Unlike our public and/or private school teachers, I reported for duty. Not that I saw any action; Classes were cancelled for the holidays. I started my yearly online computer training—real repetitive stuff, accompanied by sleepy elevator music. Had to remove my headphones after the first hour so as not to yawn.
Not all of it was dull. In my Hostage Awareness Course I’d been warned: The program you are about to complete IS NOT to be discussed with persons other than Michigan Department of Corrections employees. Guess I won’t speak about the Scott Freed incident where Prisoner Zane Sturgill held him hostage with a skillfully made shank. I won’t even tell my wife. I’ll spare her the details.
Instead, I’ll pay tribute to the kind-hearted family who read about my Grandmother in the Fall 2009 Issue of “Faith” (The magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw). This family sent my Grandmother a letter explaining how every year they send a gift of money to someone in need. For Christmas she became the recipient of their generosity.
When I visited her, you could see the joy in her eyes. “Grandma,” I said rather jokingly, “whatever you do, don’t report it as income.”
*Update: I visited both Grandmothers this past weekend. My other Grandmother has been released from the nursing home.
13 comments:
Hostage awareness???
Make friends with Jean Claude Van Damme will yer?...;-)
Happy New Year old bean...
...and a SAFE one too eh?
JR-yay to the Grannies! Aren't you lucky one to still have two alive?!
That is so cute. You are absolutely right.
Good people are out there.
Faith is the key to everything and those who try to manipulate fate have no faith in nothing.
I'm going to have to come back tomorrow and
Read the entire story. I don't have a good computer to see the article full screen tonight.
Ok Jim Don't tell us of the shanked affair but do tell more of Granny.
That's lovely JR. Glad to hear about the grandmothers. There are good people out there!
I'd love to hear more about your granny. I wrote a story partially inspired by my granny. It's on my blog, come by! 'A Christmas Memory' it's called.
All my mom gets are letters begging for money. Wow, that really is amazing.
Quite, yes
You and the dirtman are two of the good people who are out there. Happy New Year.
Whatever you do don't discuss what happens inside the walls with those who can't see in. We wouldn't want to emabarrass anybody. Do not, at any cost discuss the innocent young woman who was placed at risk (allegedly) by people who care only about their own career advancement. Also keep mum the discussion about the keeper of the books who was run out simply because somebody didn't like her. Even though it was that person's responsibility to train the keeper properly, and then wrote her up for not being properly trained. Good luck with your woefully inadequate on line training that people click through as fast as possible becuause it is boring enough to make one want to yawn. Ensure that you don't speak of the middle aged secretaries who steal state property and then flaunt their spoils at little round tables, not realizing that everyone knows that he is a thief, just like the "scum bags" he detests. J.T. you have nothing but my respect, you have earned it, you and M.W. Just keep pushing forward and ignore the blatantly incredulous sharks you are forced to swim with every day. I am not talking about the ones in blue outfits.
Yet another wonderful and moving family story.
Happy New Year to you & yours!
Well said WW!
Good news on both of your Grandmas. That's very nice.
Hostage Awareness Course? Doesn't THAT smack of 1984!
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