Children

[krrayn.livejournal.com]

Backstory: I support a database application to outside customers all over the world, though mostly in the US and Canada. We're a tiny company, and I'm the only support agent, though I do lots of other things as well.

After a long, dissatisfying day, I came home to the chaos of two children and three dogs. Having slept poorly the night before, I had very little patience or tolerance for all the noise, so I hid away in the library and played CivIII to try to calm down. This left my wife (a stay-at-home-mom), who was also exhausted, to deal with the tornados. When she'd had enough I helped her put the children to bed and the dogs outside, and we finally had a moment of peace.

Then this exchange made my day:

Me: "I'm sorry, honey."
Her: "For what?"
Me: "Leaving you with the children."
Her: "It's okay, honey."
Me: "But you have to deal with that all day!"
Her: "Yeah, but I'm used to it. Besides, you have to deal with children on the phone all day, too..."

(xposted to my journal)

Comments

[infy.livejournal.com]

Funny, I had roughly the same conversation with a friend recently who works with mentally retarded adults.

I think she had the better end of the deal.

[klytus.livejournal.com]

I used to work in a group home with mentally retarded adults, so I speak with the voice of authotiry when I say that... yes, she does.

At least the clients on the phone don't bite me, though.

[kallell.livejournal.com]

but you also cant sedate the clients on the phone . . . . and they would bite if they could

[klytus.livejournal.com]

We couldn't sedate the residents either. It wasn't that kind of grouphome. The only way I could "sedate" the guy who bit me was by threatening to punch his lights out.

[jecook]

Soo true.

I support 35+ of those homes in my city, and the three admin offices.

I have not gotten bitten yet, but sometimes the staff do try my patience...