The alarm on Teddy’s nightstand glared and buzzed angrily in the still darkness; faithful it was to its appointed time. Teddy groggily reached for the monster that stole into his sleep in attempt to quiet the beast. However, he being not much of a morning person wisely placed the clock out of arms reach thus forcing him to his feet to shut off the infernal thing. “Six AM thought Teddy, who in the world would want to get up at this time of day?”

Down below his flat on the street Teddy could hear the movement of traffic letting him know that indeed there is life at this time of day. He peeled back the covers and walked across the cold tile floor like a sailor who has yet to get his sea legs. He could smell bacon cooking and fresh coffee brewing. The scent came from the apartment next to his and suddenly he felt hungry. Teddy ambled into his small kitchen and pushed the button on the coffee maker and watched sleepily as the thick dark liquid gurgled into the pot. Impatient as always, he pulled out the pot and slipped his cup beneath the trickling stream of hot black liquid. Somehow, just the very aroma seemed to waken him from his nights sleep and he slowly began to gain his senses as he gulped down his first cup.

Today was to be a day like no other. Today was Teddy’s first day on the jury; something that he was not really looking forward to, but something he felt was his civic duty to do. He and eleven others were to sit and listen to the State DA portray John Reggie Smith as a diabolical monster who of wanton evil killed and dismembered his entire family. While in rebuttal the defense would try to prove otherwise. “This duty thought Teddy is definitely not on my high list of things to do, after all, a trial like could take months.” Finishing his coffee, Teddy rose from the table to go take a shower and then catch the subway downtown. He had to be at the courthouse at 9am.

After his shower, he walked naked and cold across his bedroom to the closet. He fumbled through the few church clothes he had trying to decide what to wear. He wanted to look nice, but not too overly dressed. After settling on a black blazer and pants Teddy walked over to the window with his clothes in tow. Lifting the shade he watched for a few minutes as the sky began its shift from darkness to light. The silhouetted Brownstones across the river soon began to emerge into the fullness of the rising sun. He thought about this day; he thought about John Reggie Smith and then he prayed….To be continued  

J. Allen Wilson © 2007