Jim the Janitor

“WAG #10: The Professional” As we go through our days, we’re surrounded by people doing everyday jobs: the guy that reads the gas meter, cashiers, bank tellers, security guards, doctors, circus clowns… This week, your assignment is to observe someone doing a job (their profession should be one you don’t know that much about). Describe him/her and also what they’re doing, why they’re doing it (as best you can tell), and how. Feel free to use your imagination, but don’t forget the concrete observation! Special thanks to Lulu for this week’s topic idea!
Post the results on your blog, and read this post about the group for information on how to notify me so your post will be properly included in next week’s list. (Note, please include WAG #10 in the subject heading and tell me how you want your name to appear please!) Deadline: next Tuesday, May 5th.


I pushed the small button by the door. There was a beep, then the call from the office. "Yes, what do you need?"
"Can I get a janitor in my room? I had a kid with a nose bleed and there are drops of blood on the floor."
"Sure. I'll call Jim. He'll be right up."
I directed all the students to the sides of the room. They must avoid the blood at all costs. No one was allowed to walk through the center aisle.

Where was Jim? What was taking him so long? Didn't he realize there were biological contaminents on the floor and we could all be infected?

Jim came to the room dressed in a blue T-shirt and pair of navy work pants. It seemed like an eternity, but in reallity, he only took a few a minutes to make it upstairs. About time I thought.
I expected the man to carry a spray bottle of industrial strength disinfectant, masks, gloves anything to eliminate the problem. Where was the arsenal of supplies to protect us?

He sauntered in. "What's the problem? Oh just a few drops." He grabbed his bottle of clorox spray. The kind I use to clean my kitchen counters. He spritzed the splatters on the floor and wiped them away with a few paper towels. "Okay have a nice one." He left as quickly as he came. Probably on to the next dirty task.

The elusive Jim. I rarely see him in the halls. But when I do, I always say "Hi." He's been in my classroom a few times. He cleaned up the vomit a few months back. He was quick to swipe away the grafitti tagged by the mysterious one called Laser.

But who is Jim? We rely on him. Our school has never been cleaner, nor the bathrooms so fresh. The man that tackles life's daily problems with a smile, while the rest of us shriek in abject fear and disgust. How we appreciate the niceties we have while never thinking about the man that makes it happen.

Jim the janitor.

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Nixy Valentine
Gunnar Helliesen
J. M. Strother - Mad Utopia
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Marsha