MJ-Way

…My new friends wanted to know all about me and for the first time I realized I hadn’t ever really talked about myself in detail. They wanted to know where I grew up, where was my family, what schools I went to, what music did I like, and why I decided to work here? I started where I grew up because that was easier. Pole Town. The neighborhoods that surrounded these churches because the architecture is so unique some of them still stand today: St. Albertus, Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Hyacinth, St. Josaphat, and Immaculate Conception. Only the later being torn down for the General Motors, Pole Town Detroit- Hamtramck Assembly Plant. It is now called Factory Zero. That neighborhood was annexed by the city for the General Motors Plant under its’ power of “Eminent Domain.”

…I remember my great-grandmothers, grandfathers, grandmothers, great aunts, great uncles, aunts, uncles all my first and second cousins being together in most of those churches. We celebrated graduations, weddings, and sadly funerals. I informed them of my families most recent funeral of my Grand Father who fought in WWI for the American side and who also migrated to Detroit as a young man from Poland. We walked down Trombley street with his casket as the church bells of Immaculate Conception Church were tolling. His service was held there. His grandsons walked his casket into the church, after carrying it up at least a dozen steps, set it upon a wheeled aluminum bier, and wheeled it into the sanctuary where the Roman Catholic last rites service was performed. He was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Detroit.

…My new friends were most curious, and asked even more questions. They were familiar with the neighborhoods having grown up in the immediate area, some even attending the schools my cousins and second cousins attended. They wanted to know what schools did I attend? I explained my family lived on the east side of the city and I attended a Catholic School, Saint Basil the Great through the fifth grade. My parents then bought a lot to build a home in Sterling Township which was primarily farms and fields. My mother who grew up in Detroit and graduated from North Eastern Highschool had a friend whose farm she played on in her youth. It was not far from the property her and my father bought to build what would become our new home. I went to schools in the Warren Consolidated School District, two junior high schools and two high schools because of our new location in Sterling Township. …..My Life’s Journey To Be Continued…. Joshua 1:1-9

…I thanked God every time I went to work. I felt I was really welcomed here. This is my home. I am working with people who are all doing the same thing I am doing, and loving it. This hospital was a large 1000 bed teaching facility spread over a number of buildings that were attached at every floor. You could easily walk a mile to get from one end of the complex to the other. Through the years of mergers and acquisitions the hospital system would grow even more massive, and I would get the chance to be part of that expansion. I literally grew up here, and the memories all good. I was born here and later, so would my children. My life’s journey for fourteen years would evolve with the Detroit Medical Center’s expansion.

…I have written other vignettes on my hospital experience as a break from writing the prison chronicles. They were: “From The Beginning,” “The Rookie,” and “Minor Leagues.” I will try not to repeat the experience from those stories but they do represent benchmarks in my growth as a young man at the Detroit Medical Center. The most fascinating thing I felt at this time in my life was the endless possibilities of working here. I could choose anything in the medical field or management to pursue my career. I chose classes that would complete my associates degree but also give me a heads up if I chose to go into the medical field. Even better, I had time to do homework at work as well. It was encouraged as long as my work had been completed. They paid my tuition, and wanted me to be successful.

…I was able to complete mathematics, chemistry, biology, and anatomy by the winter of 1976, two credits shy of meeting the degree requirements. Of all things, I needed to complete a Humanities class. I would do so in the fall of 1977. I didn’t need to rush now. I was enjoying my new job, meeting people, and deciding a career path. I had met a number of employees who had graduated form Detroit’s Cass Technical Highschool, and I found them to be amazing people. They were just as curious of me and wanted to know what prompted me to want to work here. I explained that it was just a coincidence, or spiritual guidance, I believed the latter, I helped a woman with a flat tire. She started asking me questions while I changed it, I felt like she was interviewing me, and she told me all about the Detroit Medical Center. ..My Life’s Journey To Be Continued.. Chronicles 16:8-14

…Before I punched out for the day, my last day of work with UPS, my boss made one last attempt to keep me employed with UPS, but I couldn’t accept his offer. He didn’t understand my reasoning. I was motivated to complete my degree requirements, and I found an employer who wants to help me do just that. He believed that the money alone should have motivated me to stay with UPS. I informed him that I did enjoy working here in the beginning. We were all on the same page. The five hour days were perfect for fulltime classes at the college but after the work load was reorganized, the five hour days went to the way side. We were told not to leave until all the trucks were unloaded and loaded. I was lucky to get through my last two weeks of classes. He seemed to understand, and wished me the best, saying “we will definitely miss you.” I thanked him for giving me the chance to work here, and this was my formal goodbye. He acknowledged it.

… So in May of 1975, a month before my twentieth birthday, I accepted employment with Harper Hospital and began a life journey that I believe was divinely inspired. I would learn a great deal about my self, people in general, science, and God. The 15 years I would be employed by them were my learning years. The education I received working at the Detroit Medical Center went beyond the lecture halls I attended at the University. I was a continued work in progress and I really appreciated those who helped mold my growth. Gwendolyn would be the first mentor I had working at the DMC, but there would be more. When I spoke with the personnel manager she wanted me to report to her office to fill out all the necessary forms. She would be responsible for my orientation to the medical center.

… I would be assigned to the afternoon shift in the Central Supply Department. They would train me for sterilizing and distribution of medical equipment. This included the following: Operating room surgical instruments. Supplies to the Nursing Units. STAT runs to any area of the hospital where supplies or equipment were needed immediately. Collection of equipment when maintenance was required. She would introduce me to my supervisor and he would get me started in the department. It was a great feeling knowing I would be working here and I was excited.

…My supervisor also knew Gwendolyn and she spoke highly of me. He informed me of that when I began working. He believed she had an incredible knack for reading people both good and bad. I had scored high on the good side. I thought to myself, man all I did was change her tire, but I didn’t let him know that. She was well respected here and people valued her input. I could tell that for sure. I was either just lucky or God made sure I would run into her that day. In any event, I was on a new life journey and I would make sure to thank her when I see her again. Praise be to God. … My Life’s Journey To Be Continued…. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

…Pole town, on Detroit’s east side, was a real place for me growing up as a young child. I had fond memories of the relatives who loved me. They would tell me so in both the Polish and English languages trying to tickle me as I ran from their grasp. I remember the markets, the clothing stores, the weddings, the celebrated holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and sadly, the funerals. I remember the churches as well. St. Stanislaw, St. Albertus, St. Hyacinth, Immaculate Conception, St. Josaphat, Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Cyril, Resurrection, St. Bartholomew, and St. Rita were all East Side Detroit Roman Catholic Parishes I had been in at one time or the other for mass.

… I had a decision to make about my future. My heritage and identity came from all those churches and neighborhoods located close to the medical center. I was even born in one of the Detroit Medical Center’s Hospitals, Women’s Hospital, now called Hutzel Hospital. I felt a real connection. and the need to return. However, I would now have to leave UPS for good. Permanent goodbyes were not always easy for me, but I knew I had to move on. I had interviewed in the morning at Harper Hospital, and tonight I might be saying goodbye to my friends at UPS. I made sure to get a goods day sleep before returning to UPS to what possibly would be my last week working the night shift there.

… I pulled in the UPS parking lot to report to work. Sam had pulled up next to me as well. I had informed him of my interview with Harper Hospital but I hadn’t had the chance to tell him how it went. He was all ears. I told him they offered me two different positions and that I would have to choose one. He was happy for me and thought the bosses would go nuts. I was the last part-time worker still working there out of the twenty they had hired. He was absolutely correct as usual. I had informed my supervisor after clocking in that this would be my last week working here. He gave me a blank stare, like a deer in the headlights of a car, and then he said, “what did you say?” The following expression I would enjoy using at least four more times in my life: “I will no longer be working here because I have accepted other employment.” He shook his head yes, “that’s what I thought you said.”

. ..He looked bewildered but left. Sam was standing next to me and thought our boss was in shock. He didn’t tell me where to start working, and Sam told me just start unloading trailers with him. He continued, “if they need you they’ll find you.” I thought that was a good plan and followed Sam to the dock where we began unloading the trailers. It didn’t take long for the boss to find me but this time he was with a guy dressed in a black Brooks Brother’s pinstripe suit. He had on a white monogrammed cuffed shirt, red silk tie. and plain black but shiny Oxford shoes. Sam would later identify him as the Chief Executive Officer. He wanted to speak with me, I wiped my brow from sweat, I climbed out of the trailer, and stood in front of him. I knew from the look on his face I wasn’t smelling as good as his cologne, and he looked perplexed.

…He wanted to know why I was leaving. I didn’t waste his time and informed him I had a better opportunity. I felt the UPS reorganization of the work load had prevented me from enrolling in the winter semester. I was being required to stay more than five hours a day. I didn’t sign up for that. I needed that work schedule to stay the same, and it didn’t. He realized I was dead serious. I explained the promises about bonuses and pay raises never really made a difference to me. It was the work schedule I needed for school. They couldn’t or wouldn’t make that happen for me. I didn’t give him any more information than that. I could have gone on about the stress, the other part time students leaving, but I was sure he knew all of that. He thanked me for my honesty, and left with my boss. I had a phone call to make today and I felt reenergized. ……My Life’s Journey…To Be Continued… Psalm 23

..My interview was really unique. It was held in a Victorian house behind Harper Hospital’s Civil War Hospital which was truly authentic, and still being used. The home I was in was used by the surgeons whose demand was facilitated by the soldiers returning from the war needing amputations. Many soldiers did not survive the trip back to the hospital. Those that did, would still need to recover from the loss of blood, and their appendages needing to be removed. Infection and gangrene would be the leading cause of death. I was told all this by the Facility Administrator who sat across from me at a round table. The Administrator for the Central Processing Supply Department filled me in on what it took to support the surgeries then, and how they were currently using robotic cars to supply the hospital now.

..The Personnel manager introduced herself, and asked the administrators to leave thanking them for their input. She could tell I looked confused, and she informed me they had hoped I would become very interested in working here. Everyone at the medical center thought highly of Gwendolyn and I had her endorsement. Wow, how fortunate for me. The manager began to tell me about the opportunities they had at the hospital and how their plans to expand and become a major provider of health care was at the top of their list. She was inviting me to come and experience all that I could become working here. They provided their employees good benefits, which included tuition reimbursement, and a flexible work schedule. The salary was only half of what I was making at UPS, but the opportunity to advance a career was taking precedent in my current thought process.

..She saw that I only needed four more classes to obtain my associate’s degree, and would need to make plans for what university I would be attending to obtain a bachelor’s degree. She smiled and said, “you are going to continue aren’t you?” I had informed her I planned on continuing but I hadn’t picked the university. She laughed, and said,” honey you are only nineteen years old. You’ll have plenty of time to figure that out.” She pointed out that working in this teaching hospital will definitely widen my choices.

… There were two schools of Nursing here, and the Detroit Medical Center was affiliated with Wayne State University’s School of Medicine. In addition. the hospital offered full tuition reimbursement on all classes passed towards a degree requirement. She left it up to me to decide which department I wanted to start working in, and also informed me to let her know by the end of the week. If I was still interested? I let her know I was very interested and would call her by the end of the week. I thanked her for her time and the opportunity. She smiled and wished me well as we parted. >>>My Life’s Journey To Be Continued<<<<<<

.With my job in utter confusion because of the management’s reorganization of our work load, I decided to not take any classes which would now slow my graduation plans, but in the end would prove to be the correct decision. I hired in at UPS to work five hour days. However, that was not the case now. We were expected to stay on the job until all of our trucks were loaded. The only good part of this reorganization was I was paid overtime for any hours worked over five. For the next three weeks, eight hours a day became the normal work day, and I was becoming very frustrated. As always I prayed for direction feeling like I was between a rock and a hard place. The workers were not happy at UPS and conditions were deteriorating there quickly.

.The UPS drivers started coming in early and rearranged their trucks packages not likening how they were being loaded. Some of the other part-time employees began to leave UPS because of the friction, and new work requirements. The environment was very tense and stressful. The foreman’s began to beg those part timers like me, not to quit, citing that these changes were making things better, and there would be bonuses paid for those who continued employment. I believe that fell on deaf ears. Back at school, I checked to see what was posted for my last exam grade and I did not enroll in the winter semester. I was happy to know I passed my exams and began walking to my car. I noticed a woman struggling to change her flat tire in what looked to be an on coming storm. It looked like it could get nasty. Both sleet and snow were in the predicted forecast.

. I offered my help and she was quick to accept it. As I began changing her tire, she began interviewing me, and I spilled my guts about what was happening at UPS. She gave me a number to the Detroit Medical Center, Harper Hospital Personnel Office. She informed me that she had been working there for a couple of years now in the Respiratory Therapy Department and just earned her RN certification here at Macomb. She would begin working in one of the critical care units after she received her license. She gave me her name and told me to use her for a reference. She had nothing but good things to say about the medical center, and included they paid her full tuition. They do that for their employees.

. Her description of the Medical Center piqued my interest. I was definitely checking this out. I finished putting on her spare tire and she told me to call personnel when I got the chance. I nodded I will and she thanked me for the help as she drove off. Just then it started sleeting and I thought wow I need to get my hands warm. I blew on them as I ran to my car. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I would see her again, and she would officially become a mentor. At work the next day I was now working almost nine hour days, and management talked about making me fulltime. I had to think about that for awhile.

..When I mentioned it to Sam, he laughed believing they were trying to minimize the part-time departures. Too little too late. He told me I was the only part-timer left, and it would probably be cheaper for them to pay me a fulltime wage. I was killing them on anything over 5 hours overtime. Sam always knew how to put me in a good mood. He would pressure the Forman to keep me unloading trailers with him. It spared me from having to reload the delivery trucks. I eventually realized this couldn’t’ go on forever. I made the call to Harper Hospital’s Personnel office the very next day. It was one of my best decisions. They wanted me to come in for an interview, and I was most happy to do so. …..My Life’s Journey Continued…

Philippians 4:4-11

.. .After reading the sign, I felt my heart sink to my knees, and I looked at Sam for his reaction. He felt the “big shots” were making changes, “cuz that’s what the big shots do. We shall soon see what’s in store for us now.!” Sarcastically mentioning, he didn’t think it involved a pay raise, at least not for us, and proceeded to punch out on the time clock. He looked back at me and smiled. He didn’t feel we had anything to worry about. The number of trailers we were emptying were increasing, and this UPS hub was super busy. We would find out more at the meeting. At that point I was looking at finishing the fall semester and still would need four classes to complete an Associates Degree. I was wondering what kind of changes would be in the making at UPS and how it would effect my taking classes. I would find out tomorrow for sure. I made sure to pray for positive outcomes only.

. ..The next day it was a very large meeting. All the drivers from this service hub were there as well. I was being paid overtime for staying past my 5 hour shift, and lucky it was Friday. I never took classes on Friday. I saw Sam and some of the other employees. Sam was speaking with the drivers. They didn’t seem to be happy and I was getting concerned. I then noticed a Teamster Union official talking with someone I presumed would be management. I was correct. The UPS management asked everyone to sit down, and they began the meeting. It turned out that this hub was very productive. Because of the increased volume of packages being processed here they were adding more trucks for distribution. They also decided to change the way the distribution trucks would be loaded. In essence, we would be loading the distribution trucks as well. We would load between 6 and 8 distribution trucks by addresses. We would have to unload the trailers first, and then load the distribution trucks.

.I looked at Sam for his reaction, and I noticed he was just shaking his head from left to right. That indication and the frowns on the faces of the drivers told me something was beginning to stink badly with this management reorganization of the work load. The drivers pointed out that they preferred to load their own trucks. That way they could optimize the deliveries. They knew the roads and would load their trucks in a way they could deliver the packages quickly. Although they seemed to provide a logical argument, the UPS management seemed to have made up their mind, and decided to implement their new system in steps. I was glad to be finishing this semester, I wasn’t sure I would be able to take any more classes not knowing the uncertainty of the work load. I was right with that decision. The week after I finished my finals, we began the new loading system at UPS, and it was pure chaos. …My Life’s Journey Continued…

…It was a couple of weeks now after Darrel had been found by me and I still thought about what would motivate someone to use heroin. Sam felt it was a way for him to come down from driving long distances. He was probably using amphetamines to stay awake while driving. Sam didn’t think he was using for long and that’s why he overdosed. I thought a couple of cold beers would have been fine for me, but Sam explained, “the euphoria and immediate rush once the tourniquet was loosed after the injection was the high. If the heroin was good they would nod off, sleeping.” That’s why the boss said he was now officially a citizen of the land of nod. The drug is very addictive, and Sam said he stayed away from using any nonprescription. Like me, a cold beer is all he needed, but Darrel was not cut from that cloth.

…We began unloading our last trailer of the day, and I was feeling pretty energetic. My mood was now a little more up beat knowing we were at the end of our shift. As I lifted what I thought was the last box out of the truck I bumped a much smaller box that was under it. The smaller box began to vibrate and started bouncing all over the floor of the now empty truck. I would be crazy to admit I wasn’t afraid but that unexpected vibrating put me into a sheer panic. I hauled ass out of the empty trailer. The now vibrating little box was bouncing all over the floor of the trailer. Sam was laughing and instructed me to go back and get it. “Hell no,” I exclaimed. It could be a bomb!” He called me a rookie shaking his head and still laughing as he fetched it. He shook it a few more time and it stopped vibrating. He shook again and it started vibrating again. I could see he was having fun at my expense.

…I was truly impressed. He didn’t blow up. Still laughing he brought the box over for me to inspect. He instructed me to look at the address and return address. It was addressed to a Mrs. Connolly somewhere in Detroit, Michigan. The return address was Adam and Eve Specialty Shops no other address given. He asked me, “do you know who they are?” I shook my head no. He smiled again shaking his head, then said, “They sell sex toys.” He couldn’t stop laughing. Damn, I thought out loud again. “so your telling me that this is probably a battery operated dildo?” Man, I felt like a real idiot now. He shook his head yes but said, “what ever it is they may need to buy new batteries for it by the time they get it. It just might quit working right in the middle of their usage.” I laughed, saying, “Yep, maybe just like their partner. Deja vu!” Sam continued laughing. I didn’t feel so bad now and as we began punching out a sign by the time clock was posted for everyone to see. “UPS Employees Mandatory Meeting!” … My Life’s Journey Continued…

…The police did want to speak with me and their questions were to the point.” What time did I see him? Did I know him? What time I told my supervisor? Do I use or do I know anyone one that uses, or sells heroin?” I had to say “no” to all of them. They took my name and number and told me they would give me a call if they had any other questions. I shook my head and said “OK.” They left and my supervisor filled me in on the details. His name was Darrel and he had been driving for UPS for the past 6 years. A long distance driver for them as well. He had a young wife and a year old child. The wife would be coming in to sign paperwork. She was in shock. I felt bad for her and the now fatherless child. I asked, “did any one know he had a drug habit?” My boss shook his head no, and apparently his wife didn’t know either. I shook my head and went back to the dock to help Sam unload trailers. While we worked I informed Sam what had happened earlier.

… Sam said he knew Darrel but he didn’t know he had a drug habit. They had a couple of beers together at one of the local bars. Sam felt it was too bad. He has a real nice wife and a young son. He had met them both. Sam changed the subject and wanted me to know of something else that was happening at our terminal. He informed me that the “big shots” were here from Atlanta. That usually meant there would be changes. I questioned him on “what kind of changes?” He didn’t know, but the last time they were here, they increased the amount of volume this terminal was handling, and our work load doubled. That’s why they hired all the part-time college students. I was part of that recruitment. Sam was here a whole lot longer than I, and I took his concern seriously. I was hoping I would still have a job.

… As we were finishing up my supervisor wanted to see me in his office. Wow, making changes already I thought. However, when I got there it wasn’t anything about my job. In front of me sat a very pretty young lady with hazel green eyes that were red and puffy. A young boy with blue eyes and blonde hair was sitting on her lap pulling her blonde hair. I knew who she was. Sam’s description of her being “real nice” was an understatement. You could get lost in her eyes even though they were red from crying. I was wondering why my boss wanted me. I must of had that look when he stated, “Melissa felt she needed to say thank you.” At the same time the young boy on her lap reached up for me to hold him. My hair was long like his fathers and I had mutton sideburns but no goatee or mustache. She raised him up to me and I held him. He was obviously tired as he laid his head on my shoulder.

..I explained I was very sorry for her and her son’s loss, and they have my sincere condolences. The room was complete silence for what seemed forever. She then said, “Thank you again.” I handed her back her son, and my boss informed her the company would be in touch. She left his office and I was completely numb. I must of looked like it because my boss said, “that was tough.” Another understatement I thought. I was drained emotionally now and physically tired from unloading the trucks. I just wanted to shower and go to bed forgetting this day. My boss informed me that Darrel had just cashed his paycheck and had over $3000.00 dollars in his wallet. They were grateful nobody else found him before I did. I thought out loud this time feeling really exhausted, “I may be a lot of things in this world boss, but a scoundrel isn’t one of them!” I left to punch out on the time clock ending my shift. ..My Life’s Journey continued..

… It felt good to be back home from Montreal but I would need to get a quick nap and be at work in about six hours. Being young had its advantages. Energy being one of them. It didn’t take me long to rest and refill that tank. I grabbed an egg sandwich and my coffee thermos as I headed out the door to work. It was early and hardly any traffic on the road but as usual Detroit city airport was busy. As I got closer to the UPS terminal I could see they had at least 8 to 10 semi trailers backed up to their dock. It was going to be a busy night. When I got out of my car, in the parking lot, I noticed something unusual. and I got an eerie feeling. There was a box the size of a washing machine next to one of the semis propped up against the wall of the dock. There looked to be a pair of bluejeaned legs dressed with cowboy boots sticking out of the box. The legs were crossed.

…I called out to the person in the box but got no response. I was getting concerned as I called out again and again got no response. As much as I didn’t want to, I had to go find out what was happening, and I’d have to say that I was shocked at what I saw. The dock lights illuminated the inside of the box. I could see it was a white male with long greasy blonde hair a mustache and goatee of the same color. He had on a black summer shirt that was full of his spittle as it dreuled from his mouth over his mustache and goatee. His lips and finger nails were blue. He had what looked to be a loosened tourniquet on his arm and a needle made from an eyedropper still stuck in the vein in his forearm. I understood immediately what I was looking at as a teaspoon, small patch of aluminum foil and matches were laying in his lap. His eyes were wide open and blue. He wasn’t breathing and probably hadn’t been for sometime. He lost his body fluids, and on this hot muggy night it wasn’t something I wanted to keep smelling. All I kept saying to myself was “Holy Shit.”

…I ran into the UPS terminal and tried to find my supervisor. He was opening up the truck bays and he saw me running towards him. He could tell I was flummoxed as I shouted “there’s a dead guy by the dock bay, and he looks like an OD.!” He walked down the steps of the dock to see what I was talking about and he saw him immediately. He looked back at me after looking in the box and said, “that’s one of our semi drivers. I’ll call the police.” He thought the same thing I did. He’d been there awhile. It was going on 5:00am and he dropped the trailer off at 1:30AM. My boss now understood why the other trailer he was to pick up wasn’t. “He’s driving but it ain’t no semi. He’s got a permanent vacay in the land of nod.” My boss told me to go punch in and start unloading trailers. He informed me the police would probably want to talk to me too. I shook my head yes, and went to punch in still numb from what I had just experienced My heart was just a thumping.. …My Life’s Journey continued…