It's Just A Jump To The Left....

When I left last night I was assigned to the 30 house bubble today. I wasn't looking forward to that at all. It's even more boring than working a regular house. It's not a very important job. Mostly you are just there to make announcements. Chow time. Yards open. Count. Blah blah blah.

But it was inside in the air conditioning (if it was working, anyway) and with the other crap I have going on in my mind right now I figured boring might be okay. Probably be good for me.

Well, when I got in today all hell was breaking loose. Not with the inmates, tho. With the staff. A whole bunch of 3rd shift called out and they were keeping seven people over from days and Lt Gerber was frantically shifting people around trying to cover all of the spots.

He tells me "You're going on an outcount to the hospital."

Great. I haven't done an outcount in forever. Well (duh) six years. I don't remember what to do. But I knew that sometimes you don't get good relief on outcount so I went out to my truck and got my cell phone. I figured if I was going to be late I'd phone home and leave a message so the wife wouldn't worry.

When I get back up front, KP is walking up. Lt Gerber calls him inside and when KP comes out he says "If you don't want to go to the hospital I'll go instead."

I could kiss him. Except for that cheesy mustache, anyway. It looks bristly. Ack.

By the way, thanks KP! You are still my hero.

So I go trudging back out to the parking lot and drop my cell phone back in the truck.

When I come back Lt Gerber says "I'll just put you back where you were going." Then he pauses and asks "Where were you going, anyway?"

I say "30 house bubble." He shakes his head. "Oh hell no. I'm not sending you there. You're going to B yard!"

So after all of that, instead of being on my post early, I show up right at shift change for my third assignment of the night.

Luckily Sgt Miz P was working the yard with us. I rode around on the cart for awhile with her and talked out some of the crap in my head. She's a good listener.

It didn't really solve any of my problems, but it did make me feel better.

So despite the goat rope in the beginning and even though we got rained on twice I had a pretty good night. Spent half the night with Sgt Miz P and the other half with St. Francis. He's a good cat to have at your side if you're feeling blue.


Maybe I can sleep tonight. That would be nice.