Month: October 2020

Who answers when I knock?

/ Outrunning my demons / 1 Comment

Looking back it kind of went by in a blur of faces. The only thing that really sticks out are the terribly bad mingled in with a couple good.

I don’t remember the first person that answered the door for me. I remember being very nervous the first day. I brushed off inexperience with a nervous laugh saying that I was new to the census.

I think it was the second day that I got the first door slammed in my face. A lady came to the door earlier in the day, looking hungover wearing a bathrobe at 11 AM. She told me to come back later because her husband would like to talk to me as she was much too busy doing nothing apparently.

Gladly I came back later (going out of my way) just to have a door slammed in my face. I learned later that making an appointment with the respondent to come back later in the day never worked out for me once.

It was the first day in the rough part of town that someone came out of their house belligerent with me. It was very hot that day and I saw a woman sitting on the grass in her front yard that I needed to speak to. She didn’t speak a lick of English and I had no idea what language she spoke as I’ve never heard it before.

Thankfully this woman had a 10 year old son who spoke perfect English. I tried to communicate with him what the census was about and why I was at their house but it was very difficult to explain. They had a very large family and when I was about halfway through the boy ran into the house to ask his father something.

The man followed his son outside the house and gestured angrily at me while yelling. I had no idea what he was saying but I’m sure it wasn’t a friendly greeting. The boy told me that his father was very angry. He told me I needed to delete all the information I had on them. Please leave my dad is getting very upset and I’m not sure what he will do.

I left frightened for the family’s safety more than my own. I wondered if the boy and his mother would get in trouble for talking to me. I could almost understand the dad’s anger though. Imagine if someone ‘official’ looking showed up to your door and started asking personal questions if you do not speak the language nor have any idea what the census is. I was a threat. He was only trying to protect his family which I can respect.

But I have no respect for someone who treats a census employee (or any worker) like garbage just for their enjoyment. It’s like they deliberately didn’t fill out their census so they could harass anyone who comes to their door.

Mean people just suck and you never knew what you were going to get when you knocked on the door.

Reaching the end

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I resigned from my census job today and turned in all my census equipment. I was expecting it to end, but I wasn’t expecting it to end quite as abruptly as it did.

In some ways I feel relieved, but mainly I feel sad. Strangely I feel stir crazy. I feel like I have cabin fever and man is it a long way from March. I have literally nothing on my calendar. If it was a normal year I’d almost have next summer planned already.

Work was the only place I went, the only thing I did. There are a handful of friends that I haven’t even seen since this whole pandemic began. When this whole thing is over will we start back up again where we left off? I miss being too busy, every weekend planned not a second left for spontaneity.

My daughter’s high school just went back to virtual learning. Apparently Wisconsin is a virtual COVID hotbed right now. Everywhere I go, everywhere I look people are fighting about the masks we are required to wear. I went to the store today and saw a guy wearing a Halloween mask. I’m just sick of it. I don’t even care anymore. I hate what we have become and there is no escape from it, from ourselves.

Once again everything is changing almost as fast as the changing of the seasons. I feel kind of blah about it. I don’t want to just accept it willingly. But the good news is that I should have time now to write about my adventures as a census worker and I plan on spending the next couple of weeks doing that. And I just sent out an email inquiring about another job.

Gratitude week 40

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  1. The fall colors are almost at its peak. Despite cold and rainy weather yesterday (not to mention not knowing the status of the rest of the school year) we were able to get some nice outdoor shots of Arabella for her senior pictures. She took a few pictures with her mask on too. One can always hope this will be unique in the years to come and not viewed at as normal.
  2. WP is working. For some reason the last time I was on to write/edit a post I wasn’t able to load this page. There was nothing but a blank page so thankfully it worked (and really fast to boot) today.
  3. We were able to have a nice campfire with our previous employee. It was really wonderful to be able to see him again.
  4. For clean sheets and pulling out the electric blanket.
  5. Crisp clean air and preparing for winter. Washing windows. Getting things done because there really isn’t too much left to prepare for. We don’t have any big plans. No winter vacations or even talk about getting together for the holidays. It now seems like the simple things are big. I am almost ready for big parties and family gatherings again. I can’t believe I am actually saying that.
  6. There were a couple of shootings this past weekend in neighborhoods I worked in this past week with the census job. I am grateful that although at times I was afraid I was able to stay safe.
  7. My son surprised us by getting a hair cut. I guess it is the little things. He had long curly locks which I liked and now his hair is shorter than mine.
  8. It’s been wonderful having Angel home again. She even made supper a couple of nights.
  9. We are supposed to get some warmer weather in the next couple days and I am always grateful for that.
  10. I’m grateful that my son was able to get away for a few days with his friends in WI Dells. I’m surprised the waterparks are even open. I’m grateful he asked me for trip planning advice. It’s kind of cool to have your child do something for the first time and ask for advice. I’ve been waiting for this day for quite a long time. My youngest child still thinks I don’t know anything.