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...at hospitals. Yes, I said it. There are people who should be turned away. Their kids who need treatment? Take them, but no parent visits. Period.
Here's why.
I have had the misfortune of several (about seven) hospitalizations for pneumonia. I always get it. (See www.cff.org if you want to know about it.) Because my family spends so much time there (for reasons besides my health, as well) I have since learned of new lows to which people are willing to go. Read on, but this may take a while...
NOTE: It's in this section because I never worked at this hospital, but was rather a witness to the suckyness of countless individuals.
This hospital is a children's hospital, and as such used to have all the old classic video games available for play if you were inpatient (currently staying in a hospital room for at least one night), not to be confused with impatient (lacking patience). These games were originally set up on wooden "carts" which were really more like rolling cabinets. Just some vintage consoles that someone had donated, plus a few games which were stored (along with the system) inside the cabinet. The TV for gaming use was kept on top of the cabinet.
Now, about security. All of the cabinets were assigned a floor and were very rarely moved from that floor except for repairs. The televisions were bolted to the tops of the cabinets and the consoles and games were locked inside when not in use. I know you know where this is going, but bear with me.
After a console or two and countless games had been heisted by patients and their families (think about the implications of this) the consoles began to be bolted down and games were attached to chains (these are still the cartridges from early-to-mid 90's) to prevent theft. By "chains" I am referring to the types of securements that hold bank pens to the desks. After more theft of games and a chain upgrade, the hospital cracked down. Bolting everything to everything and keeping the games in a locked room (which only Child Life Services reps had access to), available only upon request to keep track of who had them last. Thefts dropped dramatically to nearly zero. It seemed as though the hospital had finally won. But...
Enter the most good-karma-eradicating, ill-will-generating heist of all time.
One day, three men drove a repair van into the hospital driveway. While the driver stopped and made small talk with the security guard / traffic cop on duty, the other two went inside. Bypassing the front desk with gestures towards their name badges, they took the elevators up nine floors to where the child of one of them (I assume the driver) was being cared for. The men walked around the floor, posing as visitors, then snagged a video game cabinet with attached TV. To anyone who asked, they flashed their name badges and said they were called to fix the system. They hustled to the elevators and down nine floors, then out through a back exit so as not to walk through the lobby housing several policemen and -women. Loading the set into the back of their van, they tipped their imaginary hats to the traffic officer and drove off.
The hospital was not amused.
Because they had no idea who had stolen the system, all of the remaining systems were removed from the floors and there were no games available for a while. Luckily, a large donation in about 2002 allowed for the purchase of many (then) state-of-the-art gaming systems (think vertical and black) which are bolted TO THE WALLS of every single room.
The lengths that some places will go to keep their customers (or at least those that they are serving) honest is incredible. Especially when the extra service supplied (video game access) is essentially unimportant compared to the main services that patients receive.
In my book, this ranks right up there with stealing from Toys for Tots and the like.
NOTE: To my knowledge, none of the new systems have been stolen because it would be very difficult to blame anyone else if you or your child lives in the room where it is attached to the wall in plain view. Games, however, I am not so sure of.
Some people you just want to
P.S: I apologize profusely and sincerely for the ultralongnessitude of the above message board posted comment. In being brief and concise in my words I tend not to have much flair and so overwrite a large percentage of my sentences by utilizing thoroughly useless "dead wood" words at times when merely a few would do as well as or better a job of communicating my point to the reader. Thank you so very much and again sincerely for understanding my compulsion to write so incredibly much without proper cause.
P.P.S: Sorry it's so long. I'm bad at brevity. (Usually.)
Here's why.
I have had the misfortune of several (about seven) hospitalizations for pneumonia. I always get it. (See www.cff.org if you want to know about it.) Because my family spends so much time there (for reasons besides my health, as well) I have since learned of new lows to which people are willing to go. Read on, but this may take a while...
NOTE: It's in this section because I never worked at this hospital, but was rather a witness to the suckyness of countless individuals.
This hospital is a children's hospital, and as such used to have all the old classic video games available for play if you were inpatient (currently staying in a hospital room for at least one night), not to be confused with impatient (lacking patience). These games were originally set up on wooden "carts" which were really more like rolling cabinets. Just some vintage consoles that someone had donated, plus a few games which were stored (along with the system) inside the cabinet. The TV for gaming use was kept on top of the cabinet.
Now, about security. All of the cabinets were assigned a floor and were very rarely moved from that floor except for repairs. The televisions were bolted to the tops of the cabinets and the consoles and games were locked inside when not in use. I know you know where this is going, but bear with me.
After a console or two and countless games had been heisted by patients and their families (think about the implications of this) the consoles began to be bolted down and games were attached to chains (these are still the cartridges from early-to-mid 90's) to prevent theft. By "chains" I am referring to the types of securements that hold bank pens to the desks. After more theft of games and a chain upgrade, the hospital cracked down. Bolting everything to everything and keeping the games in a locked room (which only Child Life Services reps had access to), available only upon request to keep track of who had them last. Thefts dropped dramatically to nearly zero. It seemed as though the hospital had finally won. But...
Enter the most good-karma-eradicating, ill-will-generating heist of all time.
One day, three men drove a repair van into the hospital driveway. While the driver stopped and made small talk with the security guard / traffic cop on duty, the other two went inside. Bypassing the front desk with gestures towards their name badges, they took the elevators up nine floors to where the child of one of them (I assume the driver) was being cared for. The men walked around the floor, posing as visitors, then snagged a video game cabinet with attached TV. To anyone who asked, they flashed their name badges and said they were called to fix the system. They hustled to the elevators and down nine floors, then out through a back exit so as not to walk through the lobby housing several policemen and -women. Loading the set into the back of their van, they tipped their imaginary hats to the traffic officer and drove off.
The hospital was not amused.
Because they had no idea who had stolen the system, all of the remaining systems were removed from the floors and there were no games available for a while. Luckily, a large donation in about 2002 allowed for the purchase of many (then) state-of-the-art gaming systems (think vertical and black) which are bolted TO THE WALLS of every single room.
The lengths that some places will go to keep their customers (or at least those that they are serving) honest is incredible. Especially when the extra service supplied (video game access) is essentially unimportant compared to the main services that patients receive.
In my book, this ranks right up there with stealing from Toys for Tots and the like.
NOTE: To my knowledge, none of the new systems have been stolen because it would be very difficult to blame anyone else if you or your child lives in the room where it is attached to the wall in plain view. Games, however, I am not so sure of.
Some people you just want to
P.S: I apologize profusely and sincerely for the ultralongnessitude of the above message board posted comment. In being brief and concise in my words I tend not to have much flair and so overwrite a large percentage of my sentences by utilizing thoroughly useless "dead wood" words at times when merely a few would do as well as or better a job of communicating my point to the reader. Thank you so very much and again sincerely for understanding my compulsion to write so incredibly much without proper cause.
P.P.S: Sorry it's so long. I'm bad at brevity. (Usually.)
But, to take kiddie toys at a free clinic is just pathetic, and it does show that people will steal anything that's not nailed down.
That's the lowest of low...
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