I'm bracing myself...
...for what can happen to start this week off with any more insanity than last week. When Saturday night came to a close, I was actually relaxed at the end of one of my toughest days in recent memory. Why I thought that this shit would stop just because I went to bed is beyond me. But I never could have fallen asleep if I had known what Sunday held for me so I guess my ignorance was truly blissfiul.
Yesterday when I slowly opened my eyes and the world began coming into focus, I noticed my roommate sitting on the toilet, naked, with her legs up in the air. For a split second I actually considered going back to sleep when my brain told me that this wasn't at all right. The nurse in me noticed that she had injected herself with insulin the night before but I also saw her take some clonidine so I knew she had high blood pressure. It occured to me that she could either be having a stroke or a low blood sugar reaction. Since I had no IV access or Dextrose, I called 911. That's when I should have gone back to bed.
All hell broke loose. I was trying to keep the horny security guard out of the rooom where my roommate was now lying naked on the floor in front of the fridge with her legs up on the inside of the door. The crackhead across the hall came out to see what all the noise was about and when he did, he and the security guard immediately began yelling at each other. I went into my room and shut the door to wait for 911 to respond. I could hear them but no one ever came up to help. The paramedics wouldn't pass the fracas so they called the police.
When the paramedics finally got into my room, I left and went downstairs to join the crowd that was attending the men in uniform who were acting like a bunch of idiots. I was actually relieved for a minute when they got here but I quickly realized that the crackhead (who was raised by the owner of this place) and the security guard (who is afraid of the crackhead and his influence) had joined forces to redierct the cops in my direction. I was almost a part of the crowd but before I could disappear, one of the cops asked me a question. For some reason (The address of this place?), the Tampa PD decided that they were the ones with the guns and that I was as weak as any of the men. If they wanted to safely harrass anyone, I was a good victim. One jack ass tried to tell me to stop talking to him but he just kept asking me why I was still talking to him. I tried to tell him that he was a cop and was asking me questions, but all he did was keep asking me why I was still talking. So, I decided, out loud, that "I'm not getting arrested over this." and I walked away.
I couldn't walk any further because there was a huge building stopping me from doing so. Just then, another cop walked in, hearing only me say, "I'm not getting arrested over this." He suddenly decided that he must have Ma Barker in front of him so he started in. "Why would you get arrested ma'am?", he asked me over and over again. At that moment I realized that everyone who had been watching this entire incident unfold was laughing at the ridiculous situation as the WITNESS and person who dialed 911 was being harrased by the cops and the crackhead who had pulled a knife on the timid security guard was being left alone.
Being a mature adult, I was able to out-mature the Tampa PD single-handedly and get them to walk away from me. The roommate had only suffered a low blood sugar episode and the paramedics had started an IV and were pushing the D-50 into her blood which certainly needed the sugar. She was coming around and starting to ask why she was on the floor, naked except for the blanket I had covered her with. Slowly, I began to recognize the lady I had chatted with the night before. I was happy that she was OK. I've pushed enough dextrose into people with a blood sugar of 30 to know how quickly it can bring a diabetic back from the edge. So, happy it wasn't a stroke, I started to relax.
That's when I realized that the crackhead and the security guard (called Blind because he is...literally...blind)) had teamed up in an attempt to distract the owner away from the knife incident that had occured ealier. The easiest way to accomplish that was to harrass ME. EVERY SINGLE TIME I passed the crackhead (who wants me bad) and the blind security guard (who likes his easy job) pointed out, loudly, what transgression I was committing at the moment. I tried to abide by all the rules but they changed as the 2 idiots verbally assaulted me every chance they got. They were both prefacing everything they said with, "I'll have you out on the bus stop!" I came here, to this hideous place, to escape the constant threat of homelessness. Now I was being threatened with eviction from a flop-house. I tried to stay in my room and read but eventually, I had to come out to access food or WIFI. I had to come up with a solution before I was "at the bus stop".
I finally remembered my web cam. I hooked it up to my laptop and started carrying it wherever I went. I didn't even have to turn it on. I wasn't dealing with bright people, I was dealing with idiots who thought my camera was taking stills. "Blind!", shouted the crackhead, "She's taking pictures!" I turned the camera on him and narrated, "Here is the creep who won't leave me alone. He doesn't know this is a video camera and he is whining at the security guard to get me to stop." Then I walked over to where Blind was sitting and narrated a bit for him.
I had solved the problem. They both shut up.
Of course, in my ignorant bliss, I didn't think about the fact that they could still talk to OTHER people and ignore me. Eventually, one of the more reasonable security guards came up to me to let me know that, "John has a hotel/motel license and he can kick you out anytime. I've had some complaints that you've been taking pictures of people here."
I had to defend myself. I never would have said a word to anyone after I solved the problem but once they started talking about me, I had to tell the truth. I told Dan what had happened yesterday and since the idiot twins were never silenced by the presence of others, they left a building full of witnesses who could tell people what really happened. And what happened was, I took the camera out in self defense. Others were backing me up so Dan left and reported back to the owner what was agoing on. Thirty minutes later, the owner pulled up and walked inside, past me and I said, "Hello." as he did. He politely responded and kept walking.
Maybe Dan told him what I said..."I come with an audience."
Now, before I go, let me explain a couple of things. Blind, the security guard, gets paid to sit on his fat ass and holler at people. He also constantly gets first crack at anything and everything that people donate to this place, from clothing to food. He has been accused of sexual harrassment, threatening woman with eviction if they refuse to kiss his ass. (I have heard that rumor from far too many people for it to be a lie.) He is so incompetent that he would rather side with the owner's "son" who pulled a knife on him than protect the women who go to him for help. That's NOT a rumor. I went to him for help over and over again yesterday about Crackhead Jimmy but all he did was join in the attack on me. The camera idea was my last resort. I was mad at myself for not thinking of it sooner.
Also, as a white nurse, I have ALWAYS enjoyed the respect of police officers. In Tampa, the men in blue treated me as though I was a cop killer. NEVER IN MY LIFE have I ever been afraid of cops. Tampa has changed that. I think I was the victim of profiling for the first time. Thanks Tampa Police. It takes a LOT to get a law-abiding citizen to fear you but you did it. If I ever call 911 again, I'll ask them to leave the cops at Dunkin Donuts and just send some medical people. Officer Bacon and "Officer C.W. Something" were two of the worst 3 cops I have ever met, and I was born near NYC, grew up in Chicago and lived in LA.
Yesterday when I slowly opened my eyes and the world began coming into focus, I noticed my roommate sitting on the toilet, naked, with her legs up in the air. For a split second I actually considered going back to sleep when my brain told me that this wasn't at all right. The nurse in me noticed that she had injected herself with insulin the night before but I also saw her take some clonidine so I knew she had high blood pressure. It occured to me that she could either be having a stroke or a low blood sugar reaction. Since I had no IV access or Dextrose, I called 911. That's when I should have gone back to bed.
All hell broke loose. I was trying to keep the horny security guard out of the rooom where my roommate was now lying naked on the floor in front of the fridge with her legs up on the inside of the door. The crackhead across the hall came out to see what all the noise was about and when he did, he and the security guard immediately began yelling at each other. I went into my room and shut the door to wait for 911 to respond. I could hear them but no one ever came up to help. The paramedics wouldn't pass the fracas so they called the police.
When the paramedics finally got into my room, I left and went downstairs to join the crowd that was attending the men in uniform who were acting like a bunch of idiots. I was actually relieved for a minute when they got here but I quickly realized that the crackhead (who was raised by the owner of this place) and the security guard (who is afraid of the crackhead and his influence) had joined forces to redierct the cops in my direction. I was almost a part of the crowd but before I could disappear, one of the cops asked me a question. For some reason (The address of this place?), the Tampa PD decided that they were the ones with the guns and that I was as weak as any of the men. If they wanted to safely harrass anyone, I was a good victim. One jack ass tried to tell me to stop talking to him but he just kept asking me why I was still talking to him. I tried to tell him that he was a cop and was asking me questions, but all he did was keep asking me why I was still talking. So, I decided, out loud, that "I'm not getting arrested over this." and I walked away.
I couldn't walk any further because there was a huge building stopping me from doing so. Just then, another cop walked in, hearing only me say, "I'm not getting arrested over this." He suddenly decided that he must have Ma Barker in front of him so he started in. "Why would you get arrested ma'am?", he asked me over and over again. At that moment I realized that everyone who had been watching this entire incident unfold was laughing at the ridiculous situation as the WITNESS and person who dialed 911 was being harrased by the cops and the crackhead who had pulled a knife on the timid security guard was being left alone.
Being a mature adult, I was able to out-mature the Tampa PD single-handedly and get them to walk away from me. The roommate had only suffered a low blood sugar episode and the paramedics had started an IV and were pushing the D-50 into her blood which certainly needed the sugar. She was coming around and starting to ask why she was on the floor, naked except for the blanket I had covered her with. Slowly, I began to recognize the lady I had chatted with the night before. I was happy that she was OK. I've pushed enough dextrose into people with a blood sugar of 30 to know how quickly it can bring a diabetic back from the edge. So, happy it wasn't a stroke, I started to relax.
That's when I realized that the crackhead and the security guard (called Blind because he is...literally...blind)) had teamed up in an attempt to distract the owner away from the knife incident that had occured ealier. The easiest way to accomplish that was to harrass ME. EVERY SINGLE TIME I passed the crackhead (who wants me bad) and the blind security guard (who likes his easy job) pointed out, loudly, what transgression I was committing at the moment. I tried to abide by all the rules but they changed as the 2 idiots verbally assaulted me every chance they got. They were both prefacing everything they said with, "I'll have you out on the bus stop!" I came here, to this hideous place, to escape the constant threat of homelessness. Now I was being threatened with eviction from a flop-house. I tried to stay in my room and read but eventually, I had to come out to access food or WIFI. I had to come up with a solution before I was "at the bus stop".
I finally remembered my web cam. I hooked it up to my laptop and started carrying it wherever I went. I didn't even have to turn it on. I wasn't dealing with bright people, I was dealing with idiots who thought my camera was taking stills. "Blind!", shouted the crackhead, "She's taking pictures!" I turned the camera on him and narrated, "Here is the creep who won't leave me alone. He doesn't know this is a video camera and he is whining at the security guard to get me to stop." Then I walked over to where Blind was sitting and narrated a bit for him.
I had solved the problem. They both shut up.
Of course, in my ignorant bliss, I didn't think about the fact that they could still talk to OTHER people and ignore me. Eventually, one of the more reasonable security guards came up to me to let me know that, "John has a hotel/motel license and he can kick you out anytime. I've had some complaints that you've been taking pictures of people here."
I had to defend myself. I never would have said a word to anyone after I solved the problem but once they started talking about me, I had to tell the truth. I told Dan what had happened yesterday and since the idiot twins were never silenced by the presence of others, they left a building full of witnesses who could tell people what really happened. And what happened was, I took the camera out in self defense. Others were backing me up so Dan left and reported back to the owner what was agoing on. Thirty minutes later, the owner pulled up and walked inside, past me and I said, "Hello." as he did. He politely responded and kept walking.
Maybe Dan told him what I said..."I come with an audience."
Now, before I go, let me explain a couple of things. Blind, the security guard, gets paid to sit on his fat ass and holler at people. He also constantly gets first crack at anything and everything that people donate to this place, from clothing to food. He has been accused of sexual harrassment, threatening woman with eviction if they refuse to kiss his ass. (I have heard that rumor from far too many people for it to be a lie.) He is so incompetent that he would rather side with the owner's "son" who pulled a knife on him than protect the women who go to him for help. That's NOT a rumor. I went to him for help over and over again yesterday about Crackhead Jimmy but all he did was join in the attack on me. The camera idea was my last resort. I was mad at myself for not thinking of it sooner.
Also, as a white nurse, I have ALWAYS enjoyed the respect of police officers. In Tampa, the men in blue treated me as though I was a cop killer. NEVER IN MY LIFE have I ever been afraid of cops. Tampa has changed that. I think I was the victim of profiling for the first time. Thanks Tampa Police. It takes a LOT to get a law-abiding citizen to fear you but you did it. If I ever call 911 again, I'll ask them to leave the cops at Dunkin Donuts and just send some medical people. Officer Bacon and "Officer C.W. Something" were two of the worst 3 cops I have ever met, and I was born near NYC, grew up in Chicago and lived in LA.
posted by Meg Kelso | 6:01 AM
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