The Gift of Observation
I took my chances this morning; parking my mom-minivan next to a red Ozark camping tent zipped tight on the sidewalk. Eyeing my surroundings with caution, I rifled through my wallet for a credit card to plug the parking meter before the Social Security Administration line grew longer. A used syringe, empty box of handcuffs, first aid kit, dirty white crew socks and a mess of take-out food littered the pavement, just blocks from one of the wealthiest high schools in Portland. Carefully sidestepping the evidence of someone else's misfortune, I crossed the empty street.
Noticing an abandoned black backpack by the tree, I surveyed the citizens of similar long-line fate rocking uncomfortably outside the SSA door. Ah, the humanity, my first thought interrupted by a barking security guard, the size of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson wearing latex gloves. "Who's backpack is this?" he shouted. Like a jolt of caffeine, the drill sergeant got our attention making me wonder if a backpack bomb would render us headline news this morning. No sooner did The Rock return to his metal detection duties than a suspicious looking man with shifty eyes ran out, strapping on the backpack and high tailing it out of there. My sixth sense admired his street smarts, breathing a sigh of relief the bomb scare was over.
A short Latina lady with long dark curly hair gripping her open bottle of prescription meds was the next suspect to exit the building. Tossing a pill to the curb, she sparked my curiosity, swiftly returning inside with the rest of the pills. No sooner was the pill tossed in the dirt than an NBA-sized gray Afro dude in a zip-up hooded yellow fleece seized it. Shoving the tiny white pill in his right camouflaged pants pocket I spotted his diamond-studded watch. A strung out man with greasy dark hair reeking of alcohol and wearing long-underwear started in with street slang I naively translated to "good for you my man for snatching it first, I had my eye on it,” thanks to my white privilege. Captain Long-Underwear handed pill popping Kareem-Abdul Jabbar his brown paper wrapped breakfast sandwich. Such kindness warmed my heart, though I held my breath to see if Kareem would fork over the pill in return.
Lunch line antics ended when Social Security Administration lady with an official badge and polyester pants lumbered out of the building in uncomfortable heels calling "Kwame…I can't pronounce the last name." Captain Long-Underwear choked on his laughter, mimicking the name to his new pill-popping line buddy. "Kwame, Koala?" he joked, "What kind of name is that? Russian?" Like a dog spotting a squirrel, Captain Long-Underwear lost his train of thought pontificating about the cheap price of an 1/8th these days on his block, fidgeting like a child needing to potty.
The older African-American man wearing a Wayne's World baseball cap and hop-on public transit badge in front of me shook his head in disgust. Wayne's World, who bore no humor or resemblance to the aimless metal-head name on his cap, turned his back to my small talk with irritation.
Once inside, I darted ahead of Wayne's World subjected to further invasive search. Still reeling from an airport pat down groin search that did not discriminate, I breathed a sigh of relief safely capturing a seat, my number in hand, with an A+ vantage point from which to survey the colorful crowd. One of the few not glued to my smart phone, I had the benefit of spotting and assessing in spy fashion.
Sean Connery, pissed off an hour into his SSA sentence, sat across from me constantly checking his Rolex and adjusting his briefcase. No doubt, the prim and proper lady with the black cashmere sweater draped over her shoulders and Chanel bag had chosen the safest seat in the house next to this handsome white-haired gentleman. Her tortoise shell bifocals resting halfway down her nose stared at her ticket, begging her number to be called.
No surprise, Captain Long-Underwear sidled up next to me claiming he couldn't sit still. I wondered if it was the drugs or the temporary sobriety causing him to fidget and sneeze. I smiled and held my breath from the stench of his fumes, assuring him that was in fact my number on the chair and not his. Ironically he was polite, in sharp contrast to straight-laced Wayne, unwilling to give me the time of day.
My Social Security Administration adventure to unlock access to my online benefits was a windfall in comparison to the others with less opportunity. To think, a smart phone would've rendered me blind to my surroundings. Instead I was given the gift of observation during the two hour stint.
My daughter tells stories of classmates stoned in high school, juuling and vaping lord knows what in class, wearing ankle bracelets to hide their needle marks, drunk at football games withh beer stolen from the Plaid Pantry, and kids dropping out of sports succumbing to peer pressure highs. Drugs do not discriminate at such an early age and what my daughter frowns on as her 'innocence' can be translated to life goals if shown concrete examples.
Today I was given an opportunity to see firsthand how easy it is for life to take a different path, if not guided along the way. Fortunately my children have every opportunity to succeed. I learned a new approach to parenting today, thanks to my field trip to the Social Security Administration. Show kids examples of life led astray; don’t just tell them, because seeing is believing! I'm thankful for the gift of observation to reset us all in this age of digital parenting.
Noticing an abandoned black backpack by the tree, I surveyed the citizens of similar long-line fate rocking uncomfortably outside the SSA door. Ah, the humanity, my first thought interrupted by a barking security guard, the size of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson wearing latex gloves. "Who's backpack is this?" he shouted. Like a jolt of caffeine, the drill sergeant got our attention making me wonder if a backpack bomb would render us headline news this morning. No sooner did The Rock return to his metal detection duties than a suspicious looking man with shifty eyes ran out, strapping on the backpack and high tailing it out of there. My sixth sense admired his street smarts, breathing a sigh of relief the bomb scare was over.
A short Latina lady with long dark curly hair gripping her open bottle of prescription meds was the next suspect to exit the building. Tossing a pill to the curb, she sparked my curiosity, swiftly returning inside with the rest of the pills. No sooner was the pill tossed in the dirt than an NBA-sized gray Afro dude in a zip-up hooded yellow fleece seized it. Shoving the tiny white pill in his right camouflaged pants pocket I spotted his diamond-studded watch. A strung out man with greasy dark hair reeking of alcohol and wearing long-underwear started in with street slang I naively translated to "good for you my man for snatching it first, I had my eye on it,” thanks to my white privilege. Captain Long-Underwear handed pill popping Kareem-Abdul Jabbar his brown paper wrapped breakfast sandwich. Such kindness warmed my heart, though I held my breath to see if Kareem would fork over the pill in return.
Lunch line antics ended when Social Security Administration lady with an official badge and polyester pants lumbered out of the building in uncomfortable heels calling "Kwame…I can't pronounce the last name." Captain Long-Underwear choked on his laughter, mimicking the name to his new pill-popping line buddy. "Kwame, Koala?" he joked, "What kind of name is that? Russian?" Like a dog spotting a squirrel, Captain Long-Underwear lost his train of thought pontificating about the cheap price of an 1/8th these days on his block, fidgeting like a child needing to potty.
The older African-American man wearing a Wayne's World baseball cap and hop-on public transit badge in front of me shook his head in disgust. Wayne's World, who bore no humor or resemblance to the aimless metal-head name on his cap, turned his back to my small talk with irritation.
Once inside, I darted ahead of Wayne's World subjected to further invasive search. Still reeling from an airport pat down groin search that did not discriminate, I breathed a sigh of relief safely capturing a seat, my number in hand, with an A+ vantage point from which to survey the colorful crowd. One of the few not glued to my smart phone, I had the benefit of spotting and assessing in spy fashion.
Sean Connery, pissed off an hour into his SSA sentence, sat across from me constantly checking his Rolex and adjusting his briefcase. No doubt, the prim and proper lady with the black cashmere sweater draped over her shoulders and Chanel bag had chosen the safest seat in the house next to this handsome white-haired gentleman. Her tortoise shell bifocals resting halfway down her nose stared at her ticket, begging her number to be called.
No surprise, Captain Long-Underwear sidled up next to me claiming he couldn't sit still. I wondered if it was the drugs or the temporary sobriety causing him to fidget and sneeze. I smiled and held my breath from the stench of his fumes, assuring him that was in fact my number on the chair and not his. Ironically he was polite, in sharp contrast to straight-laced Wayne, unwilling to give me the time of day.
My Social Security Administration adventure to unlock access to my online benefits was a windfall in comparison to the others with less opportunity. To think, a smart phone would've rendered me blind to my surroundings. Instead I was given the gift of observation during the two hour stint.
My daughter tells stories of classmates stoned in high school, juuling and vaping lord knows what in class, wearing ankle bracelets to hide their needle marks, drunk at football games withh beer stolen from the Plaid Pantry, and kids dropping out of sports succumbing to peer pressure highs. Drugs do not discriminate at such an early age and what my daughter frowns on as her 'innocence' can be translated to life goals if shown concrete examples.
Today I was given an opportunity to see firsthand how easy it is for life to take a different path, if not guided along the way. Fortunately my children have every opportunity to succeed. I learned a new approach to parenting today, thanks to my field trip to the Social Security Administration. Show kids examples of life led astray; don’t just tell them, because seeing is believing! I'm thankful for the gift of observation to reset us all in this age of digital parenting.
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