What a week here at "The Gods Are Bored!" I'm nearly breathless.
Another round of thank-you-very-much for your generosity to my classroom! I went over to set things up today, and I felt far less anxiety than I would have before the donations rolled in. With one week until school starts, I'm halfway feeling okay about going.
So now, as a change of pace, it's story time!
Story 1: "Why I Want to Like Cops but Just Can't"
by Anne Johnson
My daughter the Heir volunteers on Sunday mornings with a nonprofit group that serves the opiate- addicted population in the Kensington section of Philadelphia. Basically her group sets up a card table, and there's a nurse who does vitals and dresses wounds, and Heir gives out snacks, clothes, blankets, whatever donations they have. Heir's group also picks up discarded needles for disposal and gives out clean needles.
This past Sunday, Heir and her fellow volunteers were seated at their card table. A Philly cop approached them and told them they had to leave. The nurse talked back. She said, "We are just doing a little first aid here." So the cop called for backup.
In just a few minutes, there were nine police officers surrounding the volunteers, and a sergeant bellowing in their faces: "You can't do this! You don't have a permit!"
Know what happened? The citizens pulled out their phones and started recording the encounter. That helped to de-escalate ... but Heir and her companions had to fold up their table and leave. Only they didn't leave, they just walked up and down the street, performing their good deeds.
Y'all know how I feel about unions. Well, the police have a union. They are public sector employees ... like me. But if I screamed in the face of one of my students, especially one who just wants to help sick people ... my butt would be fired and on the curb before you could say, "Racist cops, off our streets!"
Heir was pretty shaken up. But she's going back next Sunday. I worry about her, but I'm proud.
Story 2: "Fly Iggles, Fly"
When the Philadelphia Eagles won their first and only Super Bowl in 2018, my daughter the Fair was a stripling of 23 living smack dab in the center of town. She was part of the happy, drunken throng that spilled into the streets to celebrate the victory. Since then (and before it too), she has bled Eagles green.
On Tuesday, the Fair performed as a production assistant (PA) for a commercial shoot at Eagles practice. The work wasn't glamorous, but she got up close to the entire team, including the quarterbacks and all of the remaining heroes of the Super Bowl. The irony is that all of the other film crew were males, and none of them knew anything about the Eagles!
There'll be more about the Fair next week. A play she wrote and directed will debut at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival. I'm proud of her too.
Proud of the Heir and the Fair. They are my life.
5 comments:
Someone raised them right. I know what you mean about the police. The few exchanges I've had with officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office have been very unpleasant--as if I were a criminal. However, when my car died on the interstate, the state troopers treated me with well. I don't know if troopers are better trained and more professional, or if they saw me as harmless and in need of assistance. If that's the case, then why don't the officers see me the same way? I sent you an email. I have a couple of questions.
Love,
Janie
oy, another black mark on philly cops.
I've gotten so skittish about cops lately; when one came into my employer's office to hand us our business license for the year (out in suburbia), my hands went up in the air. the cop was dumbstruck, then told me he just had our business license. ya can't be too cautious around them these days.
Your daughter in law sound like a lovely person.
Coffee is on
Both your daughters have grown up to be terrific and exceptional young women.
I love you and your family and you all know that..but Philadelphia sucks bites and blows..and that's not counting the eagles..haha..sorry ..I'm so sorry she had to go thru that..tell her she needs to video tape them if it's a repeat next week.and put it on facebook..or where ever she can...
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