Re-Miss

A couple old posts got lost in the Shaw-ffle when I changed my blog around. My apologies to Rachell787 and meggieD-for your weird names-what were your parents thinking!

Firstly, meggieD wanted some stories about Woods Surround Us, the group home for teenagers where I work. I shared 2, one about a kid, the other involving an animal and fire.

1) Geroni-NNNNOOO!!!
BJ was the reckless type. He made his own bike ramp by resting a 2-by-4 on a flat basketball. He surf-sled into chain link fences. He dove off quarry ledges into waterholes of dubious depth-you get the picture!
Well, BJ played one too many games of 'Me Tarzan, You Jane' with Crystal, another staff. Jumping from tree to tree one sticky August night 2 years back, BJ landed on a dead branch that fell out from under, crashing him 40 feet straight down on his wrists! Ouch!
Several years and painful surgeries later, poor BJ still can't reach up any higher than his shoulders. So when he tries to dance The YMCA at a wedding or barbecue, he looks like an old security guard on the receiving end of a bank hold-up-"Here, take my wallet. Just please don't hurt me. I have grandchildren!"

2) Animal and fire.
The aforementioned Crystal has been a good chum for years. She used to work awake overnights with me, except she handled the girls. Something happened about a year ago. I remember the leaves were changing. Crystal started acting kinda funny.
Crystal always loved animals, said she 'identified with them'. Something about them being sweet, funny and furry. ( Crystal had a slight mustache problem. The Woods Surround Us staff skipped our Christmas party one year and put all of the catering money toward some electrolysis, which instead of helping actually seemed to worsen the situation somehow. More hair started showing up in Crystal's nostrils and on her earlobes, although maybe there was no connection. )
So anyway-at my work's last 4th of July party, it became Crystal-clear to me that my old comrade-in-arms required a little R & R...
Every year Woods Surround Us hosts a big summer shindig for the residents and their families, staff, neighbors, pretty much anyone. It's an all day affair. Last year at 3:00pm ( I remember the time because that's when General Hospital is on ABC, even though I don't watch it anymore. )-I was going into the kitchen for more potato salad, donated and done up just right by my wife Sandy.
Crystal was crouched under the sink, changing the garbage, I figured. But who was she talking to?...
"Chester, you CAN'T come in here! We DISCUSSED this. I'll save you some chips and salsa, but the chicken is undercooked. Give it back to me this instant! You KNOW the dangers of salmonella. Think of the little ones!"
I would like to say that Chester was speaking to a Woods Surround Us resident. Or a person. No such luck-Crystal was actually arguing with a wayward field mouse stuck under the sink, his little tail wrapped around a pipe.
Thinking fast, I asked Crystal if she could please bring a small bowl of fruit salad outside to Julio's grandmother, and I would free Chester. Against her better judgment, Crystal agreed.
I got Chester out of there and called up another coworker, Vance, at home. We took it upon ourselves to monitor the Crystal situation.
Which leads me to the fire story. Two weeks after the 4th of July party, Crystal was working her usual Tuesday overnight. Hungry for a snack, she tried to nuke some Ramen noodles in the microwave and punched in her 7-digit cell phone number instead of the very clearly labeled 3 minute required cooking time. The resulting minor explosion set off the fire alarm, of course, and when the truck and ambulance came, Crystal wasn't wearing any pants, and she kept blaming her mistake on the CIA.
...Suffice it to say, my friend is taking a well-needed break from the stresses of residential treatment. After she becomes stabilized with a combination of therapy and medications, I look forward with great anticipation to welcoming Crystal back to the fold!