Funny the World... |
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ME AND GRANNY MUFFIN April 7, 2000 Well, my hissy fit yesterday must have made an impression. I was trying to decide whether or not to go to the Shelter today and finally decided I had made a commitment and I needed to follow through with it. The staff could not have been nicer. It was a calm day. I got all my work done. Things were organized. The computer worked. Gee. I should get mad more often! Some upsetting things happened today, though. First there was the guy who showed up very, very drunk. Technically speaking, hes not allowed to be at the Shelter in that condition, but we shut down at noon and it was already 10:30, so they let him stay, got some coffee in him, and tried to make arrangements for him for the time he will be out on his own, since he will be too drunk to be admitted to the Shelter to sleep tonight. It was almost touching watching how the other guys who were hanging around the resource center, looked after him and tried to help sober him up. We also had some folks come out to do AIDS testing. This upset me very much--not that they were doing AIDS testing (heaven forbid!), but there was one guy who, when presented with the opportunity to have AIDS testing was very offended because he said, "I dont need it. Im not that way." He said several times that he wasnt "that way," and it was obvious that he felt that only gay men get AIDS and since he wasnt gay, he was in no danger. Another guy stated flatly that he "doesnt believe in AIDS" and doubts that it really exists. And even if it does exist, he said, he didnt want to know whether he had it or not. He just turned his health over to the Lord, he said. (He didnt seem to think that it would affect any sexual partners he might have.) This is one little teeny homeless shelter and the ignorance and denial is so blatant. Multiply that by the millions of homeless and uneducated people across the country and see just one part of the problem with curbing this disease. And that 19 year old kid arguing with Steve said that "education wont help." Bullpucky!
After lunch, I drove home listening to the new Gold CD of Judy Garlands Carnegie Hall concert in 1960. What a glorious CD! I was ready to take a long drive just so I could listen to the whole thing in the car, where it was like having surround sound, the next best thing to being there. I transcribed a rush psychological report this afternoon and then remembered that I couldnt make copies of it because the FAX machine (which I use for my copier) needed a new cartridge, so off I went to Office Max, but they were out of the kind I needed. That meant driving to Staples, 10 miles away (more chance to listen to the Garland CD!). They had the cartridge and I also asked about a replacement cord for the PCMCIA modem for my laptop. The little plastic piece that connects to the phone line has broken off and Im having a devil of a time finding a replacement. Not only that, but there is no brand name on the PCMCIA card itself, so I dont even know who to call. Frys was very helpful--they cant get me a cord, but they can sell me a $70 modem to replace what I have. Right. Sure. Why put on a bandaid when you can put me in a full body cast?? I finally asked if I couldnt just go to a phone store and have them replace the piece that is missing and it was as if a lightbulb clicked over his head. Sure! Of course! Why didnt he think of that. So now I just have to find a store that sells and services telephones...and hope that they can help me. And I thought this was going to be so easy!! (BTW, try saying "PCMCIA" fast. I keep getting tongue tied trying to ask people about it.) I should mention why (if anybody has even noticed) the dates on these entries may seem to be off. I post the entires around midnight so at the very start of April 7 I will be posting this entry, which is about the events of April 6, but its dated April 7. Is that completely confusing?? |
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