Wednesday, January 26, 2005
THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY....1986
May came in with mixed emotions. The weather was beautiful and pleasant but my world was getting out of control. I had my 3-days to work and mom to think about in the hospital. She was having mini-strokes and when we saw her a few days later it was a shock. She looked like she was getting worse instead of better. We were driving back and forth and trying to make decisions that would be best for her. Her doctor thought she should be in our local Nursing Home for a few weeks because he knew she wouldn’t be able to take care of herself…..and since I was working, I wouldn’t be able to give her the help she needed. This was something that was hard for me to accept. My parents were from the generation of horror stories in Nursing Homes and neither wanted to end up there.
When it came time for her to be dismissed I knew it had to be. She was weak and needed constant monitoring. She had moved out of my protective care to a phase we feared would have no return. Warren was working so our pastor brought us home. He had been at the hospital to visit a family whose son was in a horrendous car accident. He and two teen-age friends were out late, driving fast and crashed into a tree. The two boys were killed on impact and Derek lived but faced months of rehab and his life was messed up for several years. He was an only child and almost broke his parents with his indiscretions.
We arrived a little past time for the office to be open at the Nursing Home but they had been informed we were bringing mom in and waited to process her. Warren met us there and took care of the necessary paper work while I followed mom to her room. Mom was tired after the drive back and was anxious to lay down. We came home, knowing she would rest well, and be observed through the night. Bed looked good to us as well for it had been a long week.
The next day I gathered clothing and personal things mom would need for her stay at Willow Care (Nursing Home) and when I arrived she had been to the beauty shop, been bathed and looked rested and relaxed. It was wonderful to see her so after the past few days. She seemed chipper and talkative so I was optimistic. I went back to work the next day because the Supervisor on our crew was retiring and the Court House at Houston (where we would be working) was having a pot luck dinner in his honor. I had worked with Mose over six years and he was unique and original. They say retirements are stressful for the retiree but it is also stressful for the ones left behind with a hole to fill.
One of the younger Examiner’s was promoted to be Supervisor in his place and was well qualified. I had applied for the position he left, never dreaming I would actually get the job. Reason being, there had never been a female Driver Examiner in our Troop. I had been content working as a clerk and since I didn’t expect to be hired I gave it my best shot when I went before the Oral Interview Board. I was questioned about hypothetical situations and common sense situations and finally asked why I wanted the job.
One week later I had a phone call from our Sergeant who asked how I would like to wear a brown uniform. The job was mine. The men were happy because they had worked with me the six plus years and knew what they were getting. Now all that was left was to hire another clerk in my place. That worked in a strange way. For a few months we had a young woman from Nebraska in the position but she and her husband moved back to Nebraska. The job was open once more. Becky was still managing a 7-11 Store in Springfield and was wanting to move back home. In fact, she had been home to visit when all this transpired.
She dropped by our office to tell me goodbye and Pete, my Supervisor for the day, asked why she didn’t apply for the clerks job. Mainly, she didn’t think she was eligible since I was already working with the crews but Pete told her the position was only 3-days a week and she would not be supervised by me. That made it possible. On her way out of town she stopped at Patrol Hdqrs. to inquire about the position and filled out her application. There were 64-other people who had applied before her…..and it was the last day they were accepting applications.
As fate would have it, she got the job. We were both on a long road of service to our State and the two crews we would be working with. Six men who became as brothers over the long haul….and very special friends, indeed. They watched out for us and paved the way through many times of trial. I couldn’t have picked six guys I’d rather spend 17 ½ years with….they were the best……
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
When it came time for her to be dismissed I knew it had to be. She was weak and needed constant monitoring. She had moved out of my protective care to a phase we feared would have no return. Warren was working so our pastor brought us home. He had been at the hospital to visit a family whose son was in a horrendous car accident. He and two teen-age friends were out late, driving fast and crashed into a tree. The two boys were killed on impact and Derek lived but faced months of rehab and his life was messed up for several years. He was an only child and almost broke his parents with his indiscretions.
We arrived a little past time for the office to be open at the Nursing Home but they had been informed we were bringing mom in and waited to process her. Warren met us there and took care of the necessary paper work while I followed mom to her room. Mom was tired after the drive back and was anxious to lay down. We came home, knowing she would rest well, and be observed through the night. Bed looked good to us as well for it had been a long week.
The next day I gathered clothing and personal things mom would need for her stay at Willow Care (Nursing Home) and when I arrived she had been to the beauty shop, been bathed and looked rested and relaxed. It was wonderful to see her so after the past few days. She seemed chipper and talkative so I was optimistic. I went back to work the next day because the Supervisor on our crew was retiring and the Court House at Houston (where we would be working) was having a pot luck dinner in his honor. I had worked with Mose over six years and he was unique and original. They say retirements are stressful for the retiree but it is also stressful for the ones left behind with a hole to fill.
One of the younger Examiner’s was promoted to be Supervisor in his place and was well qualified. I had applied for the position he left, never dreaming I would actually get the job. Reason being, there had never been a female Driver Examiner in our Troop. I had been content working as a clerk and since I didn’t expect to be hired I gave it my best shot when I went before the Oral Interview Board. I was questioned about hypothetical situations and common sense situations and finally asked why I wanted the job.
One week later I had a phone call from our Sergeant who asked how I would like to wear a brown uniform. The job was mine. The men were happy because they had worked with me the six plus years and knew what they were getting. Now all that was left was to hire another clerk in my place. That worked in a strange way. For a few months we had a young woman from Nebraska in the position but she and her husband moved back to Nebraska. The job was open once more. Becky was still managing a 7-11 Store in Springfield and was wanting to move back home. In fact, she had been home to visit when all this transpired.
She dropped by our office to tell me goodbye and Pete, my Supervisor for the day, asked why she didn’t apply for the clerks job. Mainly, she didn’t think she was eligible since I was already working with the crews but Pete told her the position was only 3-days a week and she would not be supervised by me. That made it possible. On her way out of town she stopped at Patrol Hdqrs. to inquire about the position and filled out her application. There were 64-other people who had applied before her…..and it was the last day they were accepting applications.
As fate would have it, she got the job. We were both on a long road of service to our State and the two crews we would be working with. Six men who became as brothers over the long haul….and very special friends, indeed. They watched out for us and paved the way through many times of trial. I couldn’t have picked six guys I’d rather spend 17 ½ years with….they were the best……
Until tomorrow,
Essentially Esther
