Day 44: A new assignment

Between You, Me and the Lamp Post

Day 44: A new assignment

They say that all beginnings are difficult and I can attest to that. Take yesterday for instance …

I started a new temp assignment and was sent to 2266 Raspberry Street (not a real address). I looked up the address on Google to find out how to get there and felt confident that all would go well. It didn’t.

For starters, I missed my bus stop. Even though I knew where I was going, I didn’t know exactly where to get off the bus. When it reached Sheppard Avenue though, I knew I’d gone too far and had to backtrack.

After getting off at the right stop, I had to find Raspberry Street, which was easy enough and so was locating number 2266. 

The trouble started when I tried to get into the building. The doors had a security lock and one needed a passcode to get in. Hm, now what? There was no phone to call anyone and there was nobody around.

That’s when I spied two gardeners at work. I tried to persuade one of them to let me into the building, but I was met with ‘Sorry, no English’. Well, I didn’t speak Spanish, so now what? Eventually the gardener’s supervisor showed up, he did speak English and let me into the building.

From there on everything went smooth. I was shown to my work spot, explained what to do and even though it was all new to me I was confident that I could handle it. As a temp one has to be adaptable.

Around 10:00 a.m. I felt like a coffee, but … there was no coffee available. Neither was there tea, juice or even water. My goodness, talk of a problem! So I made my way to the nearest gas station where that boasted ‘Coffee on the go’. Perfect. The coffee wasn’t all that great, but it was better than nothing.

This is why I prefer working in downtown Toronto rather than in the suburbs. Downtown has everything: coffee shops, eateries, and a variety of stores. It has happened that I forgot my comb or lipstick. It may not seem like an emergency to you, but it is to me. If I can't comb my hair I look like Medusa and if I can't touch up my lipstick I look like death warmed up. It's also nice to be able to pick up a lunch, a snack, or anything else one might need.

Anyway, I battled my way through the day, doing this, that and the other, and made it to 4:00 p.m., home time. When I exited the building, I noticed it was pouring rain. A deluge you might say. Now what? I had to make it to the bus stop, but I couldn’t possibly leave the building under these conditions. I had to wait it out until the rain eased up a bit.

When I saw the bus coming, I knew, it’s now or never. Rain or no rain, I had to catch this bus because who knew when there would be another one. Ready, set, go … I sprinted across the tarmac to the bus stop and made it with seconds to spare.

I wasn’t the only one who got caught in the rain, people were dripping everywhere. One or two had brought an umbrella, which I should have done too, but who thinks of taking along an umbrella when the forecast is sunny with 20% chance of rain? Cold and wet I took a seat and shivered all the way home.

Today, things went a lot better. I got off the bus at the right stop, been given a fob I managed to get into the building, and to be on the safe side I brought a jacket and an umbrella. And what’d you think, it’s warm, it’s sunny, with not a cloud in sight.

Is it really that simple

Voltaire once said, “I have chosen to be happy because it’s good for my health.” I wonder for how long he managed to keep up that resolution. Were things different in his lifetime? If Voltaire had lived today rather than in the 1700s would he perhaps also occasionally have lost his cool?

I think it’s strange, to begin with, choosing to be happy. Is there anyone who chooses to be unhappy? I imagine that most people get out of bed in the morning resolving to look, feel and do their best.

But no sooner does the day get started and life starts throwing stones at this resolve. There’s no hot water in the shower, a button is missing from a favorite shirt, the milk has gone sour … your good mood is being undermined and you haven’t even left the house.

On the road, there are more experiences to brush you up the wrong way: the highway is a parking lot, cars don’t indicate to turn left or right, or indicate for an ‘eventual turn’, or a car slides into your parking spot.

As the day progresses you get served more aggravation, from superiors, colleagues, and machinery. How are you doing with that “I have chosen to be happy because it’s good for my health” resolution?

I don’t have a car, so I don’t have to deal with highways and parking spaces, as a TTC (Toronto Transit Commission) user, I take the train, bus or streetcar. Not that that is without aggravation.

For instance …

Yesterday I was waiting in the Lawrence East station when I saw a youngster come out of the parole office across the street, walk up to the station and swan through the revolving barrier without paying.

This is the second time I’ve seen this happening. The first time an ex-inmate walked up to the ticket office and said that he’d come to see his parole officer but didn’t have any money for the train for the return journey. The TTC staff member asked him how he’d got to the parole office in the first place. “The same way,” he said. “They just let me through.” The staff member waved that he could proceed, without paying.

While that guy at least had the decency to ask if he could go through, the youngster I saw yesterday afternoon had no such manners. Without the slightest hesitation, he just walked in, indicating that this wasn’t the first time he was allowed on the train without paying.

Now that ticks me off. On average two million people take the TTC each day. The majority uses this form of transportation to get to and from work, but there are others who use the train for different reasons. Some are on their way to an interview, others have to go see a doctor, dentist or other medical professional. Others still have appointments at a hospital for life-saving treatment. All of these people, whether they are young or old, rich or poor, employed or unemployed, have to pay. But ex-inmates do not?!

If I was the kind of person to make resolutions, my “I have chosen to be happy because it’s good for my health” decision would go right out the window. I do not choose to be unhappy, nobody does, but life with all its complications and injustices just makes my blood boil.

What was that Mr. Voltaire …

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The perils of public transportation

Don’t let me ever hear someone complaining about the price of gas. Whether the price is $1, $2 or even $3 a liter, be glad to pay it because it means you have a car.

Personally I don’t have a car and have to rely on public transportation to take me wherever I want to go.

Usually, this is not a problem. To go downtown I take the subway and I quite enjoy the ride. It gives me plenty of time to read without any interruptions.

Yesterday, however, I didn’t enjoy taking public transportation at all. I would even go as far as to say it was and experience straight from hell.

Continue reading at: http://connymanero.weebly.com/blog

TTC driver in possession of drugs

In Canada you can do just about anything you like, as long as you don’t smoke regular cigarettes.

If you’re a smoker, prepared to be hated, but if you’re an alcoholic or a drug user, that’s okay, you can even bring your booze and drugs to work.

You have the full backing of the Ontario government and union.  Three years ago random alcohol and drug testing for TTC drivers was suggested, but the politicians vetoed this request. 

Earlier this week a TTC bus driver hit a crane, leaving one woman dead and 18 people injured.  When police examined the scene of the accident, they found drugs in the driver’s bag.

When last have you heard that it’s allowed to bring drugs to work?  It would be bad enough for office or factory workers to pack a lunch, a drink and some marijuana on the side, but bus drivers!  It’s an accident waiting for a place to happen, and it did.

For more details, please visit: http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/02/ttc-reviews-its-impaired-testing-policy