of, thanks to Captain Boggs, and forgot about it.

Then, after another two weeks, Charley was out on a mission when Tully picked up their mail. Among the envelopes from family was one from the court. Tully swore under his breath as he tore into it.

He read it once … then again to be sure he understood what it said. Tully didn't know if he should laugh or cry. Time to go find his sergeants.

Tully found them writing up reports on their last mission in the mess hall. He sat down next to Moffitt as he said, "Sorry for the interruption, but I need some advice."

Troy and Moffitt looked at the private and set their pens aside. Troy asked, "What's going on, Tully?"

He handed the letter to Troy. "I got this in today's mail."

The sergeant began to read through it and Moffitt asked, "What is it?"

Troy said, "That court in Kentucky is holding Tully in contempt for not reporting for jury duty. When he didn't show up, the judge issued a bench warrant. Tully could go to jail for up to five days and pay a fine of $250."

Moffitt took the letter and scanned through it. "This is ridiculous! Charley said Captain Boggs wrote a letter…"

Tully said, "He did, but apparently the court doesn't believe it. What am I gonna do? I can't go home to serve jury duty and I don't have $250 to pay a fine."

Troy thought for a moment, then said, "Let's finish up these reports and go talk to the captain." He looked at Tully. "You just sit tight for a few minutes."

Hitch spotted Troy, Moffitt, and Tully as they walked towards headquarters. They looked all too serious. He jogged to catch up with them and asked, "What's going on?"

Tully handed the letter to his friend and fellow private. "I'm being held in contempt for not showing up for jury duty."

Hitch read as he walked. "$250 and five days in jail! They're nuts! You can't very well serve on a jury there when you're here in North Africa!"

Hitch and Tully waited in the outer office while Troy and Moffitt gave Captain Boggs their reports and discussed Tully's problem.

The captain's aide, Corporal Green, watched Tully pace for a few minutes before he said, "You're going to wear a trench in the floor if you don't stop."

Tully halted and said, "Sorry, corporal. I'm just nervous is all."

"Nervous about what?"

Hitch said, "A court back home is holding Tully in contempt for not serving jury duty."

Tully added, "They want me to spend five days in jail and pay a fine of $250."

Green said, "Well, that's dumb. Have you told them where you are?"

"I filled out the form they sent and told them I'm out of the country … then Captain Boggs wrote a letter, but they don't seem to want to believe either of us."

Just then Troy and Moffitt exited the captain's office. Troy said, "We're to go talk to Major Gleason. He's waiting for us."

The situation was explained to the major, who read the letter. "I swear, civilian courts have no idea what's going on in the world around them at times. They've sent the summons and two letters to you using an address to an army post for crying out loud! How can they not understand?"

Tully said, "They get that I'm in the army, sir. They seem to think I'm in the states though."

Gleason held his temper. "It's true that the mail you receive from Kentucky goes through local military protocol before it's shipped here, but that's no reason for all of this. Captain Boggs stated that in his letter he told this people you were out of the country. That should have been enough!"

Troy asked, "Is there anything you can do, major?"

"I doubt that my sending a letter will make any difference at this point. However, I believe I can call in a favor." Major Gleason picked up the phone and dialed a number. A few moments later he smiled and said into the receiver, "Hello, Colonel Williams. It's good to hear your voice." There was a pause as he listened. "No, no, Jackson, Charley and Tully are just fine. Listen, I need you to do me a favor…"

#################

Colonel Williams immediately booked a flight to Kentucky. The following day he walked into the District Court that Tully had been arguing with wearing his class B uniform. Everyone turned to stare at the army officer as he strode purposely up to the closest desk and asked, "Ma'am, with whom do I speak to about jury duty?"

She smiled as she asked, "Have you received a summons?"

"No, I need to speak to the people who are harassing my son-in-law about a jury duty summons he received while overseas. Apparently the people here do not believe he's in the service."

The clerk stood up as she said, "Let me go get my supervisor."

Thirty seconds later the clerk and another woman approached the desk. The second woman put her hand out and said, "I'm CarrieAnne Smith…"

The colonel took the offered hand as he said, "I'm Colonel Jackson Williams."

"And what can we do for you today, colonel?"

"My son-in-law is in the army. You people sent a jury duty summons to him. He returned the form explaining that he's out of the country and unable to report for jury duty. I am told that he is now in contempt and is being threatened with jail time along with a $250 fine."

CarrieAnne asked, "What would be your son-in-law's name be?"

"Private First Class Tully Pettigrew."

CarrieAnne recognized the name and said, "Let's talk in my office, colonel." She turned to look at the clerk. "Doris, please get the Pettigrew file and bring it to my office." The clerk gave a nod and hurried away as CarrieAnne said to the colonel, "Please follow me."

Colonel Williams sat down in the offered chair and CarrieAnne sat behind her desk. "I am familiar with this case. Private Pettigrew sent the form back using the excuse that he's in the military. A letter was sent explaining being in the military is not a valid excuse, colonel."

The colonel scowled. "It is when the soldier is overseas fighting the war."

Doris knocked on the door, walked in, gave a file folder to her supervisor, and left without saying a word. CarrieAnne set the folder on the desk in front of her and opened it. "He stated that he was 'out of the country for an unknown length of time.' That's a rather vague excuse, Colonel Williams."

"Nevertheless it is the truth. Our men are taught not to disclose certain information. Exact locations is one of those things."

CarrieAnne flipped to another page in the file. "He was warned about the penalty for ignoring the summons. Then we received a letter from a Captain Boggs explaining why Private Pettigrew would not be able to report for jury duty. However, that letter was as vague as what the private had sent."

The colonel said calmly, "And you chose to not take the word of the private's superior officer?"

"We get excuses all the time as to why someone can't report for jury duty. It's not unusual for someone to lie to get out of it. For all we knew, Private Pettigrew had a friend write this letter. When he did not show up on the appointed day or submit a valid excuse, a bench warrant was issued…"

The volume of Colonel Williams' voice began to get a bit louder as his temper began to flare. "This is ridiculous! I received a call from an overseas base asking me to come here and explain the situation. I came here from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to vouch for this young man! It was thought that if an officer spoke to you in person, you would better understand!"

CarrieAnne said quietly, "There's no reason to raise you voice, Colonel Williams. We'll get this whole thing straightened out." The colonel gave a brusque nod. "Now, tell me why Private Pettigrew cannot report for jury duty."

The colonel rolled his eyes at the question. "As it has been stated before, he cannot report for jury duty because he's in the army overseas."

CarrieAnne picked up a pen to begin to take notes. "Yes, but where overseas?"

"That's privileged information, Miss Smith."

CarrieAnne frowned as she said, "It's Mrs. Smith. And I need to get the details so as to properly fill out and file this form."

Colonel Williams said, "A form for what?"

"We keep track of the excuses used and who uses them. If he is called to jury duty in the future and again refuses, proper action can be taken."

"So the bench warrant is going to disappear?"

CarrieAnne began to write some notes. "I can't promise anything. The judge will have to approve this because of the lack of details."

Colonel Williams growled, "And how long will that take?"

CarrieAnne said tersely, "Perhaps a week or two. We are very busy here. You can leave your phone number and someone will call with the judge's answer."

After writing down his name and number, Colonel Williams left the court house to return to Virginia.

#################

It had been weeks since Major Gleason contacted Charley's father. Then, the day the Rat Patrol returned from a mission, Hitch and Tully were in the mess hall while Troy and Moffitt reported to Captain Boggs.

They were all tired and in need of showers, but the captain would want to get the details of how things went. Hitch and Tully each picked up a readymade PB&J sandwich and milk, then went to a far corner away from the few people that were there.

Hitch swallowed a bite of sandwich and asked, "Do you think the major has heard anything from Colonel Williams?"

Tully shrugged with a tired sigh. "I hope so. Wondering whether or not I'm gonna to be arrested when I get back home has me a bit worried."

"I'm sure the colonel has taken care of it by now. Maybe there's something in the mail."

"That's a possibility." Tully picked up his sandwich as he stood and said, "I'm gonna run over and check."

While Tully was gone Troy and Moffitt walked into the mess hall. Troy got a cup of coffee and Moffitt got tea, then joined Hitch.

Troy asked, "Where's Tully?"

Hitch replied, "He went over to check the mail. He's hoping he got something from that court about the warrant."

A few minutes later Tully returned. The look on his face told them there was no good news. He sat down with two envelopes. One for Charley and one for Tully from his mother. "Nothin'. How long can it take to get this straightened out?"

Troy smiled slightly. "It's been taken care of, Tully."

The private looked at the sergeant in surprise. "Did the colonel contact Major Gleason?"

Moffitt smiled too as he said, "According to Captain Boggs, Colonel Williams was no sooner back at Fort Belvoir when the judge himself called."

Troy said, "Apparently, when the judge saw what had been going on, he went ballistic. I guess he's got a son in the military and understands about not disclosing exact locations. The judge apologized and said that warrant would be thrown out."

Tully grinned with relief as Moffitt said, "It wasn't entirely the court's fault though. When the army base the mail goes through gets anything 'official looking' they are to route it to a superior officer, who then checks into it. You shouldn't have even gotten that summons."

#################

A few days later, Tully went to mail call on his way to lunch and received a letter from the District Court in Kentucky. He frowned worriedly as he opened it.

Tully sat down next to Moffitt with his lunch tray, then passed out the mail he'd picked up. "I stopped by to check the mail and grabbed these for you guys." There was a couple of letters for each of his friends.

Moffitt put his in his pocket to read later as he said, "Thank you, Tully. That was very thoughtful of you."

Troy noticed the opened envelope on the private's tray. "What's that? It doesn't look like a letter from your mother."

Tully smiled as he put salt and pepper on his lunch. "That's because it's not. It's a letter from a Senior District Court Clerk by the name of CarrieAnne Smith. It seems that she's the one taking responsibility for what happened with that jury duty summons. She apologized for any problems it might have caused and saw to it that the warrant was lifted."

Moffitt said, "Well, that sounds like an official end to it then."

Hitch said, "I bet that judge read her the riot act and forced her to write to you to apologize or lose her job."

Tully shrugged. "I wouldn't want her to lose her job over it."

"Why not? After everything she put you through, she doesn't deserve the title of Senior Clerk."

Tully smiled as he swallowed. "She's a Senior District Court Clerk. Besides, everyone needs a job these days. I'd feel bad if I was the one that caused her to get fired. Maybe I should write her and make sure she's okay."

Troy simply smiled at his friends as they bantered back and forth over whether or not it would be proper to write such a letter. He thought silently, "After all the worry Tully went through over this, and now he's worried about the clerk that wanted him arrested. Somehow that doesn't surprise me."