More Than a Quick Fix

Today was the dreaded wheelchair fix-it day. This happens yearly (sometimes more than once if the elements are cruel). It's usually dreaded because they show up at the last minute; and when they do, you just know they want to be anywhere but on the job.

Today was different. The man made the necessary fixes, but also told me what/when he was fixing things. He even made conversation, and juggled a rambunctious kitten jumping in his tool bag.

In spite of the latter being funny to watch, the conversation was a nice surprise. He asked me about my life; where I'd been, what I'd been through, and where I wanted to go. I brought up my interest in journalism, and replacing the "biggest booty of 2014" stories with more substantial information.

He agreed with the importance of substance, and then added that a lot of people probably swallowed celebrity happenings, to escape reality.

We then got on the subject of healthcare, and I started by saying the company that I got help from was moving forward by hiring men. He said that he had worked in the system for years, and was always  trying to prove himself. I confided that most of the men that I had I liked, but I could tell when they weren't in it for the right reasons. When I raise concern about anything at all, I'm not really acknowledged.

In his own job, he said he found a similar issue. He would suggest changes to serve and help us in the best possible way, but he wouldn't be heard if it didn't  fit with the profit margin. It was really interesting how our different perspectives lined up today. One thing is for sure, no matter what you are trying to fix, the solution is not always a quick one.

Karli