Hitting a little too close to home

Listening to the Mrs. Polifax books has been the perfect escape this past week. I know I mentioned them a few days ago, but maybe you need some escapist reading, too. 

Set during the Cold War, Mrs. Polifax is a widow in her 60's whose two children are grown with families of their own. She realizes that she is so bored with her life that she decides to go to the CIA and apply to become a spy. Due to an unfortunate (or fortunate depending on your point of view) Mrs. Polifax becomes s a CIA courier on what is supposed to be a simple job. She is perfect for it because who would expect a 60+ year old grandmother to be a spy? This premise is upon which the entire series turns. Mrs. Polifax is charming and brave and intelligent and has the very happy knack of acquiring very interesting friends. Good fun is the best way to describe them. 

A note of warning, though. The first book was published in 1966, so they are not recent. As a result, some of the verbiage, especially pertaining to people groups, is uncomfortable. (For clarity , not the N- one.) For instance, in the second book she falls in with a group of Roma, but it was written at a time when the pejorative term of "gypsy" was still very acceptable. I think I squinted every time I heard it. 

Anyway, I've been listening to them, but actually checked the first book out because I wanted to share with you this exchange. For context, Mrs. Polifax finds herself in e remote Albanian prison held captive by a group of communist agents. She has befriended some of the guards at this point in the story.

"She [Mrs. Polifax] said cheerfully, 'Oh yes, I'm sure they'll eventually have to kill me. What else can they do with me?" 

     'But you cannot be dangerous,' protested Lulash [a guard].

     Mrs. Polifax shrugged. 'Does anyone care? This isn't a democracy, you know.'

     'They do not shoot people in a democracy?'

     'Oh dear, no. Not unless they committed a murder, and even then -- no, really, people do not get shot as punishment in a democracy.' She sipped her brandy appreciatively. 'And it's in the hands of a jury, you know. It takes twelve people to decide on a person's guilt '

     Major Vassovic stared at her. 'Twelve officers, you mean.'

     'Oh no,' said Mrs. Polifax. 'Twelve people. Citizens. Ordinary people. Working people.'

     The two men stared at her incredulously. Major Vassovic said, 'But then no one would be found guilty. Who instructs them?'

     Mrs. Polifax smiled forgivingly. 'They are free to make up their own minds from the evidence that's presented.'

     Major Vassovic looked thoroughly alarmed; Lulash looked interested. 'Explain to me how it works,' he said. ...

     'It works like this,' Mrs. Polifax said ... [she then explains how a court room works and tells the men they are going to pretend to be on a jury.]

     'What are our political affiliations? asked Lulash quickly.

     'Oh, but that doesn't matter at all.'

     'But it must '

     She shook her head. 'No, because this is a court of law and justice. We would be concerned only with the truth '

     Lulash said, 'But surely the jury would have been appointed by party officials?'

     'No,' said Mrs. Polifax firmly  'Not appointed at all. No commitments, no ties, no obligations. Absolute freedom to decide. 

     'Then surely the judge is appointed?'

     'Yes,' said Mrs. Polifax.

     'Ah!' cried Lulash triumphantly.

     'But the judge has nothing to do with the verdict,' emphasized Mrs. Polifax. ' He cannot decide whether a man is guilty or innocent. That responsibility rests with the twelve jurors.'

     Lulash looked bewildered. 'He cannot tell the twelve jurors they're wrong? He cannot punish them if they bring in the wrong verdict?'

     'Absolutely not,' replied Mrs. Polifax."

                         - from The Unexpected Mrs. Polifax by Dorothy Gilman (pp. 95-96)

Does anyone else have very mixed feelings reading this at this particular moment in history? I certainly hope this continues to be true. I hate it when my escapist reading hits too close to home.