I have had the mixed fortune over the years to work with an odd assortment of people. You’d be hard pressed to come up with an oddity that would surprise me. From Tourettes Syndrome to Multiple personality disorder, I have seen it all. I am constantly amazed what passes for functional in our society. Make no mistake, I believe that everyone can and should offer something to society, but I have often questioned the judgment of the powers that be.
A prime example would be the previously mentioned case of Tourettes Syndrome. At one time I worked at a radio station in Newfoundland. We had struck what we thought would be a clever deal with social services. We would provide training and practical skills for those who would normally fall through the cracks and in return they would help fund our little community radio station. How could this possibly go wrong?
Well, this is how… Someone at social services decided to send a radio station someone who had no control over the words that escaped his lips. Either that caseworker had the best sense of humour in the history of mankind, or was a totally evil bastard. They wanted us to train this poor fellow as a “news reader…”
Now you can imagine how this might go horribly wrong. For the record, the thoughts currently connecting in your head as you read this are dead on. (In a sort of 2+2 = 4 kind of way.)
The end result was like some sort of grisly, fucked up traffic accident. You’d be surprised at just exactly how stupid you feel when trying to explain the situation to the CRTC. (It’s well past the point of having a dumb smirk on your face, and much more like realizing that you’ve just set your groin on fire… only 25 percent more painful…) It’s one of those moments, when it would have been much wiser to have just ripped up your broadcasting license on the spot, than sit there try and justify the scenario.
Anyway. For all the havoc that was cause, the poor fellow that was caught in the middle of it all was just a poor schmuck that was dealt a really shitty hand. For as difficult a situation as it was, it really wasn’t his fault. (Not by any stretch…)
He was (and I suppose still is…) a decent human, and seemingly good spirited fellow. I never heard him gripe once about his syndrome or it’s affects ever. Not once in the two years that I knew him.
Currently in my land of many hats, there is a woman who seems to be afflicted by her own sense of misery. From what I know of her, she is a single woman in her early 60’s. She’s rather plain and about as average as it gets, and judging her by appearance, she reminds me of a little white mouse. (In fact I think I’ll refer to her as The Misery Mouse from now on…)
There’s hardly a day that goes by, where she isn’t regaling me with some sordid tale of woe.
From deaths to strange medical emergencies, she somehow manages to run the whole gamut. There’s always some sort of tragedy on the horizon, and it always fills her with dread and sorrow. (To the point where she is unable to function…)
It’s gotten to the point where I find it difficult to talk to her. I find it soul crushing. I am totally unable to understand how anyone can be that hyper sensitive. It strikes me that you would rot to pieces trying to shoulder that much ugly emotion.
Anyway, I find it sad that an otherwise totally healthy person can ride the misery train, and a man with an affliction that severely hampers his social interactions whistles on his way to work.
Ain’t life fucked sometimes?
1 comment:
I have a cousin who in physically and mentally challenged and living with him for a year made me wish everyone could be lucky enough to have that learning experience.
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