Just kvetching about work in Whatever Will Be Will Be

So, this is my job. But there is just so much of me that can’t help but look at the assortment of… pardon my language… assholes that I deal with from an almost paternal perspective. I don’t handle SERIOUS crime anymore. I no longer handle the RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES human trafficking, sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, Law and Order Special Victims Unit Crimes of Horror and Victimization kind of crap.
I deal with adult versions of school yard bullshit. I deal with… “You got drunk, caused a scene, and the cops were called.” I deal with… “You threw a full beer can at someone’s head and missed”. I deal with… “You were overcome by your anger, and you pushed someone down.” Which is why typically THE MOST I EVER REQUEST is “Take some responsibility for your actions.” ESPECIALLY if you’ve been given a break before… take some responsibility.

But we live in a world where It’s not MY fault. I’m always right! Fuck you! has become a resounding repeated refrain. And more and more those people are demanding JURY TRIALS to resolve these matters. Which… yes. At this level, DOES bother me a great deal! Because it is always taking something that is a “Hey, say you’re sorry, pay a ticket, and we’re done” and taking it to “OKAY, now we’re involving full fledged Judges, over 100 people as potential jurors, and multiple days in trial… all because YOU say “Fuck you, I’m always right!”

Guess what! Being words slurring, falling down, starting fights drunk… isn’t even a big deal! It’s a ticket and then it falls off of your record in two years. But several of them this year have already filed ON THE RECORD shit like “Those cops didn’t treat me with respect. JURY TRIAL! I’ma show how they fucked up messing with me!” That.... in writing… ON THE RECORD! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?!

Frankly, this is honestly why I want to go back to doing Juvenile Law. If a 48 year old man acts like some dumb fucking teenager… I just get too offended and upset. I can’t help but think “ACT LIKE A FUCKING ADULT, JACKASS”! I would much rather be dealing with Juveniles where at least I can think, “OH wow. No. You’re 12, you shouldn’t be opening fire on your little friends at school.” Being horrified by the adult behavior of juveniles is preferable to me than being blind-stupid gob-smacked at the childish criminal behavior of adults.

Well, let’s expand the nature of this kvetch to other issues and annoyances! My doctor cancelled my last appointment. It was too cold. It was too snowy. Okay… when can I be seen soonest? TWO weeks later. WHEN I am scheduled to be in a Jury Trial. So, it needs to now be THREE weeks later. But I’ll run out of my medication. So, previously I called to request a minor authorization to at least get me to my next appointment. They said NO. Never mind that I have been taking this medication, at this strength, for more than 3 years! They have power and felt the urge to exert it. WELL because I have additional jury trials that I cannot just nope out of… I needed to call to see if they would do ANYTHING to work with me at all! And it isn’t looking good. Which, I’ll just say it- because it is obvious- that is UPSETTING!

But had to pop out of work a fraction of a minute early because Pest Control Check. DID we get the mouse? At all? DID the cold kill the mouse? What does the pest situation look like at present? Well- the mouse has pooped in the glue traps. So… not effective. And the trap that Nala thought was a toy, so I instantly took it from her and placed it somewhere she couldn’t reach? The guy today was horrified that the previous technician had filled it with toxic bait knowing there was a dog in the house. SO… thankfully caught Nala playing with it before it became a very ill or dead Nala… upset that the previous technician put my dog in danger and didn’t even catch the mouse!

Then rehearsal. We’re to an interesting part of the process. I can say truthfully: we have a show. At present- it isn’t a great show, but if we had to put it on immediately… we could at least justify the time we’ve put in. We could not justify charging people for the tickets. So that’s what the next 16 days are all about. Getting to the “We can justify charging people to see this” level.
It was funny though. Acting is a very important hobby to me. But even today, I found myself preparing my jury trial back stage and kept thinking, “No. Acting is about being PRESENT. Keep your mind here and now.” Which is funny because that’s always hard for me to do and just… easier in the Theater.