No Newcomer

Our quiet Friday morning was interrupted when WD, aka 'Walking Disaster' reported to our room for the first time. "Attention everyone, we have a new room member. This is WD." We looked up from our papers momentarily when Miss WD blurted out, "Okay, where am I going to sit?" Before anyone could answer, she added, "I know the drill. This is not my first day you know," She scanned the room. "Well, I guess no one's offering, so if you all just want to ignore me, then that's fine." She dropped her coat and bag on an empty seat by the door. We all looked around and then rolled our eyes at each other. Essie offered Miss WD a seat next to her at the head of her table. Miss WD looked at the seat, paused and turned back to the group, ignoring Essie's offer. "It's ok. If nobody's going to move, I'll just sit on the floor. That corner looks empty. Is that okay with you? Would it bother any of you if I just sat on the floor in the corner?" "You can sit here," said Mr. M, generously offering his own seat, next to 3 Seater's chair. "No, she is not going to sit here." 3 Seater warned. "Sit down, sit down, please. I will sit on the other side," Mr. M insisted. WD accepted and sat herself down, legs crossed and arms folded." "Thank you, Is this this an incohesive group or what? You know, we're all in this together," she rambled to herself. "Oh, is that coffee for everyone or do I have to ask someone's permission to drink it? I'll have to bring in my mug. I am going on my third year reassigned. This is my third room. You'd think that you would have a procedure to welcome newcomers." I tried to ignore her but I had to cover my face to muffle the laughter. WD couldn't sit still for a minute. She walked around the room, looking here, there and under all of the tables. "I really need a seat against the wall and a desk for my laptop, near an outlet and room to plug in my phone," Miss So demanded out loud. "I don't have my laptop today but I bring it about once a week, you know, to get my stuff in order." At that point, I noticed WD eyeing my surge protector.
She then disappeared into the hallway and we sighed with relief. Her incessant talking was giving us all a headache. Cane had both of his ears covered with his hands. "Wow, what was that?" asked Sketcher. "I don't know but I think she should go back to wherever she came from," responded Marley. "Yeah, but they probably kicked her out of the other place." Sketcher shook his head and put his earphones on. "I'm going to sleep."
We could all hear WD in the hallway, rambling on to herself. "This group needs to be more cohesive. We're all on the same side you know. Them, against us."
Elsie addressed her as soon as she stepped back in the room. "You may have forgotten, but you were offered a seat when you came in. Why didn't you just sit down? You put your coat on an empty seat. Isn't that an available seat over there where you put your coat?" Elsie's volume accelerated along with her annoyance.
Now angry at Mr. M for giving WD the seat next to her, 3 seater began to roar at WD.
"And, I am letting you know now, you are not staying at this table. This is a quiet table. Go sit back over there", 3 Seater pointed across the room. "Tell me something, why do you have to displace someone just to have a seat? That is his seat and you should respect that. "Well, noone was showing me where to sit," she responded with a whine. "And who are you!? You should know the deal. You've been around enough! We don't have to accommodate you. You need to fit in with us." 3 Seater stated her piece, but it wasn't over there. It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the action. Trap stood up and had a few authoritative things to say to WD. "Ok, it's my turn to tell you what the deal is. First of all, you had no right to take to this man's seat. He offered it to you out of kindness, but there were empty seats available to you. You came in here with an attitude and some expectations and now you need to get those out of your head. We are going to start this whole thing over. You will get up, give this man back his seat and sit by the door." "Can I say something?" asked WD. "No!" answered Trap. "But I just want to respond to..." Trap gave WD another loud,"No! You you said enough. I think you owe everyone an apology." "Well, I'm sorry but..." "There is no 'but.' You can give Mr. M his seat back now." WD got out of the seat and made her way to the one by the door. "Thank the lord," 3 Seater whispered under her breath. She turned to Mr. M and said, "You I'll talk to later." "What did I do?" he asked. "I was just trying to be nice." "Like I said, we'll talk about it later." And with that, we all soaked in the next few moments of silence.

It's Just Another Day...

Another day, another teacher reassigned. 'Cee' arrived this morning in a sport jacket and tie holding a notebook and pen. Appearing somewhat tired and disoriented, Warden brought him to the door and introduced him in the usual way. Barely looking up, the inmates showed little interest in the new arrival. I watched as he chose the 'right' chair, one that wasn't already spoken for. I introduced myself and a few other inmates followed. After the ice was broken, we all knew the school, the district and the reason he was reassigned. Cee displayed the typical behavior of a newbie. Within 45 minutes, Cee was fast asleep with his head in his arms on the table.

The room remained quiet until I heard a high pitched squeal and Princess showed her face at the door. Amazing how just the sight of her causes people to push in their chairs and secure their bags. Anything and everything that could be knocked over was quickly cleared out of the way. Surprisingly, Princess managed to walk to her chair without hitting anyone with one of her many shopping bags. "Woo-woo, it's hot in here..Uh hum, it sure is hot." Before even sitting down, her shopping bags were ripped open and brand new, packaged & tagged blue jeans were being passed around the room. I guess the kids at the shelter won't be getting new jeans this year.

Moocher, like the class clown, is always busy trying to get attention. This time by telling self deprecating, tasteless jewish jokes to a table of mixed company. By 11:30, he had 3 elderly african women saying "schmuck" in unison. "Shhh", he advised. "What's the matter? Why can't I say schmuck?" asked one of the women. "Because it's the jewish word for penis. You can't go around saying penis."
There is no limit to what he will do just to fit in. I never understood the purpose of putting down a religion just to get a laugh and then justifying it by saying that it's "your" religion. So, does that make it okay? In these bare 4 walls, I say not.

Make Way For the Princess!

She makes her grand entrance at 11 am everyday. Physically, she is not pleasant to look at. Her skin is oily and terribly blemished. Her hair is fake. She is very large and smells of way too much cheap cologne. Guaranteed that when she walks by, she will either knock into your chair or knock something of yours over. Instead of, "I'm sorry," you will hear, "Ooh, That shouldn't be theeeere!" or "Who put this here?" or "Why does this have to be here?" Everyone best clear the way for the Princess.
Princess believes that she not like the rest of us. She is convinced that she was sent here because, "Someone is probably jealous of me". And, "They should be watching themselves instead of looking at me!" She is sure that her students and their parents will fight for her return. In her sing-sing voice, she will tell you that "they loooove meeee!".
Princess,(not her real name) is a school aide. She works in the school for three hours a day. She claims that she is very close with the Principal and when he went down, they took her with him. It has been seven months and still no word from all of her fans at her school. She is certain that her students and coworkers are silently plotting her defense at this very moment.
Princess says it doesn't matter if she gets fired because this job means nothing to her. She can get another one just like it anywhere. However, she shows up here everyday with her 'mightier than thou attitude' and collects her full paycheck. If that doesn't annoy you, the awful screeching sounds she makes while listening to her Ipod will. Anyone brave enough to call it to her attention will surely wish they hadn't. Though she will swear that she was not singing, the minute she turns it back on, the howling will begin again.
Princess is a bad actress/drama queen. She can "ooh and ahh" at the drop of a pin. At 87 degrees, Princess puts on a performance that would have 'Oscar' running for the hills. "Ooh-Ooh, it is fa-reeezing in heeere! she squeals upon arrival. I don't know how you people can sit in this icebox. "I should not have to be exposed to this temperature." She claims that she is allergic to air conditioning and that it makes her sick. Princess spends more time out of the room than in. She sweet talks the attention starved Warden into letting her go outside. Heck, she even has her own chair. Hey, that is fine with me. The longer she stays out of this room, the better.

RESPONSES...
JUSTICE not "just us" said...
"it is the same cast of characters in every building only the names change." me

September 20, 2008 5:38 AM


Fidgety said...
Yes isn't it? But I have to vent anyway. I am glad that someone reads my blog. Thanks, obviously you know the deal. Earplugs help tremendously.

September 20, 2008 9:37 AM


ms-teacher said...
I've been reading this blog and it makes me sad. The people in the rubber room should not be treated in such a way, even the "princess" (despite the fact she's not a very likable character).

I wish that more people knew about this.

September 20, 2008 1:21 PM


Fidgety said... It is up to US to tell more people. In a democracy under the constitution, we are Innocent until Proven guilty. This does not coincide with how we are being treated.

proofoflife said...
i DIDN'T KNOW THAT SCHOOL AIDES WENT INTO THE RUBBER ROOM TOO! iS SHE PART OF DC37? OR IS SHE A PARAPROFESSIONAL? SORRY TO HEAR YOU ARE STILL IN TEACHER LIMBO HELL

Fidgety said...Yes, Aides are also sent to the rubber room. We have 2 at the present time that I know of. I know that one is definitely DC37.

"INITIATION"

"Excuse me everyone, Can I have your attention? We have a new 'staff' member here. This is Mr. So and So," Warden announces in his usual demeaning tone. Never without his tacky smirk, Warden humiliates another new DOE prisoner. After reading him the riot act and having him sign it, Warden then calls the entire rooms' attention to this unfortunate being. He then leaves him standing awkwardly at the door while the group sizes him up. Like a 'Fish Out of Water,' this teacher is left to navigate the rigid politics of the Rubber Room. Obviously at this point, So and So is feeling pretty bad. EZ walks over and shakes his hand. "Nice to meet you," he says. 3 Seater barely looks up from her laptop. Instead she casually places her shopping bag on to the chair beside her. (Translation- "Don't even think of sitting your butt down over here!") The only thing 3 Seater has been generous with has been her germs. Not only does she have a persistent hacking cough, but someone failed to teach her how to keep them to herself. Ironically, she'd be the first one to raise hell if someone else were coughing. Lucy, a school aide from Chapel Street takes her feet down from a chair, and then offers it to the newbie- thus sacrificing her only foot rest. Newbie passes on the offer and scans the room for a spot less congested. He finally opts for a chair near the doorway.
Remember what the realtor always stressed? Location, location, location. She was definitely on to something. With the room quickly filling up, the goal here is to position yourself where you are not in the way of traffic, not in earshot of the 'Warden', quiet enough to take a siesta and far away from anyone who does not meet up daily with a bar of soap. I am always amazed by the amount of educated people who fail to recognize the value of a shower and a shave...
In his button down shirt and tie, Newbie is now seated at his table in a state of shock. He is definitely not going to settle in anytime today. He hasn't made eye contact with anyone. He is tapping his fingers on the desk and well as shaking his knee up and down. He is not ready to talk. Moocher offers him the newsapaper which he politely declines with a waving gesture. He is definitely not ready to read. Finally, after about an hour, he lies his head on the table and falls into a deep, much needed sleep.



Blogger JUSTICE not "just us" said...

Look, your rubber room has to stop this! By allowing Warden to do this you give him the upper hand. Let them know you, the inmates, control the institution not the other way around. Form a greeting committee to make every newbie welcomed. I know my people were political prisoners(the real deal) and I have learned that in "prison" it is the prisoners who rule.

They can control so far as you let them control you. You have be united!

Political Prisoner on sabbatical

September 14, 2008 3:07 AM