You Gotta Love Mondays

Gun in the mouth

I work as a phone operator. I take calls from people with disabilities who need assistance, services or direction regarding disabilities. I think I do this job pretty well and I have been doing this job, one way or the other, this state for over twenty years. I know things, and I know where things are at or in many cases where those things might not be act and sometimes that is important as where the things are at.

Today is Monday and on Mondays I do return calls and this can be time consuming so I was in the middle of returning calls when I got a call from someone who is on Kidney dialysis, someone who is older and someone who is getting more and more frustrated everyday he tries to find help in a system which is mean, unforgiving and cheap. He owns a mortgage with his wife and has just been making ends meet but that is no longer possible and he sees his options running out. He has been hoping his social security will ‘kick in’ but today was denied again and the person at Social Security advised that he call me—which he did. The guy needs money, short d simple, and there are no programs in our country, I know of which is going to help him out. I truly wish there were un less he can hook up with a church or rich uncle or game show which can infuse thousands of dollars into his bank account. It’s not out there.

We talked a long time on the phone. I gave him weak and embarrassing options in hopes something might spring up that either he or I had somehow over looked, nothing did and I doubt anything will. This gentleman’s wife is still working brining in some income but not nearly enough as the regular costs: mortgage, food, heat, gas is being over taken by all of the other costs especially the dialysis begins to reveal itself and somewhere something will have to give. Maybe just maybe social will come through but the gentleman was speaking with SS agent this morning who informed him that there will be no action on his case at least April, and the gentleman says, if that is the case the it will be too late—he says he will loose his house, which he equates with his life. He asked me to do some checking—which I will but I already know the answer. I this and he the calmly and matter-of-factly informed me the only option he could think of was putting the barrel of his in his mouth and pulling the trigger. I have heard this before and still freaks me out to some degree but I think I am becoming callous because I have gone on with my day following the conversation. I see his point, he is not crazy he is just being practical what else can he do? I felt sad as I disconnected the call but not for long because soon the phone rang and I had a new caller and a new problem…You gotta love Mondays.