The Uncivil Service

My interview went well, I thought, and on the way back to the prison school I received a call on my cell phone. I let it go into voice mail because I didn’t want to answer it while driving. However, they were relentless and my phone kept ringing from the same number. I had to pull over on the expressway to answer it. It was the Director’s Executive Secretary. She wanted to know if I had turned in my interview questions sheet. That paper was not to leave the conference room. I didn’t care for the tone and informed her of it. “Are you accusing me of taking the question sheet with me?” She informed me that the committee couldn’t account for it and wanted to make sure I didn’t take it with me. Her tone changed to conciliatory after I informed her I did not take it. She apologized for interrupting my drive back and wished me well. I was getting perturbed thinking about our exchange and her accusation that I absconded with the interview question sheet, but just told myself to forget it. She seemed apologetic. I needed to think more positively. After all, it was a great interview.

I merged back onto the expressway and started to head home. I was on the road for about ten minutes when I saw a state police vehicle with its’ flashers on about a mile behind me. I switched lanes, left to right, and started to slow down. I thought that would give him the opportunity to pass me on his way to whatever emergency he was headed to. I was shocked when he changed lanes, got behind me, and motioned for me to pull over. Once I pulled over, I began to wonder if I was speeding, and I rolled down the window. The officer was polite and asked to see my license. He then questioned if I had just finished interviewing with Community Health. When I had informed him I had, he smiled and asked if I had taken any paper work from the interview with me. I told him I definitely had not, I had informed the director’s administrative secretary of the same fact not more than ten minutes when she called. I offered him to search. I opened my brief case, the trunk of the car and any other compartment he felt I would hide material from the interview in. He thanked me for being cooperative. When he came up empty he apologized.

He then informed me that the Director I had interviewed with was one of the biggest jerks in state employment. He was a political hack. If I was offered a position to work for him, I might want to reconsider. He gave me a few contacts to call if I wanted to know more about the director . I thanked him, and he laughed, saying, “why do you think we have cadets working in his building? No trained officer can can work for the imbecile.” Not finding any material from the interview, he informed me I was free to go and handed me back my license. He saw that the car was registered to my facilities Warden. He informed me that the Warden I was working for now, and driving his car, is one of the best Administrators working for the sate. You won’t find any better. I might want to reconsider my job search.

When I got back to the prison school my principal was waiting for me. He couldn’t stop laughing. He obviously had heard of my adventure. What was even worse, I had received an email from the nurses who interviewed me, and they informed me the committee voted to hire me. This wasn’t going to be easy but I would have to make a decision on how I would reply to them. My boss, ever the joker, couldn’t stop laughing. He had never heard of anyone having an “all points bulletin” put on them for a sheet of interview questions. He wanted to know where I stashed them I informed him I never took them. I left them in the conference room. I felt the Director was playing Machiavellian games because of his own insecurities. People in authority, who lack self esteem, have a tendency to act in ways they think bolster their self image, make themselves look strong and others weak. He was cut from that ilk, obviously. After thinking about that for awhile, and rehashing what the state trooper told me, I knew how I would answer the nurses’ email. TO BE CONTINUED…

Finland joined NATO. When you share a large border with an aggressive terrorist nation, and they threaten retribution if you join. Doesn’t leave you much choice. Welcome Finland.

Slava Ukraini