The drive from Hell Part II

I will admit that it wasn't as bad as Friday.

When I went to pick up the car, I found I was assigned the crappy van. It sits up very straight and very close to the steering wheel. even though I'm short I have long legs and can never sit far enough away from the steering wheel.

Then I had to call and tell all the families when I'd be there BECAUSE apparently the case worker who arranged this farce told them all I'd be there between 4-7pm when I specifically told her I would be leaving Alcatraz at 11:30 am unless she wanted to get another driver.

One kid had no phone number so I have to call his case worker at home and then go in the case workers office to find the number. While getting the number I noticed that he also gave me the wrong address for the same kid (and the wrong directions) so I fixed that.

And I didn't have a correct phone number for the girl who caused all the trouble the other night so the person in charge said he would text me her number in a little bit (he did about 10 minutes after I left so I called and left her a message on her atrocious voice mail).

I finally started my vehicle and the gas tank was empty. By now I was pissed. The rules is that drivers top off tanks when we get back. The last person who had that van didn't do it. If they got back after closing hours, then the person who opens in the morning at the reception desk didn't bother to check to see if the late returns were fueled up. So now I'm already running behind because TWO separate case workers didn't do their jobs and NOW I had to take time to pump gas. I was pissed.

I finally got on the road and made up some time, and got to the first kid's house- the girl who caused all the trouble and guess what? She wasn't home and her mom couldn't reach her. I called my facility and said she jerked me around the other night and I was leaving. I had one other boy to get in that town and then I was heading to the capital. I told them no one ever does anything to give these parents or kids consequences and I was going to be fired anyway, so screw her. The man in charge said he completely understood and to go ahead and go.

I get the other kid and am just ready to head out with the VP calls me. He said he told to Problem Child's mother and said she had 10 minutes to produce her child for me to pick up or they were calling the cops on all of them. He asked me to go back and if she wasn't there that time, then to leave. so, I drove back across town and lo and behold- she was there. She was pissed and cussing and swearing a blue streak but there.

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. On boy's family was supposed to meet me in a parking lot. They live in the southern part of my state and this parking lot was the half way point for them and me. I called and said I was there and the dad said they were behind by 90 minutes. I just said "You have to take your kid all the way to [Alcatraz] yourself. I 'm ready to leave now and I have about kid to get." The dad didn't argue and said okay.

It rained the entire time. And today was graduation for a HUGE state university and I happen to be in that town to get a kid so traffic was pretty hellacious.

Other than being hungry the kids were fine, even the pissy gal from the other night. We talked and listened to music and it only took 6.5 hours.

Man, I am tired....

Maggie