The County Line
These days I find it doesn’t take all my time to clean the garage, mop the kitchen floor and do other household chores. And, there are so few things going on in the community, there is little material for my weekly column.
So, I thought of writing about a few humorous events of the past as a bit of relief from “stay at home” boredom.
Perhaps they will give readers a needed chuckle.
As a former newspaper reporter, I thought I’d share a few events I encountered while covering local government for the Noblesville Ledger. The incidents are true but not reported at the time.
There once was an attorney in this county who was awaiting a jury verdict in one of his cases. He was so curious about the jury deliberations that he went to the Courthouse attic and tried to listen to what was going on in the jury room below.
Unfortunately, he lost his balance while leaning over the false ceiling and partially fell through to the jury room. Jurors were startled to see the attorney crash through and dangling above them.
The judge in the case, apparently feeling the attorney had suffered sufficient embarrassment by the incident, only warned him against such future activity.
Another incident involved a judge who was remined there was no handicapped parking spot in the small lot to the west of the Courthouse. (Long before the Judicial Center.)
The well-meaning judge went to county commissioners and said a handicapped spot was needed. Commissioners agreed.
The next day when the judge arrived for work he found a sign posted on his own parking spot which read “Handicapped Parking Only.”
We once had a county sheriff who lived in a Noblesville neighborhood where a burglar had been victimizing homeowners for several nights.
One night the sheriff went to bed after a long day, and hung his trousers on the bedpost. During the night, the burglar sneaked into the house and stole the sheriff’s wallet from the trousers pocket.
Next morning the embarrassed sheriff told a newspaper reporter about the incident and pleaded that it not be reported. And, until now I haven’t.
There are some more incidents I may share later if this “stay at home” order lasts much longer.