Join The Rest Of Us

My employer recently moved our offices. In the old location the important people all had offices with walls, plus window views and doors they could lock. So the rest of us unimportant people really had no view of the outside world and were in a pit. Well in the new location it’s an open floor plan where everyone is out in the open. So there are a few important people who are not too happy with the office layout and the loss of their status symbol. Me, I can see sunlight for the first time at work. I can live with that and if the important people don’t like it, then pleaze sit on it and rotate!

A Little To A Lot

When I was a newlywed my spouse went out shopping. I started to worry when it was well past closing time for the local mall and they still weren’t home. I was looking out the window with a bit of concern when a police car pulled into the driveway and now I had a lot of concern. But then the officer backed out of the driveway and went on their way. They finally came home, but boy did that officer pick the wrong driveway to turn around in!

Endness

My current employer is moving its offices to a bigger space and I’ve been getting this strange but familiar feeling. Finally it occurred to me what it was. It’s when something comes to an end, like college or the summer camps I worked at. All the familiar routines and known things are gone. Now I’m starting over again. This time I’ll be continuing with the same people, but everything else will change.

I remember once I was the last to leave camp. I was wandering around it and everything and everyone I knew all summer was gone. It was very depressing made even worst when the next group using the facility started to show up. I hate endings!

Timb(er)ush

I recalled thinking when I was a camp nurse that on the few occasions we had to carry someone out of the woods it was always a big person. So my thought at the time was: why is it always the trees that fall over in the woods and never the bushes?

One time I was walking across camp at night when I came across one camper trying to carry a camper about twice their size who was out of it. Apparently the taller child had struck their head and the counselor sent them with a much smaller child to my office. They didn’t make it, luckily I happen upon them. The older child had a concussion so I took him to my favorite ER where you have to knock and wait for them to answer. Always the trees!

Not Watching

I use to work across from a Weight Watchers corporate office. Now most people are aware of what their selling and why Oprah’s smiling face was greeting me every time I got off the elevator. But I did notice something about their employees. A lot of them are not taking advantage of the product they are supporting, that’s all I got to say.

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I saw this picture every day!

One Sided

I once owned a 1974 Honda Civic rust bucket that was missing the driver’s side floor board, Flintstone Style. It was the first year Honda decided to install an automatic transmission to basically a motorcycle engine and while feasible; it was still a bad idea. The car was a dog, no matter how fast I was going at the bottom of a hill, I’d be doing 25 mph by the time I hit the top if I was lucky.   I once drove it thru a mountainous area, also a bad idea. This car also did great donuts in the snow, mostly when I wasn’t planning on doing them.

So why am I writing about this car now, well I had a weird accident with it. I was sitting at a red light during a heavy snow storm, not doing donuts, when I was rear ended by all things, a Ferrari. I never asked why they were driving this kind of car in a snow storm, but some people have more money than brains. The accident didn’t really damage my car any since it was after all; a rust bucket. But it did scratch the front of their car up as my bumper road up it. Needless to say, I went home and they went out for an expensive paint job, you don’t take a Ferrari to Macco.

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TMI #5

A lady called about a claim regarding her sister and how we handle domestic partners. She tells me that while they have been together close to 40 years she doesn’t think sex is part of the relationship anymore. Really, I didn’t need to know that, nor did I ask. Thou I did reply there are many married couples that don’t have sex either. But then people sex life or lack there of has no bearing on our decision process.

Hands On

Someone called in to complain that they bought a hands free insurance policy and now your company wants me to fill out a claim form. Really, I didn’t know there were such policies available anywhere. But it’s a nice concept, even if it’s a delusion. Even the simplest of claims process requires some effort by the insured, we don’t have crystal balls after all.

Really White

One service I worked for did transports from a local State prison (maximum security). We would enter the prison and go in to a certain point and wait for the prisoner we would be transporting. One time me and my partner were waiting when out a side door came about 8 women all decked out in wedding dresses. A guard there told us it was the annual “marry an inmate day”. It was a very strange situation. The inmates at this prison were mostly in for life, so why would anyone marry them? I know why the inmates married them, the guard pointed out the conjugal visits trailer in the yard on the way out. But what do the women get out of it other than saying their married; after all he’s not going to be around and if she gets pregnant, it’s instant single parenthood.

Another transport I did they had the prisoner shackled to the stretcher with a van containing armed guards following us. I don’t know why this individual was in prison, or cared, but I didn’t think at that point they were much of a threat. They were so ill they couldn’t even raise their head off the pillow. Apparently they don’t tell the prisoners much when it comes to their medical conditions and he had one question of me. Do I have AIDS? Since he was clearly on his death bed and I had his chart I looked through it and thou he had many issues going, that word was nowhere to be found. He looked happy when I advised I did not see that diagnoses.

No Hot Water

When I was temping reading water meters, occasionally I would answer the phones until the secretaries came in. One time I got a very serious call, the caller wanted to know if our hot water main was broken in their neighborhood. That’s the day they learned the reality that they were the proud owners of a hot water heater. We only delivered the water cold; it was up to them to heat it up.

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Worst Ever

I was just told that I work for the worst company ever because the other company they bought their insurance from is telling us that they refunded the premium to you for the insurance they sold you and then they canceled your policy. If that’s what we’re being told by them, how do you expect us to pay your claim? You have no insurance; you’ve been refunded the premium, so we can’t make a claim payment. But then were the worst company ever, my Cabin In The Woods pleaze.

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FootEase

I was in the restroom at work the other day combing my lack of hair when someone was using the stall behind me to take a pee. Ok they don’t want to use a urinal, trying to hide something perhaps? Anyhow I noticed they used their foot to flush the toilet. If only they did the same to lift the seat up before letting loose. I understand germophobe’s, but why does the next person have to clean your pee off the seat? Then they’ll probably call other people slobs, dude you just knowingly pissed on a public toilet seat and went on your merry way, who’s the slob?

Hello

When I complete the set up for a claim, I tell people I’m giving them our “reference number” for it. It just happens to be seven digits long and since people often don’t listen to what I’m saying in the first place they’ll then ask me for the area code. It’s not a phone number, idiot, it’s a reference number, my Cabin In The Woods pleaze!

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Timeline

Someone called because the airline lost her luggage hours ago and she needed to replace some of her items now! Well I’m sorry they lost it, but until the airline decides what they can do for you, we can’t consider a claim. Then she points out that she’s all stressed out and can’t deal with it anymore. Oh poor baby, if the airline can’t find your luggage, they’re going to take at least 30 days to make a decision so you’ll be dealing with this for a lot longer than you can handle, so take a pill, the ride’s only just beginning if they really lost it. I don’t know what was in that luggage that’s so important, but no one going to make a decision on its replacement on her timeline.

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Not Up To You

Someone called in for a trip interruption because they couldn’t come back when they planned. The reason being they thought the judge was only going to sentence them for 60 days, but instead sentenced them for 6 months. I guess you shouldn’t ass(u)me your sentence until the judge speaks. Maybe they should start digging a tunnel so they can make that flight? Wouldn’t it be ironic if they cancel the ticket and the judge then lets them out in 60 days for good behavior.

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No Credit

Had someone who was canceling their flight ask for credit. I advised that we don’t handle the credit here, they then state, I don’t want credit; I just want to be able to use the ticket again in the future and I want you to take care of it. Or as the rest of the world calls it; credit. Doesn’t matter how you phrase it, it’s still credit and I still can’t help.

Who Needs An Open Window

I’m the proud owner of a 1997 Nissan with over 180,000 miles on it.  I keep it on the road for my oldest to drive, if they trash it, who cares.  Anyhow we have recently been in a heat wave and the A/C in the car hasn’t worked for years, so putting the windows down is kind of necessary in this weather.  Well the power switch for the window recently died and my child really wanted to get it fixed.  Why, one window was open a crack and a little sweating in a hot box never hurt anyone, at least for the first hour.

sentra

A Special Social Flower

Recently I was camping in a remote area of the mountains and wasn’t really expecting to get cell service, I wasn’t disappointed.  Thou I did over hear a fellow camper state that if you went to the dam and stood by a certain flower you could at least get texts.  So intrigued I went over to the dam, there were lots of flowers to choose from and my need wasn’t that great that I figured out which one.  It’s just funny how some people really need that connection.  Me; being out of contact and off the grid was one of the best parts of the trip.

Sacred?

When I bought my house all those years ago there was a shrine of the Virgin Mary in the corner of my new backyard and she was headless?  While I was raised Catholic, I’m not practicing it much, if at all, but a headless Virgin Mary did concern me on some long forgotten level.  Well I couldn’t bring myself to dispose of it so I placed it in the corner of my garage where it sat for years.  Finally I worked up the nerve and put it to the curb where it promptly disappeared.  Gets me to wondering, is there someone out there that is currently worshiping that Virgin Mary or is it in some weird art display?  What would be the attraction of owning a headless Virgin Mary?

Will Survive, Until

My youngest is always talking about how to survive a zombie apocalypse.  However after learning something about them, I advised that the zombies aren’t going to get them, they got that figured out.  Rather their going to starve to death when they are left only with canned food.  Because they lack that one critical survival skill, how to operate a manual can opener.  Try as they might, they couldn’t open any of the can food on our last camping trip.

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Pay Attention

Back in my Yout one of the most expensive aspects of going hiking was buying the food. My sibling decided to take care of this and after buying the food they placed it on the roof of the car to unlock the door. On the way out of the parking lot someone tried to get their attention about the food on the roof, but being a teen, they choose to flip them off instead. Well of course, they were just trying to be nice. I didn’t contribute to the buying of the replacement food.

Headless

One crew I worked with was passing through a rural area when a pheasant hit the windshield of the ambulance and went over the top. The windshield didn’t break so they continued to the hospital. After unloading the patient at the hospital the driver went to get back in the rig when they noticed the head of the pheasant hanging from the light bar. Perhaps they should have gone back to locate the rest of the pheasant and then have dinner or hang the head from the rear view mirror?

Valued, Depends

I was driving through the mountains the other day when I noticed a fund raiser for a local Volunteer Fire Department. The grand prize was a truck load of firewood. I think if my local VFD in suburbia offered this as a grand prize, it might not be very successful. But then the value of one item can be held higher in one area as opposed to another.

Peefect

It was customary in my youth group to pair up the new kids on their first campout with an older child in a tent, so any concerns might be addressed. My friend was doing this in the tent next to mine when I heard them screaming in the early morning hours, “what the h*ll are you doing!” Apparently their 11 year old tent mate had woken up in the total darkness, having to go to the bathroom. Half asleep and not knowing where they were they then proceeded to pee on my sleeping friends face. A nice warm stream of fluid to be gently awaken by perhaps? I still laugh to this day when I think about it. Never saw that child again after we returned home and I don’t wonder why, some things you just can’t live down.

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Inconvenienced

I was talking to someone who was upset they were inconvenienced by the airline for delaying their flight. I guess the airline didn’t give them enough satisfaction, aka money, so they came to us. I sorry, but life is full of inconveniences, but that doesn’t mean anyone owns you anything, much less money. Also had someone complaining they had to sleep on the floor of the airport, sorry, won’t be writing a check for that either.

Progressions

One of my children was participating in an activity with their youth group and had ordered pizza as they had done in the past. I’ve been participating in this activity for the past 8 years. I remember when the kids would figure out the price per person in the past using pen and paper. Now they use a smartphone. How things can change quickly.

As Long As

*As long as there are politicians, there will be corruption.

*As long as there are business people, there will be corruption.

*As long as there is money to be made, greed will take control, there will be corruption.

*As long as we believe the rules don’t apply to us, there will be corruption.

*As long as we teach our children to get ahead at all cost, there will be corruption.

*As long as man has ruled, there has been corruption.

*As long as…….

Oh Crap

Did you ever notice, someone will invent a product that there is no need for. Now they go about creating that need; in order to sell that product. While this is business 101, there are certain problems with this approach. As an example; disposable diapers comes to mind. Before they came to be, children were generally toilet trained within the first year of life, most likely because the parents didn’t want to clean all those dirty cloth diapers anymore, but there was also no demand for disposable diapers, it hadn’t been invented yet.

So how do you create this need? Get some well know pediatricians, most likely paid by you, to say, “it harms your child’s self-esteem to be toilet trained that young”, so let them stay in diapers longer (especially now that disposable diapers were available). So today we have kids who 3 to 4 years old still craping in their shorts instead of the toilet. I have actually heard a parent complain that they don’t make diapers big enough for their child (Depends perhaps) who should have been using a toilet long ago. Pre K’s will even reject children who aren’t toilet trained, how’s that affect the child’s self-esteem? All this to sell more disposable diapers (let’s not even get into landfills). I believe we were better off in getting kids toilet trained earlier in life. I write this as my 3 year old (at the time of writing) stands next to me with their pants full of crap, Thanks! But then this is just my opinion.