If you don't know what movie line my title comes from, we can't be friends. Just kidding. It's from Anne of Green Gables, one of my absolute favorites. Speaking of which, I haven't watched it in forever! Today, any spark of my own ambition really has been dampened though. I'm annoyed and a little fed up, and this is why.
I came home from work early today. Reluctantly using two of my cherished "personal leave hours", it all began with a nice visit to a little family living in North Salt Lake. I had been to the home previously. It's a "dirty home". Nothing out of the ordinary in my profession. And by "dirty" I don't mean dirty dishes in the sink, a few crumbs on the floor, toys and clutter everywhere "dirty". I don't mean "dirty" under my mother's terms. Or by my husband's terms for that matter. (He's a little OCD clean.) Oh my sweet mother would perhaps stop breathing completely if she ever stepped foot into any of the homes I've been in. I mean dirty as the smell of urine strong enough to make you want to pass out, dog pooh on the carpet for who knows how long it's been there, clutter like you've never seen it kind of "dirty" (if you've every watched "Clean House" you may have a glimpse of what I'm talking about), decaying food everywhere, dirty diapers that were neglected to be taken out to the garbage for I don't know, a month or so ago kind of "dirty"!
So if you're thinking this is why I went home early,you're wrong. Unfortunately this is part of my job. A lot of families have lovely houses. They care about their children and themselves enough to keep it clean and safe no matter how big or small the house is, or how much or little they have. And it's really quite enjoyable helping these families. However, there are some that really, really, really struggle in this area. I mean, seriously! Heaven knows my dear friends at my previous job are dealing with this environmental neglect probably more than I do, so they understand me. But I still see it.
After spending almost an hour in this home, an HOUR mind you, what sent me home early was a little conversation that went like this...
Me: "Okay, well I'll see you guys next month. Good luck finding a job, use some of those employment services and things I told you about....etc, etc"
Parent # 1: "Sounds good, I'll probably go out next week looking when these kiddos are feelin' better"
Me: Oh, do they have a cold or something?, I didn't know, that's no fun."
Parent #2: " Oh yeah, we took 'em to the doctor yesterday, they both have the swine flu"
Me: "Uh...........serious?"
Parent # 2: yeah, it's been a little been of a pain....
Me: "Um......so maybe if they have the swine flu you should call me and tell me that BEFOREHAND, perhaps, so we can cancel and it won't spread, like, to me, I don't want the swine flu" ?????????
And the rest is just a blur. Seriously. You think parents would be intelligent and capable enough to not invite anyone in their home for an hour, playing with their children, and sitting on their dirty infested couches and CANCEL an appointment if they have swine flu. Well I guess if they aren't smart enough to clean up the urine accidents on the carpet after a month, why would they be intelligent enough to do that!
Seriously annoyed. That's what I am. I came home early partly because I was just fed up with some people and this job. I've had it. Completely fed up. Secondly, so I could take a shower, scrub till my skin nearly came off, drink orange juice,take my vitamin C, and sanitize my hands, and drink 10 glasses of water, in hopes that I don't catch something.
