"I've Got To Pee!"

 

The last two days I’ve been relieving another clerical on her breaks and mail runs at the reception desk.  Yes, our receptionist is “gone” the last two days.  In her long winded explanation of her sickness that she left on the voicemail, she did say she would be well enough to come in tomorrow.  Let’s just see.  I say she won’t be in until Thursday.  Anyway, lucky me has been working the front desk off and on the last two days, and it’s been quite a “pleasure” working with our clients. 

 

“I’ve got to pee!” 

 

“I can’t hold it in much longer!”

 

“I need to relieve myself half way, and save some for the probation officer.”

 

This is just a sample of the words from some of our clients as they are left waiting in the lobby for their pee test.  You would think grown men and women would use words a little less suttle; but no…  It’s like communicating with a room full of children most of the time.  It’s just embarrassing—especially when they bring their children with them for a pee test.  Why or why would you make your kid be witness of such humiliation is beyond me.   I see clients coming in with babies—letting them crawl all over the carpet and the chairs, and let them rub their noses on the glass.  Don’t these people realize that the lobby is full of germs!  We have drug addicts, and homeless people in there.  They haven’t bathed in days, may be weeks..  We sometimes find bottles of pee and garbage on the floor.  HELLO!!!  This is not a place for children!!  I swear to you, sometimes I just want to go in that lobby and swoop up those kids and take them away.  After looking at some of these parents, it leaves me to wonder if these children will have a half a chance growing up a normal life.  It’s very, very sad.

 

Here is something else that is equally sad.  A co-worker’s daughter’s best friend was raped.  15 year old.  Her father who is a Meth user dropped her off with a “friend” (another drug user) who raped her.   Imagine getting a text message on your daughter’s phone that reads:  “I’ve been raped.  What should I do?”  The guy is in jail now-got booked in today, but before he was he was calling my co-worker’s house.  He knows where my co-worker lives.  Scary.  This raped daughter’s mother (who is also a drug user) abandoned her with her dad when she was 3.  Where do kids like these go in situations like these?  Basically her meth user father has no sense and obviously cannot care for her any longer. 

 

I just got back from the reception desk where I had to deal with a young woman on the phone, yelling in my ear about her wanting a new probation officer.  I looked up her case.  This woman is only a few years older than my own daughter.  She’s barely 20 years old, and already a felon, and a nasty and rude one to boot…

 

Depressing.. 

 

Makes me want to fall on my knees and thank God for the life, and the secure atmosphere I have for my kids.  After a day here at work, yes, I’m paranoid with what is out there.  It’s scary!   After sitting at the receptionist desk, I can now almost understand why the receptionist is GONE all the time.  Almost..   I’m feeling a bit ill at the moment.  I’m sure there is a gopher hole I can fall into to twist my ankle..