Sunday, February 3, 2013

Another Grayquill Moment



I was so hoping my Grayquill moments might be taking a turn toward more favorable results.

For months when I leave work, I see a young lady standing in the reception area of a technical high school waiting to be picked up. She always stands in the same place and it is easy to see her.

The school day ends early. By the time I leave, I know this poor girl has been waiting to be picked up for several hours.  It really bugs me seeing her standing there alone in a now empty building. Her posture communicates to me fear and sadness. I can only imagine the tension the young lady must feel waiting for hours in an empty building.  With the heat off, the building cools. Imagine the creaks, the groans she hears the building make, and what horrors must run through her mind as she waits alone.  Standing there she is at the mercy of anyone who comes into the building. As you might guess, night after night my feelings of pity for the young lady spring up and as a result my irritation toward her parents enlarges with each passing day.  

Last week, Tuesday, I left work later than usual. There she was still waiting to be picked up. Now I am angry. Who are these parent? Thoughts flashed through my mind of what I needed to do to correct this injustice. My first thought was, I am going to hang out and when that parent shows up, I will let Grayquill do his Jujitsu barn dance.  The main problem with that is, Grayquill doesn’t know Jujitsu. Rational thought prevailed and the next morning my first phone call was to the vice principal.  As I explained the reason for my call, I was encouraged to hear her shocked disdain for the plight of the young lady. The principal patiently listened to my passionate venting and assured me she would get to the bottom of this! She quizzed me with several questions and then she asked me, “Grayquill, where exactly does this young lady stand.”

“She is always in the same place, right on the right hand side in the entry way.”

There was a long pause, “Grayquill, that is a manikin.”
“Uhhh…what? Huh?” confusion….Grayquill could hear a large volume of laughter coming back through the telephone.  I hung up. My foolishness scored my pride but then I began to laugh. You gotta admit that’s funny.  

That night when I headed home I nodded to my favorite manikin knowing she was well protected under Grayquill’s watchful eye.