19.10.05

"But I’ve never caught a glimpse..."

It MUST have been Mercury in retrograde, coupled with the full moon.
What a bloody mess of a day.

Working in the Village is very convenient. We are allotted 15 minutes travel-time between each client, and frequently need them but my schedule was such that my day would end with me 1.25 hours ahead of myself. Five times point two-five.

"So I turned myself to face me..."
The one day I decide I do not want the extra time anywhere and start half an hour later, my schedule gets changed. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!! No more long travel-time ... I am now officially *late* (buggerbuggerbugger)

"HEY! we were looking for you at Mrs' ___'s ... are you running a little late?"

And WHAM- changes.
So next client I am finished my work anticipating my long drive out to the boonies for two clients I do not know. One is for 1 and a half hours the other for one and three quarter hours.
-ring ring-
"Hello you! We had a call from (another in the field employee) They were expecting you at Mr. ____'s 30 minutes ago! Are you running late?"

I thought they had taken him OFF my schedule and replaced him with the two boonies people. Now I am in my car ZOOMING to the clients. He is in a foul mood probably from sitting waiting for me. He is swinging his fists and swearing and it is a bad day. He does not connect with my co-worker but it is not for lack of trying. He calms down a bit before we leave as I turn the charm up to SUPERCHARGE. And NOW I take off for the toolies.

I do not know the person I am going to, nor anything about them but their name, address and pertinent medical history. I pull in, walk up, ring the bell and NATURALLY there is no answer. Now I am obligated by the terms of my employment to stay in that driveway fifteen minutes, and of course I do but I am more importantly ethically obligated to make sure that person is not on the floor or fallen in the hallway just out of my earshot. So I peer in windows, telephone the office and get the office to telephone the client.

During the peering in windows part, a firecracker is set off right behind me. I am thinking: " Oh great! Now they are shooting at me!"

I call from my cellphone and the line cuts out during the call.
I drive to a payphone and wait while the office calls the home, trying to rouse someone.
When they cannot they call the contact number and again, there is noone there.
So I am given the addressed and I spend an hour driving from A to B looking for someone.
Rural area. Lots of pickup trucks and such. I give up and go for coffee after 45 minutes.

So now I go to the *other* client I have been switched to.
She has had a bad morning. She declines her personal care as she is exhausted.
She asks me to prep some food but there is no food. She wants me to vaccuum but I cannot....
(sigh)
So we chat. For an hour and a half.

Now my regular clients have been serviced by someone else, very capably I am sure.
And I have just been paid for doing sweet bugger all.

No wonder the Country is going broke.
(!!)

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