I am a person dangit!

[NightWatch]

Another thread reminded me of this one from my last job.

I worked for a security company in the main office as a dispatcher. My job mainly entailed taking calls from alarm companies and sending security guards to check out the house/business to make sure everything was ok. During business hours, however, I doubled as a secretary of sorts for the Admin on the top floor.

We had a woman call in one day looking for the department in charge of recieving payment. This "department" was a single person who handled both sending and recieving all bills from clients. There is no "accounts recievable" or "accounts whatchamacallit", there is only D. Any client who has hired us should know that.
Me: <company name> this is Nightwatch.
SC: Accounts payable!
Me: Uhh....
SC: Accounts recievable!
Me:...
SC:...
Me: I'm a real person, I'd appreciate you treating me like one.
SC:Oh... D, please...

If you think I was in the wrong, The SC was one of our problem clients who didn't like to pay us and tried passing a lot of bad checks. She also treated everyone very nasty when she called. This same conversation was repeated on several occasions between this particular client and me. There never was and never will be a robot to answer the phone at that company! You talk to a real person, or a real person's voicemail at all times.

Today's story:
Woman called me wanting her report number from an incident that happened last year. That's a pretty common occurrence on it's own. But this one had to tell me what happened in the weeks following her report.

See, she got her ass kicked and ended up with a huge concussion. She took a nap though right after it happened and she knew that was bad but she did it anyway and she had this HUGE and I mean absolutely HUGE contusion and over the next month it drained into her face and so her whole face was bruised and black and blue!!!!!

Didn't enjoy reading that run on sentence? How the heck do you think I felt listening to this word vomit being projectiled into my earhole?! *deep,calming breath*
Most people only give me the life story in disgusting detail when they call in the first time. I can handle that because I know they're rattled and really need to vent. But we're creepin up on 6 months ago,lady. Now you're just seeking attention. If you're that friggin lonely, get a cat!

/rant

[PepperElf]

ohhh so that's why they don't let you sleep after some head injuries

now she knows i guess

[NightWatch]

Actually, your not supposed to sleep with head injuries because you might go into a coma and die if no one finds you. The sleepiness people feel after serious injury is their body trying to shut down. That drainage would have probably happened either way.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

That reminds me--when I was in grade school and ran into a tree (Not on a bike or skateboard mind you. I ran. Into the tree. Explains a lot, doesn't it?) I suffered a concussion among other injuries and had to be picked up from school and taken to the emergency room.

Of course it was a really long wait to see somebody and I wanted to fall asleep, but my mom wouldn't let me (She has a nursing background). That was likely a good thing.

[SailorMan]

I had a concussion once. I was on a bicycle, and some guy ran a red light and hit me in the middle of the intersection. I don't remember the actual collision: I remember having the sudden realization that I was going to be hit, and then the next thing I remember is lying on the sidewalk, looking up at concerned people staring down at me, as if through a fog.

I understand that I busted-out the guy's windshield. He ran at first, but since he was a Navy sailor who lived on a base, I guess he realized that 'no-windshield' plus 'hit-and-run victim' would equal instant suspicion when he tried to get through the gate. He came back to the scene after the ambulance took me away, about a half hour later. He'd been drinking, and had an underage girl in the car (well, he was only about 19, himself). The cop who took the report told me that he didn't give the guy a ticket "because he didn't want to get a young Navy kid in trouble with his Command."

I was fine the first day, or maybe two, until the old gray matter began swelling (that's the 'concussion' part). I think that I now know how people who have reduced mental capacities experience the world: during this period, I couldn't quite grasp the complexities of anything but the most basic of sentences. "You go now" repeated maybe two or three times would begin to make sense to me, vice "Okay, I guess that's all I need from you right now." I remember watching TV, and not being able to understand what was going on. I couldn't piece together any part of the plot, or comprehend what the actors were saying or doing.

I guess I should've tried to get more medical help, but I was due to be transferred to a new duty station (a swap I'd worked very hard to accomplish), and I was afraid that if I did, the transfer would be cancelled. So, I tried to pretend very hard that all was normal with me. My immediate co-workers knew what was going on, and thought it was a great game. I remember them coming up to me, telling me random things, and smirking as I nodded my head and tried to give them (unsuccessfully) something more than caveman language. Hopefully, they developed more compassion as they got older.

About 10 days later, as I recall, I was back to normal.

[PepperElf]

The cop who took the report told me that he didn't give the guy a ticket "because he didn't want to get a young Navy kid in trouble with his Command."

You know I've seen commands that will do whatever they can to get someone in trouble. (cough*japan*cough) "Well the Japanese police didn't arrest you, CFAY didn't arrest you, so we have to find something to punish you for!"

But ...ignoring a dui hit and run just because the guy's command will be hard on him?

I'm trying not to swear so... FORGET THAT.

That sailor NEEDS to learn - even if it hurts - that you have to be bloody responsible when you get behind the wheel of a car.

What are they waiting for? What... does he have to kill someone for them to take notice?

besides... it's not like he had no other options. 1) Call a cab, 2) Call a supervisor... yes there's a chance the supervisor might write him up for underage drinking, but they'll also think, "at least he's not driving!"

But he chose neither one. He chose to get behind the wheel. You paid for his decision.

/rant off (sorry for the length)

so head injuries... oy. ouchie

[SailorMan]

Yeah, PepperElf, this happened in what was definately a pro-Navy town. If I hadn't been so out of it (pain meds at the hospital), I would've definately asked the cop "What the hell?" When he told me that, it was in the tone of voice and look that means: 'You know what I'm talking about,' as if he'd expected me to agree with his decision.

[Nurian]

My CO was one of those guys who believed in retribution. You screwed up, you paid. If he found out that I (or anyone in his command) had a DUI and hit and run and got off, he would have made damn sure I was cleaning the floors with less than a toothbrush...along with the Article 15. But then again, we were an HHC and National Guard unit to boot.

[bainsidhe]

get a cat!

Yeah, cats are nice

[crashhelmet]

My friends make me wear a helmet when I drink because of repeated concussions. I figure one more and I can play Quarterback for the Cowboys or 49ers.

CH