Paper Caper

Karl met with PO L--- at around 9:30 am for Probation Report day. This completes the first month of Probation. The lobby was fairly empty, there were only two of us in the waiting area. He leafed through the J. Crew catalog that was on the bench. But this morning this dilligent Druid had his mind on sluething a Comunity Service paper caper, not misdeamenor-chic shopping. It would take more than simple prayers and a fully charged Wand of Magic detection to solve this mystery.

Mr. L--- said he'd never heard of either a Letter of Introduction or Monthly Report in all his career. He got on the phone with Mr. C----- form Community Service. They got heated and went and forth as to whose department generates which paperwork. Mr. Long handed me the phone and said "Here, talk with him."

"How come you're missing out on two weekends out of a month?!" He said angrily. "I missed out on Jan 14th, I only missed one weekend." Mr. C----- grew more defensive and annoyed.

"Well you're on warning, you missed two weekends. You also missed the 21st."
"No, I was there with eight people, the van didn't show up."
"I have 9 signatures on here but not yours."
"Did you change locations that weekend?"
"No, we always meet in East New York at Broadway."
"I don't know what to tell you, but I was there from 7:45 to 9:30 with eight people."
"Well, you're not on our sign in sheet."

The sign in sheet is a peice of paper with hand drawn lines with neither court seal nor case number. This past Saturday, January 28, I wrote my phone number next to my name. How am I supposed to prove I was there other than signing on a makeshift time sheet? Should I tell him to ask the Haitian guy with the gold teeth as proof? Mr. C----- said he's talk with Mr. B-----. gave the phone back to Mr. L---, he kept rolling his eyes saying "Uh hmm, yes, yes, well OK then." Then hung up. "Anything else?" he asked me. I had nothing to report other than I went to Anger Management with 18 guys, all newly released from prison. He laughed. "Just keep showing up to Cumminty Service, they'll figure it out sooner or later."

Ms. J----, the home appointment officer passed by the cubicle and waved at me, she said I dropped my hat in the hall way. I said "Thanks Ms. J----, how you doing." she smiled and said she was fine and went about her business at the copy machine.

I called Mr. B----- when I got back, he said he'd take of it (again). He wanted to know what happenned. I told him that Mr. L--- and Mr. C----- got into a heated conversation, all I wanted to do was get him the right papers. He said to keep it low, he just needs my case number: #KS0500000. Mr. L--- said that they should have it already. Oi.

Epilogue
I'm on warning? with Community Service?! I'm as confused as when I was lost in the cave of the Minotaur. How the hell does that work? Should I be rolling for a Detect Snares/Traps spell before I catch my Saturday train?

Early on, my theory was that a person could be in trouble and not even know it with the way things get handled here. I found this to be true. How many people become collateral damage in this inter-departmental warfare? Seems like a lot of their paper work gets shuffled like a game of "Three Card Monty." It's a good thing I keep records of all of my paper work. I'm going to start taking pictures of myself with the NY Times as proof of appointment.

This week I've reached a Probation milestone: I completed my first month. Over the course of the next 6 months, I will have two Probation Report days and one home visit per month. My next Probation Report day is February 14, Valentines Day.