Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

JStrider · 07-16-2003, 11:44 AM

i ran across this page earlier today... thought it was pretty interesting...

http://www.geocities.com/flutocracy/cablemodem.htm

and heres the first "chapter"

Quote:

Chapter 1: In Which I Learn About the Various Divisions of the District Court of the State of Maryland

Thursday, November 19, 1998: It's an ordinary day. I get home from work, picking up the mail as I walk toward my house. I notice that the return address on one of the letters is the District Court of the State of Maryland. As I walk up the front steps, I think, "I just did jury duty last year; they can't be asking me to serve again so soon, can they?" After I settle in at home, I open the letter and read, "You have been summoned to appear as a defendant in a trial..." My first thought is that someone is suing me for something, but then I see at the top of the page 'State of Maryland vs. Sammel, Judith Lynne', and realize that this isn't a person suing me. My second thought is that I've gotten a parking ticket that blew off of my windshield and has gone unpaid, or maybe a speeding ticket from the traffic cameras I've heard about. It's too late to call the Court to see what the case is about, so I have to wait until the next day.

The next morning, I call the telephone number that's printed on the letter, and a recording says something like "press 1 for Civil Division, 2 for Traffic Division, 3 for Criminal Division, 4 for information about specific cases," etc. I choose the option for information about specific cases, and the person who answers the phone asks me to read her the case number. After I read it, I hear her say, "Just a minute. Let me transfer you to the Criminal Division."

"Whaaaaaaaaat?" I ask, but it's too late. I'm on hold.

Someone else picks up the phone, and again I read the case number and ask what the case is about.

"Cable fraud, " she replies.