"So, did you see the article in the paper today about the drunk jury member?" asked J-- with a broad smile as he approached the table, the newpaper tucked under his arm.
"A drunk member of the jury?" asked one of the regulars, looking dumbstruck, "I've heard of judges being a bit under the weather, so too speak, but a member of the jury?"
J-- smiled broadly as he sat down at the table and unfolded the newspaper ont he table in front of him, "Says here that the woman had straight vodka in the water bottle she was sipping from through the day."
"That right?" said the second regular, "how's they find out what she was drinking?"
"She got rude and belligerent," said J--, pausing to thank Dani who brought out his tea pot and mug, "until then she was just quiet and giggly, then when the deliberation started, she became disruptive, uncooperative and eventually just passed out in the jury's room."
The two regulars started laughing, as J-- sipped his tea.
"Would make the outcome of the trial interesting," observed the first regular.
"Judge threw the case out and ordered a re-trial," said J-- smiling.
"What about double jeopardy?" asked the second regular.
"Doesn't apply here," observed J-- seriously, "everyone involved in the case did their jobs well, the problem was a juror, so the judge can order a retrial."
"I wonder who was winning before the juror passed out?" asked the first regular.
"Who passed out?" asked The Rev as he approached the table, a mug of Chipperfield Blend Coffee in his hand.
"Oh some juror in a court case in the states," answered J-- smiling, "turns out her water bottle was filled with vodka.
"That so," said The Rev, as he sat down, "I had something similar happen back in my first days in ministry."
"Really?" asked J--, his interest piqued, "you were packing around a water bottle full of vodka?"
"No, nothing like that," laughed The Rev, "when I first went into the First Nations' community on the west coast, I went down to the river one day and found a group of guys sitting around drinking out of cream soda bottles. I asked if I could have a sip, and they rather sheepishly said - 'sure'. I took a sip and realized that their cream soda had more than just cream or soda in it."
J-- slapped the table and laughed, "gin or vodka?" He asked.
"Vodka," answered The Rev.
"It's an old trick, though it works better in grape crush," laughed J--.
"Eew," said the first regular, "I heard root beer was best."
"Whatever," interupted The Rev, "back to my story," he was shaking his head as he spoke, "I made some comment about there being more than just cream soda in the bottles, and all the boys took sips and one of them yelled out - 'it's a miracle, The Rev has turned our cream soda into alcohol !!' and they all started saying - 'praise God, praise God ...' and tossed out more than a few 'Amens'."
J-- and the regulars laughed. "You turned their water into wine Rev," chortled J--.
"That's what the boys said," answered The Rev, "and for all these years I thought it was true. But after this," his finger rested on the newspaper article, "I have my doubts ..." His face had a broad smile.
The four men at the table all laughed together.
"Oh we know you can do miraculous things Rev," said J--, "we're just not sure what they are ..."
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