Old Folks Home Escape Diverted and What’s so Funny about Garbage

 

My son provides fire prevention systems to large businesses such as hospitals, rest homes, shopping malls and probably even fulfillment centers. He used to be a driver of an armored car. Collecting stories along with the bags of cash. Once there was an attempted robbery on his day off. The guy he worked with had to pull the trigger and stop the culprit. I’m so glad Cam didn’t have to live with that necessary response to danger. But this new career has it’s stories as well. 

Cam got a call from a memory care unit that one of the residents pulled the fire alarm. This immediately unlocked all the fire doors in the facility. Needless to say that was when the great escape occurred. Of course, staff didn’t really let anyone get in a dangerous situation but they were shocked that the doors unlocked. It does make sense to unlock but the commotion of alarms screeching sent many heading for those doors. I can imagine the scene to get everyone calmed back down. Too much excitement for one day I would say. There should be extra puddings for the residents and an after work beer gathering for the staff that kept everyone safe.

Those days that don’t go as planned are the ones we remember sometimes for a lifetime. I’m sure each of us could recall a few of those unexpected days. One that comes to mind with me as a teacher was when I was keeping a line of sight on a student who was a danger to himself. It was necessary to stay far enough back so he didn’t feel encroached on but close enough to see where he was running to. I came down behind him on the school’s staircase. He decided that I should not be following him and spit on the handrail. Yuck!! Needless to say I never, ever use a staircase handrail to this day. 

There were also the funny ones like when a couple of students on the spectrum became obsessed with the word garbage. I don’t know why but they both would just bend over laughing when they said that word. Soon I became Mrs. Barbage in their silly heads. I still think of the joy they had in calling me that goofy name that made no sense. I wonder if I ran into them now that they are in college if they would still smile at the sound of garbage and Mrs. Barbage. 

Think of those days that we remember. Then remember when we have a bad day it is going to turn into a memory perhaps for a lifetime. Glad those residents at the memory unit didn’t get their wings to wonder the once familiar streets on their own. I am thankful to those who care for our loved ones when we are unable to do so.

In Him,

Joyful

11-23-22