Today is my last day of clinic. For those that don't know where my clinic is, it is in downtown Columbus--I'll be general just to keep it mysterious about where it actually is. Let's just say that when you hear about a shooting downtown, you can bet that it was within a couple of blocks of the clinic. We have a big window where our conference room is so that when we are doing charts we can also observe the urban activity just outside our walls. It's one of my favorite parts of clinic. Here are just a few of the things I've observed over the last few years:
-prostitutes, prostitute and more prostitutes. They don't look like julia roberts either. and interestingly enough they usually return to their post in 30 minutes.
-a woman wearing what appeared like only a sheet wandering up and down the street
-many a drug deal--at least that is what it looked like to us amateurs
-many men peeing in public
-intoxicated individuals
-interesting store fronts such is Jihad's supply store where they sell backpacks, bus driver supplies (not sure what that is) and other miscellaneous sundries. Also the corner market had an awning with many misspelled words including "bueauty suppies" which they have since painted over.
I have also learned that eye contact should be minimal lest a drunk come to your window for assistance and watch closely for people crossing the street because apparently there are no rules whatsoever about that.
sometimes I worry that they can see in our window b/c if they could they would see a wall of faces pressed up against it just watching urban life go by. I don't think they would appreciate it :)
On a more positive note, I have enjoyed my time in this clinic and am pretty good with urban name pronunciation now (did you know neveah is heaven backwards? Of course, that is a very old one) . . . like la-a is really "ladasha" and not "laah" like you'd think and nidia is really pronounced nadia but needs to be spelled nidia because it is aiden (the other twin's name) backwards.
It's been a fun 3 years and i've learned a lot. today is my last day of clinic and now I've seen my last patient and will be walked out by the oh so interesting security guard one more time so that I don't get pillaged or plundered in the parking lot :)
-prostitutes, prostitute and more prostitutes. They don't look like julia roberts either. and interestingly enough they usually return to their post in 30 minutes.
-a woman wearing what appeared like only a sheet wandering up and down the street
-many a drug deal--at least that is what it looked like to us amateurs
-many men peeing in public
-intoxicated individuals
-interesting store fronts such is Jihad's supply store where they sell backpacks, bus driver supplies (not sure what that is) and other miscellaneous sundries. Also the corner market had an awning with many misspelled words including "bueauty suppies" which they have since painted over.
I have also learned that eye contact should be minimal lest a drunk come to your window for assistance and watch closely for people crossing the street because apparently there are no rules whatsoever about that.
sometimes I worry that they can see in our window b/c if they could they would see a wall of faces pressed up against it just watching urban life go by. I don't think they would appreciate it :)
On a more positive note, I have enjoyed my time in this clinic and am pretty good with urban name pronunciation now (did you know neveah is heaven backwards? Of course, that is a very old one) . . . like la-a is really "ladasha" and not "laah" like you'd think and nidia is really pronounced nadia but needs to be spelled nidia because it is aiden (the other twin's name) backwards.
It's been a fun 3 years and i've learned a lot. today is my last day of clinic and now I've seen my last patient and will be walked out by the oh so interesting security guard one more time so that I don't get pillaged or plundered in the parking lot :)
July 13, 2009 at 5:30 PM
That sounds like the hood I work in!!! Unfortunately I have no windows in my office!!
Congrats on being done!
July 13, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Ahhh, your post made me think of the toothless guy who wandered in my office. I do not work right in the hood, but we do have random people walk in our office and ask for money. I do not give them money because they look like they will go buy drugs. So I offer food instead. I offered this guy an apple once and he said to me "how am I suppose to eat that and showed me his toothless smile".
So what is next with your job?
July 15, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Congrats on finishing at the clinic! What's next?? It's fun to see your blog and all thats going on.
love,
Geneva for all