Out of 178 units, only six residents were in attendance -- myself, the resident referred to in this blog as “Apache”, long time resident Big L – the woman who is personable when on her meds, but is to be avoided when off (today she was on ‘em), the woman who use to own a restaurant (let’s call her The Baker) and two new residents.
No people, no holiday decorations to liven up the place – it was a dismal failure for the new Activities Director, culture shock for the two new residents, and a waste of my time, energy and money as I’d run by the deli and picked up fried chicken.
Apache and The Baker tried to make the new Activities Director feel better about the situation by telling her attendance was poor because notice had gone out late, giving residents insufficient time to reply.
That was partly true but another part of the problem was Nurse Ratched had sabotaged the event beyond not notifying residents in time, she’d also hidden the sign-up sheet -- moving it from the counter to a new Activities Board she’d had built, which board no one knew anything about … which board was added to a wall in the kitchen … a wall in the corner of the kitchen where it’s more than likely to go unnoticed.
The only way I myself became aware of the Activities Board is because I’d gone to the Community Room looking for the sign-in sheet. Unable to locate, I turned to leave when Apache walked in the room and said, “She (Nurse Ratched) is hiding it in the kitchen. She doesn’t want anyone to sign up. She wants the new Activities Director to fail.”
Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it – that she could be that petty?
But he’s right, as she’s been doing pettiness beyond hiding the sign-up sheet that indicates she want this complex to be a no potlucks or activities zone, for whatever reason. Pettiness like locking all the cabinets in the kitchen so we have no access to cups, paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils – some of which we ourselves put there. Also, she put an end to daily coffee for residents. First by locking up the bags of coffee in her office so residents had to ask to be allowed to fill the Community Room pot, THEN she took away the coffee pot.
When Apache directed me to the Board in the kitchen, it was so well placed so as not to be noticed that I couldn’t find it until Apache pointed it out. After he and I discussed no one will see it in that location, I suggested, “Maybe I should put it back where it was before” and went to take the sign-in sheet down and relocate it. Apache stopped me saying, “She’s watching us on the camera. That’s how I got in trouble. She saw me move something, came out and tore into me."
Holy Smokes!
He’s right again.
She’s always watching us residents, looking for some little something to turn into a big deal.
Dismal as the event was, I stayed and, because there were so few of us, there were a lot of leftovers -- deli fried chicken, deli macaroni salad, fried rice, sandwiches, which I assumed would be put in the community refrigerator for whomever. However, as we were finishing up, the Activities Director said, “We can’t leave anything behind.”
Curious statement, so I asked, why.
Activities Director: “Because I’m told that’s the rule. We can’t leave anything in the refrigerator because someone might take it.”
What?!
Who told her that?
Doesn’t take a genius to figure out Nurse Ratched had gotten to the new Activities Director and laid down the law because she’s still upset about that Strawberry Pie left over from the Resident Appreciation Party … which she’d put in the refrigerator, forgot about for a few days and then raised the roof over as MY PIE! when residents finished it off.
In response to the Activities Director saying, “Because someone might take it”, I said, “That’s why we put leftovers in there. So someone will take it … help themselves.”
Activities Director: “But it’s yours.”
Me: “Yes, and by putting it in the community refrigerator, I'm telling others to take it … help themselves. That's how it's been for years.”
Activities Director: “But it’s yours.”
Me: “If it’s mine, I take it with me. If I leave it in the refrigerator, it’s because I want someone to take it, whether it’s leftover chicken or leftover strawberry pie.”
Apache is one of those who'd gotten in trouble over that strawberry pie, so he's over in the corner laughing.
Activities Director: “Oh, well, if that’s what you want to do.”
I have a sense, the new Activities Director is going to get discouraged and be gone real soon.
I also imagine that, if Nurse Ratched discovers any leftovers in the refrigerator, she’ll toss ‘em out, wrap a chain around the refrigerator and put a padlock on it.
ROFLMAO!
I’d previously said I was “done?” with it all. Now for sure I’m “done” … period, no question about it.
Wish there were enough people there to gang up on this woman and demand she change the way things are being done in their community. It's a gestapo prisoner camp instead of a senior community. Why does she have so much power?
ReplyDeleteRumor has it she has so much power because her much older husband is part owner. And complaints don't seem to go anywhere insofar as getting her out of here, though the complaints have resulted in books being audited, Nurse Ratched's boss protector being terminated, but still she's like the Teflon Don -- nothing sticks. Also, the new Activities Director told us this particular property management firm has multiple senior complexes and ALL are "very strict" with more rules and regulations than any other firm she's worked for.
ReplyDeleteShe knows no one likes her and, trust me, many have gone out of their way to try to find something redeeming about her with no success. And she's well aware of the official complaints so, the more I think about it, the pettiness may be retaliation.
ReplyDelete