Bugger or Booger Off!

In the midst of a fun week-end; Vietnamese grub (reet-reet) at Pho 99, Religulous--Bill Maher's take on all things Judeo-Christian, and watching Willie Nile at the Lafayette Tap Room, my sinuses decided to do a number on me! I had a raging headache until last night at about this time. Mucinex D is like manna from heaven--yeah it dries out my mouth and I'm constantly whizzing but at least it minimizes the thunderous earache and headache that my sinuses cause.

As I suffered through Monday, I learned that some big governmental muckety mucks lunched with some of the higher ups at work. One is a tool who's all about privatizing while the other isn't judicious about where he uses his married tool. It was amusing to learn that ringers were being sought from the staff to make the workstead's cafe look busy. Monday is their slow day. In this economy most of my peeps have cut back on lunching there--it's nice but the cost adds up. The muckety mucks lunched in what used to be "bum's row". Before they moved the furniture, it was lined up along the perimeter of the cafe. Those who could afford to eat were center stage while the homeless and the run of the mill crazies sat in what were newer chairs looking in. It was a creepy scene and almost surreal. A microcosm of the real world--those who can afford it chow down and ignore Buffalo's underbelly as they look on. It was really uncomfortable--I sort of stopped eating in the cafe because of it. Now they've been relegated to the window area way across the hall. They get a nice view and the cafe customers do, too. Nonetheless, the governmental types better wake up. Those bums could become the majority if the economy continues going the way it is.

I made it through the work day to tend to my night time duties. A book discussion event. I helped work the door. We had our usual gang of idiots mixed in with the mostly nice people that show up. Earlier in the day, my liberrian senses told me that the set up at the door was going to be a hassle. The table for donations, etc. blocks a ramp that the handicapped could use. The retired staff member who runs the event doesn't seem to give a damn. I guess he skipped out the door before the long arm of ADA compliance reached him.

I was sitting at the offending table in my misery but trying to be pleasant. I smiled and said "hello" to an older woman who moved at a steady clip while carrying a cane with four prongs. She seemed okay so I didn't say anything. A lot of disabled people don't like it when you fuss over them. They usually say something or look very troubled as they try to move. Those are my cues to jump in and help. As she walked by she said, "Think of yourself, dear." When my ear is plugged due to sinus problems, I constantly ask people to repeat themselves. So I asked and I received. I looked at her and said quite puzzled, "What makes you say that?" She proceeded to bark about the ramp being blocked. I offered to move and interrupted Mr. Retiree's conversation with Betchbag (an organization member who treats me like a 'Girl Friday'--she seems to think I'm young and stupid, I know I think she's old, obnoxious, and petty) by loudly saying, "Excuse me, that lady needs help!" She kept moving and claimed an aisle seat toward the back of the room. The reality is the ramp would've have taken her out of her way. Those two steps while possibly painful meant less walking. She was just being abusive--she's bitter about her condition and takes the arrangement as a personal affront. She complained previously but it fell on deaf ears. I was really offended by her remark as I frequently hold doors for many people and if I see a disabled person struggle, I do my best to help. The old bitch ended up dozing off during the presentation. Hmmmph!

She managed to leave without trouble and I was glad to see her go. I noticed a lady in a people cart with oxygen tubes. I was proactive and approached her about moving the table. Despite all that was wrong with her, she was very pleasant, thanked me and said that her husband would help her. Your attitude determines your latitude as Kanye would say.

I got the hell out of there as soon as possible and exchanged my Mucinex DM Maximum Strength for the Mucinex D. Of course, I had to present my license and sign off on my purchase of pseudoephedrine because in the name of narco-terrorism, I could be setting up a meth lab instead of suffering like hell with an earache/headache. The "Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005" was rolled into the USA Patriot and Improvement Act of 2005. Oh yeah invade my privacy that will keep me safe from the bogeyman or was that the booger man?

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Now playing: Government Issue - Asshole
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Douchebags!

There's a Bad Moon on the Rise...

Oy vey! What a day! Let me back track to say that my sinuses have been driving me crazy with all the rain that we've been getting over the last few days. I had a lot of ear pain since last Friday so I decided to try and see my doctor. I couldn't get in until today at 8:45am. Keep in mind that I was scheduled to close at work (12-8pm) and I didn't feel like wasting the gas and time to drive home and back from downtown. She diagnosed me with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Essentially short of moving there's not much I can do other than heavily medicate myself with allergy meds, ibuprofen, and mucinex.

I was at a local coffee shop by 9am. Back in the old days, I would've gone in and started working on something but after the layoff, I'm careful about staying overtime. Why bother when it doesn't count for anything? I had plenty to do for myself--a book I needed to read for a discussion group that I'll be hosting, planning a class that I'll teach in the the Spring, etc. I took to the back room of the coffee shop and proceeded to get comfortable when some toddlerish (4 or5 years old) crotch fruit came running back. Of course they decided to sit near me. Mom must've sent them ahead. Sure enough she and an older woman followed. Things quieted down once the feedbag was presented. I figured if they continue to behave, I could stay. Of course, mom's discussion of her artistic production and her advisor's recommendations were just a bit too much for the little darling. He fussed so he and his sister were sent to a nearby table. Just as he was getting to ready to leave, I leaned down to get something out of my bag when I heard a fart about two feet from my face. I jumped back and said, "Excuse you". He looked a bit puzzled and acted as if he didn't do anything. Thankfully, mom didn't catch my comment because I really couldn't tell her with a straight face that her kid just farted in my general direction. It was at that point that I decided to relocate. Between the chatter and the butt trumpet, my idyllic oasis just wasn't working out. Why do pretentious adults think that kids should hang out in coffee shops?

Work was uneventful until about 6pm. My co-worker reported that a crazy lady just started a negative discussion about Buffalonians and their attitude--nobody wants to help her no matter where she goes, they just call security and throw her out. Danger Will Robinson Danger! She went on to say that she's from Miami and that down there they also do the same. She proceeded to ask about Buffalo's history. He found answers but recommended that she check out another department. She was pushing her own wheelchair but did not want to travel down the hall. She wanted him to call the department on her behalf. Apparently, this brought the staff member in charge of the building into the matter. By the time she turned up at my desk (7pm) she wanted to make a complaint against that person. She said they stereotyped her by presuming that she was homeless. Just because she's Black doesn't mean she's homeless, etc. etc. I put my yoga training into practice by breathing deeply and listening. I offered her a comment form and discretely alerted the staff member in charge that this lady might show up at the administrative offices tomorrow.

Shortly before closing time she parked herself outside the bathroom door and asked the guard to get some spray for the ladies room because it smells bad in there. He refused and rightfully so. Maintenance is hard to contact after hours. He's a security guard not the tidy bowl man.

She came by my desk and asked if copies cost anything. I said that they did. She then wanted me to look up the NAACP in Buffalo and any other civil rights groups in the area--with 15 minutes to go--and giver her computer print outs. I offered to write the information down because we charge for those print outs. I didn't want to become her Internet jockey. I found the information and gave it to her but then she tried to interrupt a transaction between myself and another patron. I brushed her off and thankfully she didn't materialize when the closing announcement went off. I grabbed my shiznit and hit the door even though I had to water the toilet. I figured "fuck it" just get out of here and take care of biz at home. I try my best to be kind to the crazy and indigent but I get really irritated when they think the world owes them something. Librarians are fast becoming de facto social workers as the economy takes a serious crap. We are not trained as such and it's extremely stressful. "America Gone Wrong: A Slashed Safety Net Turns Libraries into Homeless Shelters," tells our plight.

As I ascended the highway, I looked at the dark grey sky and the bright patches mixed in to find a rainbow to the south and a full moon not far away--hence the difficult loony tune. As Buffalo's Harold Arlen once said, "Somewhere over the rainbow..."

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Now playing: Buddy Guy - It's A Jungle Out There
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