Duty

We all have our duty. Sometimes we shirk, sometimes we excel. Duty can take many forms- it is our duty as humans to care for each other, because we have that ability. I tell my kids that having a ability gives you a responsibility to use it well. We are kind to each other, treat each other with dignity and respect, not because someone is watching (like God or Santa Claus) but because of the merit in Doing Right because it is Right. We have a duty to keep our word. Say what you mean and mean what you say and all that. Keep your promises. Now, is it me, or does it seem like people aren't keeping their promises anymore?



I struggle these days keeping my hope for the future alive. I've becomes jaded. If people tell me something I often wonder if they are being truthful. I especially don't believe any of the talking heads I see on the boob tube (which is one reason why I don't watch the news).



In the dark of the night, I wonder what's wrong with me... have I lost some important piece of me- the ability to believe in people? And when, oh when, did I lose the ability to believe in myself?

//end whine



We have duty stations where I work. For 9 weeks we stand in a certain area of the compound and make sure there is no he-ing and she-ing or fights, our presence is mostly preventative in nature. If you are lucky enough, you have something to lean on and can grade papers... I was not so lucky this time. We have 1500 kids at my school and a community area that used to have grass. In the morning, the kids mill around there like sheep (that's where they learn to be sheeple I guess) while we act like those cute dogs and bark at them every now and again. There are usually a lot of kids there i nthe morning- several hundred. There are 5 teachers assigned to the area, supposedly spread out to the 4 quarters to watch them. Usually it was just 2 of us.

Now I ask you, what do you think 2 teachers can accomplish if something starts to go wrong in that area? Which it can- in a flash. And somehow whenever trouble is brewing, there is some secret teenage communications network that we can't tap into into, because suddenly, instead of three hundred kids, you have six hundred. And in this day of Jerry Springer Reactionary-ism, you can guess what a total fuck up a fight can turn into.

Anyway, yesterday was my last day there, and about 10 minutes before duty was over 2 of the teachers who almost never show up finally did, a minute or so apart. The first is a coach, very even keeled, pretty laid back. So I say, "Nice of you to show up for the last day." I've been giving him shit about it for weeks and he just laughs it off, taking the ribbing good-naturedly. The second lady shows up and I repeat my witty line, "Nice of you to show up."

Now, folks, I was kidding. Really. Not being bitchy or anything.

And then she gives me the classic "Fuck Off and Die" look, smiles and walks off.



Which of course, made the whole thing hysterical and got me laughing pretty hard.

Heh, joke her if she can't take a fuck.