Tuesday, February 19, 2008

For What?

Today was not one of my better days.
I got a call around ten something announcing that it was "business as usual," and I'd be teaching. But I had just received a beeper announcement that there was no public transportation. So I called the Shiloh office to clarify.
They checked and announced that public transportaion had resumed at ten. There really hadn't been any snow, certainly not enough to stop traffic, but traffic hadn't started...
It was raining, but I had no choice and I got myself ready to go.
By chance I got a ride down the hill to the bus stop, and then a ride to the Beit El Junction.
Then...
Then...
Then... I stood there in the rain. And I stood and I stood and it was cold and wet. Cold and wet outside, but inside I was steaming and boiling and miserable and wondering what I was doing standing out there unprotected, getting colder and wetter and more miserable by the second.
Then the secretary called.




"Where are you?"
"I'm at the T junction waiting."
"Maybe you should go back home."
"There's no way I can go back home from here."
"Just turn around and try to get a ride to Ofra."
"But it's not so easy. I'm standing here in the pouring rain, totally unprotected."

Then the reception went.
Now I was both wet, freezing and boiling mad.

Luckily, a few minutes later a car picked me up and took me to work.
OK, sounds good, but then I realized that even though the staff had returned, few students had. I was in the teachers room trying to dry my skirt and jacket.

The secretary came in:



"This weather looks terrible. Why don't you go home? I think there's a jhs bus to Ofra."

I looked out the window at the pouring rain and didn't see any sign of the buses.



"Are you sure?"
"I think so. Hurry up. Get your jacket on."
I did, and she called the bus service to check. It was long gone. No bus and no buses at all to Ofra or Shiloh.

By then I could have sterilized medical equipment, I was that boiling mad. Every time I looked out the window, I knew that there was no way I was walking to the bus stop. Why couldn't somebody just take me home?

It was time to teach, so I went to the classrom. On the way I saw two students. One said:


"No way I'm going to be the only one at English. I'm leaving."
The other one fled as soon as he saw me. Don't say anything; please. I went into the classroom, turned on the light, took attendence, marking "absent" for everyone--but me. Then I crocheted. "Be prepared." That's my motto. A third student popped in to get his books and was surprised to see me.

"I'm going home," he said.
I was bored so I went back to the teachers room via the office. At that point I had no idea how or when I'd go home. Finally some good news. The secretary said that another teacher, who lives nearby, would be taking me home in an hour.

And Baruch Hashem, thank G-d, we made it home safely.

You may enjoy the story, but I didn't enjoy the day. For what did I do it? What a wasted day.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't it about time you went on strike? What's the good of all those reforms (or not) if they can't get you to work and home again? Back when I was a teacher the moatza used to organize transportation for the teachers. Shouldn't that still be the case?

Anonymous said...

So frustrating. Transportation for the car-less is always difficult.

Batya said...

I used to get transport when the school was richer, but the govt has severely reduced its "contribution" to the budget. Elementary and JHS teachers get transport as a package deal in the "county," but high schools are considered "private."

Next week, I'll have to take off early to go to a wedding, and I'll consider it my payoff/compensation.

Also two weeks ago I never made it to work because of the weather.
http://me-ander.blogspot.com/2008/01/stupendous.html

Leora said...

Sorry to hear about another crummy day. I hope you find a resolution to these problems.

Batya said...

G-d willing, it will all work out.

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Your day sounds awful. Appreciation for those who provide education is never shown enough. I am sure you don't hear "Thank You" enough so for all those whose lives you show up to enrich, Thank You!!


Rebecca

Batya said...

Rebecca, your thanks are truely appreciated.