jury duty update

Desk attendant (male): Do you have your summons?
Me: Yes. I also have a baby.
Desk attendant (male): Um... you can't bring a baby in here.
Me: Well, I got a summons, and, despite a doctor's note saying that he is exclusively breastfed and won't take a bottle, I was told to come in anyway. So here we are.
Desk attendant (male): Uh... hold on one second. (Looks across at his [female] co-worker. They mumble to each other for a few seconds.)
Desk attendant (female): Have a seat in that room over there.
Me: (Gathers things and sits in small, empty room next to reception desk.)

Desk attendant (female): Ms. Peterson?
Me: Yes?
Desk attendant (female): I can give you until October. Will that work?
Me: Well, he won't be a year old until January, but by October, he should at least be eating... other things. So, yes. October.
Desk attendant (female): You'll get your new paperwork in the mail.
Me: Do I need to pay for my parking, or will you validate it anyway?
Desk attendant (female): I'm really not supposed to, but I will, since you shouldn't have been forced to come here anyway. I don't know what my supervisor was thinking.
Me: (beaming) Yeah, me neither. Thank you very much.

And then I left. And that was the end of that. A giant waste of everyone's time (and a little money as well) that nevertheless ended with some respect for a woman's right to raise her children. Nameless female desk attendant, you have restored what little faith I had in local government.

And, I'm sort of sorry that I threw my banana peel on the floor of your parking garage. Sort of.