A funny story from Jury Duty
“Why is he called a Bailiff?” I asked.
After what felt a while in the lobby, I’d approached the desk and inquired about when we could expect to be called upstairs for the actual jury selection process. The clerk said, “Whenever the Bailiff arrives to come and get you, then he’ll take you all up the elevator.”
“Who is the Bailiff?” I asked?
The clerk replied, “Well, he’s a officer… a police officer, but he’s called the Bailiff.”
Next, my immediate question emerged, unbidden:
“Why is he called the Bailiff?”
Followed by an offhanded reflexive observation. “It sounds like he’s an elf.”
The clerk didn’t know. Later I wondered if it had to do with bail, but at the time, all I could think was elf. Not just generic elves either, but within moments I was having this image of Elf from the movie by that name, encountering the Dane Court Bailiff and making some comments about his Christmas spirit, or perhaps offering him some maple syrup for whatever he happened to be having for lunch, even if it was a burger with double fries, cheese and an extra large carbonated fructose-laden liquid such as Mountain Dew or a diet cola beverage.
“Do you think the Bailiff would mind if I made a Joke about him doing a Freaky Friday Switch with Elf?” I asked the clerk.