Day Forty-Three: 10/31/2022
Happy Halloween! It was a joy to see all of the students and some faculty dress up for the day. I actively thought about a costume idea, except, I was too sad to try and pull together a cohesive look. The only task I was able to perform was getting myself dressed and to work on time. I regret not trying, but I’m only around the kiddos for a few hours. So, putting myself into something that wouldn’t be comfortable or cumbersome for the work day wasn’t a viable option. Also, I’d hate to add to the mess.
'Cause boy did these miniature humans make a mess of their own. I was literally cleaning up feathers and glitter all day, and oh so many candy wrappers. It’s totally fine, because I hope they all enjoyed this day. Halloween should be a joy for all ages, all demographics, and affiliations. It’s the day to celebrate the veil between the living and the dead to be the most frail. It’s the day and night to express oneself.
Day Forty-Four: 11/1/2022
It’s startling when the theater kids are doing scenes, these talented ones take every rehearsal seriously. I was working in the office and I became extremely worried when I heard shouting from the hallway. It sounded like someone was very irate and they were having some sort of meltdown. I was scared that maybe something bad was happening. I was relieved to find that it was just a very intense scene between two teenagers. Whew!
Perhaps, it’s the sugar high from the day before, or maybe some curse was performed because these kids are monsters today! The floors were literally covered with the discarded wrappers from those that were too jacked up on sugar to throw them away properly. Many, many, and oh so many wrappers in the hallway and classrooms.
It doesn’t help that we are short staffed. Unlike teachers, we don't have substitutes. Though, technically the district has a contract with a temp agency. I really don't understand why we don't have temps to come in to help out when we are short staffed.
What it means is that those that do show up to work have to fulfill additional responsibilities. I'm necessarily complaining, but I'm frustrated that I'm not completing all my tasks. The school is too big and certain tasks take a while. Also, it didn't help that I was super depressed, so every so often I needed to take a moment and cry. Sometimes, it took minutes to compose myself.
Day Forty-Five: 11/2/2022
Of course we are short staffed again. There is a reason that I need to stop caring when I call out, because it happens to everyone. I don’t necessarily have a problem with the extra work, I just have a problem with the fact that we aren’t able to get everything done in the allotted time. There isn’t enough hours to finish everything along with doing work of two other workers. So, things don’t get done. You know why, because the school district can’t afford for us workers to sue because of onsite injury. So, we must take our time. Well, I thought that was the worst part of my day.
Oh, how I was WRONG!!!
When I initially got to work, the temperamental toilet for 8th grade boys was fine. I would even say it looked clean. I don’t even understand what might have occurred by the time I started to clean the restrooms at the end of the night. Something died inside the bowl. An alternate realm opened up in the depths of the water and pipes.
It was horrendous. Odious to deal with. I tried the plunger and then a pipe snaking tool. Something of monstrous proportions was absolutely blocking the contents of the most foul. I have a lifetime experience of dealing with all sorts of animal’s waste. Their horrible discardation is etched into my psyche, however, it doesn’t compare to the stench that flew into my nostrils today. I almost vomited.
The worst part is even though I worked on it for almost an hour, nothing happened. All the effort couldn’t release the hatred lying dormant inside the porcelain. There’s something evil there and I didn’t have the resources to perform a proper exorcism. I’ll need to shower and scrub my skin thoroughly to prevent any malice to corrupt my already delicate soul.
Day Forty-Six: 11/3/2022
A T-Shirt! An actual SHIRT!!! I still couldn’t believe that some immature delinquent took their time to shove an actual shirt into the toilet bowl and continued to push the garment into the pipes. Then, someone came in an took a very horrible dump into the severely clogged toilet. This news made me so irate. So annoyed with these students that I had to make a formal complaint with the principal. I'm such a nark!
I told our school’s leader that I was at my wit’s end. I’ve been feeling very disrespected and underappreciated by the extreme messes that have been left around my area. The kids have been taking advantage of the teachers and showing major dishonor towards an institution that they don’t deserve. I’d like to show them what it could’ve been like. Perhaps, that's just my jealousy showing. Have I turned green yet?
If I haven't turned into some green monster, I can guarantee that some of the kids have. I believe that someone performed a curse. A serious curse, or spell that needs serious attention. There are days and weeks where the teens and pre-teens act more like five year olds and/or animals, except at the end of the day they become human again. This week, I don't recognize the horror that has been manifested. There are too many monsters and curses for me to handle. I need the whole school to be on alert. Pay attention! Fight your battle with passion and love!
Day Forty-Seven: 11/4/2022
All alone, completely alone. I was the sole custodial worker inside the building while there were two large events; a theater performance and the middle school dance recital. It was extremely daunting. The Facility Manager and Crew Lead were on vacation. Another coworker had to cover at a different school. While the other coworker called out sick. The school was such a mess and I could only do so much.
It took me HOURS to collect all of the trash throughout the building, and I don't understand why the bins in the basement are always so gross and wet. Ugh! I was even caught making a sour face to the substances flopped into my bin. Along with the two events I collected over nine barrels of trash by myself. I haven't had to discard so much waste since the end of last school year. All by myself. I don't wanna be all by myself. Sorry, I've become delusional, because I hated leaving a mess behind. There was a room that I couldn't carpet, even though there was such a mess. It looks like a shedding machine threw up. My obsessive compulsive disorder was greatly triggered by this evening. I hated it!
If I would have had maybe two to three more hours I could've at least make the building acceptable. Though, I think I made a mistake. My Saturday coworker was going to manage the upstairs, so I might have wasted hours of work to dump all the trash and sweep the hallway. I don't know, I shouldn't have been completely alone, but the entire district is short staffed. Should they just pay more? I don't have a solution, because after this week. I DO NOT recommend this job to anyone.
Although, I'm at least grateful for the adults. The 8th grade teachers assured me that their students were scolded for their bad/messy behavior. I hope this next week will be much less frustrating.
Comments