always go out with a bang

Sunday was the last day Nativity House was open before our summer break. We close for 2 weeks in the summer to make up for the holidays we work throughout the year without holiday pay. Also, it serves as a transition time between the current Lutherine and Jesuit Volunteers and the new group of volunteers.
So Sunday, about a hour before closing time, I was sitting playing cards with some guests when the fire department showed up. This isn't such an abnormal occurance, so i didn't think too much of it. Next thing I know I hear loud banging. I turn around and the firefighters are trying to get into the bathroom (as a preface, we have 4 single occupance bathrooms for our guests that are built completely into the cement structure). Each bathroom has a key, so we can get into the bathrooms in the case of an emergency, so i was confused as to what was going on. As it turns out, a guest had gotten locked inside the bathroom and called the 911 to help get her out. First they try our key, no luck. Then they move on to a crowbar, still no luck. Next thing i know, they've got the jaws of life out, trying to pry open the stuck door. Still no luck. At this point, the firefighters have been there for about 15 minutes and everybody is completly entranced in what is going on. Finally they get a sledge hammer. After 5 or 6 blows, the door comes slamming open and the crowd goes wild. The woman inside ran past the firefighters and out the doors. We later learned that she is clautrophobic.

don't taze me bro

a little over a week ago this incidence occured...
a gentleman, who happens to be severly mentally ill, came into nativity house. this was not the first time i had seen this man, and considering we provide services to many mentally ill individuals, i didn't pay him too much notice. he first caught me attention when he and another man, jerry, were arguing over a bathroom. we have 4 individual bathroom stalls, so waiting for the bathroom is very common, and arguments over the bathroom are just as common. from what i gathered, the first gentleman had cut in from of jerry, who was waiting for the bathroom. the 2 started arguing, the first man getting very agitated, when jerry backed down. when i asked him later what had happened, jerry said he could see how mentally ill the man was, so he let the situtaion alone. during this time, we (staff and guests) could hear him yelling and screaming from inside the bathroom. when he emerged, he continued yelling and screaming, causing a huge scene, yelling obsenities and threats. it took 4 or 5 staff members about 10 or so minutes to escort him out of the building. several hours later, the gentleman came back. our security guard approached him and told him he needed to leave. he started yelling and screaming again, so the decision was made to call the police. the police officer arrived after about 5 minutes. he walked over to the gentleman. as soon as he saw the police officer, he started freaking out, yelling and screaming. the police moved toward him to get him out of the building and the man threw a table at the police. the officer reached for his taser and just as he was about to shoot, the man threw a chair and his head. the taser wired got all tangled up in the chair legs and as a result, another one of our guests (who just so happend to be sitting calmly, watching a chess game) got tased instead. long story short, the mentally ill man got arrested and the guest who got tased, has a lawsuit pending.

on a better note: i got an apartment, yay!

you know what happens when you assume...

*favorite nativity house story thus far*
preface: nativity house has a no alcohol in the building and witin 2 blocks policy.

a few weeks ago a gentleman was given a 30 day ban for being seen with a tall can of icehouse in the field next door. guests are allowed to contest their ban by filling out a grievance form. the following conversation ensued wen he turned in his grievance.

man: i think my ban is unfair, your staff is being unjust.
me: well, for what its worth, i also saw you walk behind the wall with the icehouse.
man: well you all just assmed there was alcohol in that can.
me: huh?
man: you shouldnt assume that there was alcohol in that can, thats unfair.
me: if you saw an icehouse can, wouldnt you assume it was filled with icehouse?
man: if that guy ovr there gave me a dirty look, i would assume he didnt like me, but that may not be the case.
me: okay...
ma: im saying, your staff should have approached me to find out what was in the can.
me: by the time my staff got ou there, you were alread finished and coming back inside. so if there wasnt icehouse in the can, what was it?
man: water. it was the only can on the i found on the street tha i could use as a water bottle.
me: hmm...chance as the ban is going to stay in place, but i will take your grievance form.

i didnt remind him that we have a plethora of clean cups and an endless supply of water inside.