Lessons learned

Every relationship we have in our lives teaches us something new, and that was very apparent tonight at work.  As I came into work there was an obvious developmentally disabled man wandering the store.  Not causing trouble, just wandering.  After I had settled at my register, he stopped by and asked what time it was because C-Van was to pick him up at 5:30 - it was 6:15.  Well, it's not unlike C-Van to sometimes be late, so off he went to wait in the vestibule. 

I got busy with customers and suddenly I realized that it was 7:05 and he was still sitting there waiting for the bus.  Hmmmmm, C-Van can be late, but I haven't heard of it being 1.5hrs late.  I called back to customer service and told Nicole the story and said that I was going to send him back and have her call the phone number on his bus pass hanging around his neck.  I went out to him and told him the time and that it's been 1.5 hours and that Nicole will call for him and sent him on his way.  He gave me all of his bags to hold - good thing cuz about 5 min later Nicole called me to say that she's only getting "we're closed" messages.  I then opened the mans bags and went through his belongings looking for a number to someone who can come get this poor man.  Luckily, there was a canceled check with a his name and another name with phone number.  

Nicole called and found out that it's his sister.  She was NONE too pleased to find out that we were calling.  She gave Nicole some lame excuses and then said she'd call right back.  About 25 min later she called back (it's now 7:55) and said she wanted someone to walk him to the nearest bus stop.....um NO!!  Nicole put her on hold and called me.  I said that Nicole needs to tell the sister that she needs to come get her brother.  The sister then sighed and said that she had "things to do first" and she'd be there in an hour.   AN HOUR!!!  He's already been at the store for several hours, he keeps stating that his Depends are full.

I kept checking on him and he kept coming to talk to me.  He was so sweet.  There were times he was on the verge of tears, times where he would crack a joke, times when he'd "bother" customers in line, but mostly just wondering where his sister was.  I would patiently tell him that he needed to go back and wait for his sister. 

It was then 9:10 and he was STILL there.  I started work at 6pm, when I first encountered him, so it's been 3 hours he's been waiting to go home.  I was just walking up to him so I could get his information to report this incident to Adult Protective Services tomorrow when his sister pulled up and he walked out.  DAMN! 

My manager knows this man and his back story.  Apparently the sister either drops him off at various places for the entire day - every day.   He's been banned from Best Buy, Fred Meyers and Target. 

As I said previously, every relationship teaches us something.  Through our time together, I listened to the stories, listened to the frustration, listened to the fun that DD people can bring to lives.   I learned how to be patient, calm and understanding to the DD community.  I learned, somewhat, how the system works and that was very apparent tonight with Duane.