Day of rage Friday Jan 26th
Going to bed with sore throat from screaming at the dogs who ran off up the road into the dark. Absolute disaster. OFT, neighbours and local farmer Giles have warned this must NOT happen again- it being lambing season and all. But it did. Shotguns have been threatened and OFT has mentioned the most horrible of words if they cannot be controlled..th2st is “rehoming”. Later recovered the beasts but most terrible, screeching anxiety and driving round countryside in pitch dark for 45 mins, mud splashing up sides of car on farm tracks, blowing gundog whistle out of car window and calling out into black night. Larynx had a real workout for sure.
Day began with catty session in cafe where I do Voluntary work.
Nasty, non-Volunteer who has been apparently alienating other Volunteers with her condescension, abruptness and downright rudeness had a go at me today and – boy oh boy – I went for it. Thought “I’m not having that …someone speaking to me like that in front of others at my age …and let fly.
She gaped at me, appalled.
“Oh my God! ” she said twice in rapid succession, physically starting back in shock – as if being struck, her face said it all . “Someone has actually dared to confront me and is answering me back but how can this be? I am ‘She who must be obeyed’
It was a catfight in the staff kitchen the likes of which I have not had in many a year.
At one point I said to her, “As you will learn …I do give as good as I get”
That’s it I thought, knowing she is in cahoots with the catering Manager who recruits volunteers. BANG goes my nice Voluntary gig. And I was so enjoying it. Quite apart from feel good factor of being of some use I have learned to make a mean Latte and am a dab hand with the sausage-roll heat testing probe. Catering Manager then came up obviously irritated at being dragged away from her computer screen and said I had to “step out”. We went into the “Quiet reflection” room. Flowers, box of tissues, mood music, comfy chairs, scented candles and a sign outside pronouncing it an area “For you To pause and reflect ”
As I sat down at the invitation of my Boss who began with, “Well obviously there has been an incident” and, “Things have been said downstairs.”
Couldn’t help thinking that some unfortunate bereaved or soon- to- be- bereaved relative might be hovering outside hoping to come and ‘pause and reflect’, only to hear self and boss woman saying through the ajar door “And she said this and I said that so then she said and I said….” in a rat-a-tat style… “…..And she accused me of throwing tea bags into the wrong sink and not washing my hands quickly enough after I blew my nose”
Luckily Manager seemed supportive and expressed concerns over bossy woman’s ability to put off Volunteers. She thanked me for being frank and for giving up my time to help. She reminded me the organisation had 1, 000 Volunteers and that if that amount of people had to be paid min. wage the Project would founder.
On way at home was approaching the roundabout at Plymstock /A379 when a “Private Ambulance” driver held up a hand stopping me very definitely . I was stuck plum in the middle of roundabout. Just me. A smart young Lady in black with shortish shirt, close fitting jacket and top hat and veil streaming out behind, stepped out onto the roundabout and walked solemnly taking extended, deliberate steps weilding a long, black cane. The hearse followed. The pub on the corner had many people, mostly youngish and all in black stepping out onto pavement to watch. It was a beautiful day. The rolling top of Dartmoor just visible in distance above the city rooftops. As the hearse went by and I saw the coffin within, tears sprang to my eyes and trickled down my cheeks. Not sure why. A couple of other cars containing mourners passed and then with a wave of a hand from Private Ambulance man, I was released from my mid roundabout position..
On way to and from work listened to horrifying radio 4 serials about a future NHS a world without free antibiotics. Aghast. A place where people had to pay for them £15 – 20,000 or face amputation of infected limbs as a much cheaper option. Shudder.
The River Files 