04-27-2012, 01:34 PM
I took a job doing a tub surround for a guy named Lee that I've never met before. He came into the lumber yard buying tile and I got the job that way. Lee had took a job at a nursing home doing a remodel and needed someone to help him lay the tile. I got there this morning and as I started about my work, one of the elderly ladies came and asked me to help her plug up her radio. It seemed kind of an odd request because even with her infirmaties it was an easy task and well within her reach. Never-the-less I wasn't about to turn down on old lady in need.
I went into her room and plugged up her radio. When I turned around to leave, she had shut the door part-way and was standing there teary-eyed.
"Please don't tell her bothered you!" she pleaded with me.
I came close and asked her who she meant.
"Just please don't tell her," is all she would say. It seemed she must be talking about her caregiver and I asked her if the lady was mistreating her.
"No," she said, "she just abuses me."
I was perplexed by that answer, but she didn't seem to be exactly in her right mind. Troubled, I responded to her that I would get to the bottom of it.
"My worker comes today, but she just lies to her." She was saying as I left her room and got back to my work with a mind full of turmoil.
As I worked I thought about what I should do. At first I thought of just calling the caretaker (whom I have only met today) out on the accusations, but then it occurred to me that it might get the lady hurt or mistreated even more and that the lady could easily just lie to me.
Then as I was still wondering what to do, I overheard the social worker come in. I'll admit I strained to hear the conversation between the elderly lady and the social worker. Shortly after the conversation began, the volume of this elderly lady's voice dropped so low that I could only hear what the social worker replied:
"I realize that, ma'am, but you can't hate people just because of their color."
This struck a chord with me and I made a pass by the table to go outside rather slowly hoping to catch what this lady responded.
"But I don't want no nigger waiting on me," she was saying to the African American social worker.
Now this changed everything. As I picked up more of the story, it seems that this lady has petitioned for a transfer from the home she is in now and wants to go live in a nursing home because she doesn't like her caretaker. She is apparently also very racist.
This lady could be just making up stuff because she doesn't like the race of her caretaker. Or the caretaker could be taking it out on her physically or mentally because of her obvious and outspoken racism.
I don't want to cause trouble for the caretaker if she has don't nothing wrong and is just the victim of a racial bias.
Then again, even racist old ladies have a right to be treated kindly and taken care of . . . if it is true I don't want it on my conscience.
What should I do, if anything?
I went into her room and plugged up her radio. When I turned around to leave, she had shut the door part-way and was standing there teary-eyed.
"Please don't tell her bothered you!" she pleaded with me.
I came close and asked her who she meant.
"Just please don't tell her," is all she would say. It seemed she must be talking about her caregiver and I asked her if the lady was mistreating her.
"No," she said, "she just abuses me."
I was perplexed by that answer, but she didn't seem to be exactly in her right mind. Troubled, I responded to her that I would get to the bottom of it.
"My worker comes today, but she just lies to her." She was saying as I left her room and got back to my work with a mind full of turmoil.
As I worked I thought about what I should do. At first I thought of just calling the caretaker (whom I have only met today) out on the accusations, but then it occurred to me that it might get the lady hurt or mistreated even more and that the lady could easily just lie to me.
Then as I was still wondering what to do, I overheard the social worker come in. I'll admit I strained to hear the conversation between the elderly lady and the social worker. Shortly after the conversation began, the volume of this elderly lady's voice dropped so low that I could only hear what the social worker replied:
"I realize that, ma'am, but you can't hate people just because of their color."
This struck a chord with me and I made a pass by the table to go outside rather slowly hoping to catch what this lady responded.
"But I don't want no nigger waiting on me," she was saying to the African American social worker.
Now this changed everything. As I picked up more of the story, it seems that this lady has petitioned for a transfer from the home she is in now and wants to go live in a nursing home because she doesn't like her caretaker. She is apparently also very racist.
This lady could be just making up stuff because she doesn't like the race of her caretaker. Or the caretaker could be taking it out on her physically or mentally because of her obvious and outspoken racism.
I don't want to cause trouble for the caretaker if she has don't nothing wrong and is just the victim of a racial bias.
Then again, even racist old ladies have a right to be treated kindly and taken care of . . . if it is true I don't want it on my conscience.
What should I do, if anything?
Wildcard is awesome.