Ya'll Gone Up And Done It

Recently I’ve noticed that the parkway across the street was becoming unkempt again.

The trash was starting to pile up and with all of the rain the weeds were moving past my ankles. A sure sign of maintenance dude neglect.

It turns out the school across the street wasn’t keeping up its end of the deal.

Or should I say some of the school’s employees weren’t doing their job.

It’s tough to change people’s priorities. Especially when they think that their responsibilities are encompassed within a fence’s boundaries.

Unfortunately for them I live across the street and I have no problem calling my contact within the administration to let them know what exactly is not being done.

Moreover, the City of Chicago says that whoever owns a piece of property is also responsible for the parkway. To the best of my knowledge, educational institutions are not exempt from this rule.

So I placed a call across the street.

My contact across the street is a freshly scrubbed, bright eyed young man who is an alumnus of the school. They’re big on that wholesome suit & tie, good manners and well rounded individual type of look.

Now I don’t know if it’s the luck of the draw or if it’s because he’s the low man on the totem pole in the office---whatever the case may be, he is blessed with the arduous task of fielding my initial calls.

Even though he has very good manners and would never say so, I’m sure when my name echoes in the halls, a slight chill may run up his spine.

And I’m fairly confident that’s not in a good way.

I left a message for him stating that the yard and clean up work that the school promised to do on a weekly basis wasn’t getting done.

A few hours later he replied by apologizing and reiterating that he would make the appropriate parties aware. He wanted me to give it a few weeks to see if I noticed any changes.

Frankly, I found that to be unacceptable.

The work already wasn’t getting done, why in God’s name would I think that the passage of a few weeks would improve the already shabby service?

I called the fresh faced youth back and told him exactly that.

For the most part I’m a rule and procedures type of broad. I don’t like to intentionally step on toes and go over people’s heads ‘cause it’s just bad form. Nonetheless during the course of our discussion, the youth suggested that I inform the principal of the situation.

I thought that was a smashing idea.

I did sense an edge of frustration in his voice though.

In all honesty I think that he has made every effort to make sure that the lawn and maintenance guys do what they’re supposed to be doing. It seems though that they take what the kid has to say with a grain of salt.

Talk about undermining someone’s authority.

Before I could dash off an e-mail to the principal about the matter, he beat me to the punch and called me at work.