Something More Substantial in Book Two: The Fifteenth Year of the Third Millennium of the Common Era

I realize that this job sucks. That I’ve been putting in insane hours. That the stress of being constantly on guard for my safety certainly influences how tense my body feels. And I understand that a hostile work environment from Administration effects a person. But all of that being said and accepted… this Law Library gig actually does make me wonder if I could handle the working world? Literally… if I could physically withstand it. Because my body is screaming right now. My neck, my shoulders, my back, and especially my legs. They are in a great deal of pain and discomfort. I’m trying to tell myself that… y’know… it is just this job. You could still work full time, no problem, in a different job. Hell, the reason I want to do the kind of law I want to do is because it isn’t all behind a desk… going from office to office and court room to court room is far better for my body than simply sitting behind a desk for 12 or more hours. But… it does cause me to worry.

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You have got to be out of your mind. I realize the jail isn’t a proper office environment but the last two phone calls to Correction’s Officers began the same way.
ring ring ring ring ring ring
CO: ”What?!”
ME: Law Library, I’ve got some guys to call down.
CO: They just went to REC, call back later. slam
.............DUDE! Did I interrupt your nap? I get that you were expecting a quiet hour or more since your Mod just went to REC but… some professionalism? Some concept that this is a job? Besides, REC (like Law Library) is kept on a random basis so as to avoid security and escape issues. Ugh. Employees in Corrections certainly aren’t going to get respect or adequate treatment from the inmates, we should at least give respect and adequate treatment to one another. Of course… me being petty… I can’t help but note that most of the Correction’s Officers that are the rudest are the ones who take the worst care of themselves… 4 to 5 days unshaved, guts about to explode through the buttons on their uniform, hair greasy. One could, if not otherwise informed, assume that the individuals have just been working long shifts. Unfortunately, I am otherwise informed. The people who have been picking up most of the overtime around here are your younger, more energetic officers who want the extra cash to buy a home. These slothful, older, more rotund officers have simply reached the point where they’ve resigned themselves to their lot in the job and refuse to do much of anything. And why not? If they can still collect a paycheck, not get hassled by a boss, and not have to do much work? Makes sense.

Humorously, a great many of my problems with Correction’s Officers would be solved by changing one thing: Not coming in to work until 1500. Of course, this would also work to allow me to sleep in and/or exercise and/or play video games… ultimately, lead a much happier life. However, the kicker to that is… I’d have to get everything at work done from 1500 to 2100; while allowing for up to 2.5 hours of lockdowns. In short, 6 hours a day with a best-case scenario of 4 hours of work time. As Mods can take two to 3 hours to get through as it is… this just isn’t a viable option. So… there I go again. Realizing what is expected, what is being encouraged, and applying rational thought. Funny how rational thought can so easily get in the way of unreasonable demands.
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Yeeeeeeeeeeah............. Slothful McRudeShit hasn’t seen fit to bring the inmate down yet. AFTER AN HOUR. I suppose I understand if I’m the only one that still believes in “Do your best no matter what” but also… I don’t want my bosses yelling at me for other people’s bullshit. So I call him back. Is the inmate going to show up at any time? The response? THE RESPONSE?! “You didn’t say what time you wanted him to come down.” Are you… I mean… WHAT?! “I need Law Library guys to come down, they are....” and you interpret that sentence to mean.... what exactly? My supervisor is saying I need to be tough and start yelling and chewing these guys out. But I’ll tell you… I don’t see that working out for me. If I lose my temper, if I go off… I’ll go off. And I really need to keep my cool around here. If I start yelling and going mad… I could be in a lot more danger. But I will admit… it would be interesting to see how these inmates and COs react to me entirely unleashed.

So.... that is my Law Library Day. I had originally intended to get through considerably more Housing Units but… fuck. At this point, I’ll take 4. It is better than I did yesterday. Now off to court! Then errands that have been getting put off for DAYS while I try to find weekday time to take care of things.