So I was away for a bit getting things ready for a deputy position for the local correctional facility here in my city. I felt that I needed to spread my wings (cliche) and take off towards a newer and better opportunity.
The drive to the emergency response training center was a long one. 2.5 hours to be exact. So I got up before the birds did and I was in my car heading out there.
My stomach was upside down and my nerves were getting the best of me. I don’t know what I was so nervous about since I took the time to study and physically train for what was going to happen. I was cruising down the highway with one hand on the steering wheel and the other gripping an energy drink. I felt that I needed to be more alert and awake to do the written exam.
I finally get there, after hours of driving, and I walk into the building. I see signs posted of where I needed to go. Once I got to the room I walk into a room full of county deputies who were running the show. They all look at each other, then the clock, then back at me.
One deputy says “you’re a bit early. We won’t start for another hour. Have a seat in our lunch room and we will get you. Good timing though. I like that you’re early.”
So I sat in the lunch room by myself. I ate a poptart from the vending machine cause I thought I didn’t have time for breakfast. One by one more and more people showed up. Half of the guys looked like criminals and the other half looked like they were bored and decided to give the job a try.
I got to know a few of the guys (thank you social skills) and we all became somewhat of friends (doubt I will ever see them again).
We get called to the testing room and get a quick brief.
It wasn’t that bad. Basically the same test I took going into the military. Just the usual “how dumb/smart are you” test.
I was one of the first ones out the door. The physical portion was something I wasn’t too worried about. They wanted me to wait for the other applicants to be done with their written portion so they can cycle people through smoothly.
Once people started filling in the line I got to start. I was whizzing through the whole part. We had to do a body drag (dummy was 160lbs) and as I was picking him up the deputy timing me said “you can just grab him by the shirt you know”. He saw me throw the guy up and bear hug it from behind and I took off with him. I could hear him laugh and say “or not…”
I finally got done and a couple of the deputies looked a bit surprised. A lot of the applicants there shook my hand after they announced my time and said “that’s a lot better than what I’ll be able to do”.
I felt good about it. I left the training facility feeling real good about the whole test.
I hopped in my car and blasted the radio and I put on my sunglasses. I was playing Detroit’s R&B hit radio while driving around the city. It was lifting my already lifted mood.
So now that the anxiety of the exam is done and over with all I have left is the waiting game… Great…
This whole week though has literally been a hit and miss for me. I got out of the Marines, swore into the Air Force (they had a fire truck with the American Flag draped over it. Pics soon…), and now I basically aced my test. But my personal problems and issues still linger.
It’s like someone blindfolded me and had me pin what I thought would matter most to me. To my surprise a lot of what I thought was important is no longer with me. I guess it’s a sign to get on with my professional life before bettering my personal one.
Like I said. Some things look bad but mostly looking great. I’ll have to figure out real soon that I can’t take everything with me.
What I really need to do is to get back with it on my damn book. I took a month off and I’m already missing the feeling of going to the coffee shop and just relaxing while I write. I’ll start it up again real soon. I would say I’m about a third of the way done.
Whether I see fit for it to go through an editor and publisher is still in limbo with me. I just have to find the resources to do so, but first I should finish the thing before I get ahead of myself.
Well… Time for lunch. My mexican food is getting cold as I type this so I gotta attack it while it’s still warm.
Above and Below Average 