Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Just Another Day at Work...

I was thinking today, as I drove down one gravel road after another, how different my job as an in-home therapist would be if I lived in another part of the country. I once had a friend who had been an in-home therapist in New Orleans. She carried a gun. I'll admit, there's been a few times I probably needed one too but most days, it's those low water bridges I'm worried about. When I show up for a visit and I'm greeted by someone covered in blood, I don't worry about violence- except the kind that involves butchering chickens. Today, I had a lengthy conversation about how it's been too wet to put up hay and I have 2 families that frequently send fresh eggs home with me. I sometimes drive so far out in the country, Greta's map tells me I'm driving in the middle of a field. These are not things I would experience as a therapist in the city. For example, I'm quite sure I would not have had this conversation several years ago, as I was starting my career as an in-home therapist:
Mom: We're having a baby boy!
Me: Do you have a name picked out?
Mom: Johnnie Ray
Me: Oh, are you going to call him by that name?
Mom: Nah, we're just gonna call him J.P.
Me: J.P.?
Mom: Yep, that's right, we'll name him Johnnie Ray after his daddy but we'll just call him J.P.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the new picture of the girls on your blog! I wonder what i would be like if you worked in bentonville. Just dont go to southern AR I hear it is as bad if not worse than where we grew up.
Hope you are having a great week, Donna

Anita said...

OMG, that made a big grin and sort of like a huh?? You should immediately whip out your cell phone and take a pic of your own face when something like that is said - I would love to see if you have a fake "that makes sense" expression or a "that does not make sense" expression?? I don't remember the last name but we litterly had a veteran aged in his early 70's named "Baby Boy" (first and middle names) because that was what the doctor wrote down and the mother thought the doctor named him. It was his real legal name and on his d/c papers and everything. I thought that was something, but this is a close second! :) big hugs, Anita :)

Anonymous said...

Too funny! I am one of those folks out in the sticks and live on a co rd with 2 low water bridges. However, thanks to our federal and state government we are in the process of getting to new huge bridges and won't have to worry about the water any more! They should be done by the end of the summer. It is a good thing because one of them was literally sinking into the creek bed. Not good! Hope you are having a great summer!

LOL!
Amy Haertling

Linda said...

I can't decide - is the "crazy" worth all the good party stories you have! I think an in-home ANYTHING is a scary thought. It makes my spreadsheets and pivot tables seem very boring!

Anonymous said...

I knew a little guy once called J.R. His first name started with an H and I can't remember the middle, but it and the last did not start with J or R. He was called J.R. because he was a Junior - Jr. - J.R. ..... and so it goes...