The times, they are a changin'

[sofadoc]

I just finished re-covering some pews at my local Court House.
I last re-covered them 25 years ago.
When I did them last time, I backed my truck up on the steps, and ran an air hose up to the 3rd floor......at midnight. No problem, since the Court House was open to the public 24 hours.
Back then, there were 2 sets of rest rooms on each floor. On one set of doors, you could still see the word "Colored" through the varnish.
The maintainence man went up to the top floor (where the jail was), and brought back some trustees to help me.
No help from trustees this time, too many legal issues (anyway, the inmates have been re-located to a nice air conditioned facility).
I had to go through a background check in order to gain access after hours (even though I've covered everything in the Court House at least twice).
They had a REAL problem with me bringing all kind of sharp objects through the metal detector.
And the MAIN thing that's changed.....me. I was a young buck then, not now. Every bone in my body aches from all the stooping and crawling.
Here's to hopin' they last another 25 years.

[byhammerandhand]

I hear you.  I did a job a few years ago at a federal court house.  I think I spent more time and trips getting things set up for a government contract and cleared (including fingerprints for FBI) than I did doing the work.   

At one point, I was working in a small office when a couple of armed guards came by.  They asked me to close the door and stay in the office while they escorted a prisoner down the hall.

[SHHR]

A few years ago I worked as a maintenance foreman at a local state hospital that also had a minimum security female prision on the campus. They had their own maintenance dept, but we took care of the utilities.
   They started developing into a more secure prision with 10' razor wire fences, armed guards and check points. We were rebuilding the steam loop on the campus and had to go inside their fence to replace some flanges and valves and found out quickly the prisoners (or offenders as they're called) had more rights than us.
  My van I drove in with was thoroughly checked top to bottom, we has to empty our pockets and couldn't even carry my little old timer pocket knife. of course they didn't care I had an acetylene torch in my van that could have leveled the whole facility if it was to blow up.
  We were supposed to have a guard escort the whole time, but he was too hot standing out in the sun with an exposed steam line so he hid out in the air conditioned building.
  We were also told not to look at or speak to any offender, but they sure could make any comment they wanted towards us, and when you have ol' bertha who's been locked up for 5 years the comments when she sees a man ain't pretty (neither is she by the way)!
Kyle

[Mojo]

I avoid court houses at all costs.

The last time I was inside one the judge said " do you have any dreams ? if so we want them to ".

Cost me a small fortune, a house and 2 years of alimony. She even got the broom she flew around the room on.

:)

Chris

[gene]

I quit playing competitive volleyball about 8 years ago. I could still make the digs, but it just took too much time to get up off the floor.

I was thinking last week of buying knee pads for work so I can spend more time on the floor without having to stand up as often to stretch my legs. I also am going to get one of those poles with the clinchers on the end: you squeeze the handle and the clinchers grab whatever you want to pick up off the floor.

Regarding prisons: I know a psychologist who does a lot of the mental exams for our county judicial system. She said the line between the people on one side of the bars and the other side of the bars is very thin - often times there is no difference. People do not want a prison build in their neighborhood, not because of the prisoners, but because of the family members who would move into that neighborhood, or just frequent that neighborhood, just to visit and be with the prisoners.

gene

[Mojo]

I quit playing competitive volleyball about 8 years ago. I could still make the digs, but it just took too much time to get up off the floor.

I was thinking last week of buying knee pads for work so I can spend more time on the floor without having to stand up as often to stretch my legs. I also am going to get one of those poles with the clinchers on the end: you squeeze the handle and the clinchers grab whatever you want to pick up off the floor.

I made myself a prayer cushion out of 6 inch foam. I kneel on that now and when sitting down I use it as a seat cushion. I call it a prayer cushion because whenever I kneel on it I pray to God I can stand back up again. :)

Chris