rantings from the front lines of social services
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
too good to last
The past few weeks were way too good to last.
That all changed today, when we admitted Ms. CrazyWoman.
Ms. CrazyWoman (not her real name) babbles. And she babbles loudly. It'd be more accurate to say she screames random shit. She's been driving me nuts all damn day. Here is a sample of her babbling:
"I went to my son's house and my grandson was there and do you know that he was in jail until last Tuesday or was it Wednesday I don't remember I think my mother died on a Wednesday did you know that did I tell you about my Mother I think I did but maybe not anyway she died and I had a seizure and the funeral I almost said wedding because I had a seizure at my son's wedding..."
And it just goes on and on and on like that, at the top of her lungs. Right now she's alone in a meeting room, and I can still hear her.
Shoot me.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
phone call
I got a phone call today, from a former client of mine. He is a 17 year old who initially came to my agency from the hospital because he had OD'd on Crack. He hadn't been to school in over year. I discharged him back in June, and he was clean and enrolled in summer school.
"Mr. ********, I just wanted you to know that I got an A in math on my progress repor," he says.
"Good for you, ********. What were the other grades?" I ask.
"Man, I knew you'd ask that," he whines.
"What were they?" I insist.
"I got the one A, two B-'s, and 3 C's," he sounds dejected.
"*******," I say in my most stern voice,"I have something to say about that."
"What?" he says, sounding irritated.
"That's the best news I've heard all year," I say.
"Really?" he sounds like a little boy who has been told that he's getting a puppy.
"Really," I say. And it is the best news I've had all year.
Monday, October 11, 2004
just cause I'm white doesn't mean I don't know snoop
"Did you just say 'fo shizzle'?" the client asks me.
"Yes, I did," I respond.
"You ain't no nizzle," he glares.
"Nah, but this here's my ho-zizzle. Best be respect-izzle-ful, ya' hear?" I reply.
"Fo'shizzle," he nods and smiles.
Monday, October 04, 2004
did you know?
This pisses me off.
My clients are often ex-felons, right? Here's a short list of things ex-fellons can't do:
1) Vote.
2) Possess a firearm.
3) Work in a school.
4) Drive a car.
OK, item 1 is common knowledge, even though it's pretty stupid when you think about it. We let the mentally ill vote, but not fellons. Whatever.
Items 2 and 3 are self-explanatory, and oddly enough, the two that are the least likely to be enforced.
But item #4 is a suprise to most people. If you are convited of a felony involvin a motor vehicle (say, for example, you drive to deliver you crack) then you can't drive for 18 months after you come out of prison.
This is the #1 obstacle in finding employment for these guys. Many of my clients lose their jobs because they are late to work due to the poor public transit system. Others can't get around even to fill out applications.
So instead they sit at home and get ever more angry and ever more poor.
Thank you, Criminal Justice System.
Friday, October 01, 2004
should I laugh or cry
My client, in a moment of brillance, decided to rob a corner grocery store. The store was closed. My client decided to break in through the ventilation system, in the roof. (I wish I were making this up.) In the process of climbing down from the vent, my client set of the alarm system. The alarm scared him, and he fell, and broke his leg in two places. There's my client, leg broken, alarm going off, police on the way. Escape is impossible, and he's not armed. So what does he do?
He limps over to the refrigerator case and gets out a 40, sits down on the floor and starts drinking.
The police arrive, and see this man sitting on the floor, with two empty 40-oz bottles. He looks up at them and says, "Took you long enough."
