This is not a health update. I decided to talk about life, in general, since 2014.
Today, I realized that eleven years ago today was my last day at my previous job, my previous career, my previous life. I loved my previous life, until I didn't. And that all turned around the end of 2013. I was a 911 dispatcher for 32 years. I started on March 1, 1982 as a records clerk. Moved into dispatch as a call taker and dispatcher, was promoted to supervisor and finally was the deputy director at the end of my career. That last part was probably the worst decision I ever made. And maybe the best.
I was there through so many crises and events. The day I took my application in, I was told pretty much everyone was gone "to the funeral". A police officer had been shot and killed the week before and nobody was there to take my application. This was LONG before the internet. It was a handwritten application and background packet. It was probably close to twenty pages. I was hired and started six weeks later. I was there through Gary Arthur Bishop, the Hoffman bombings, Elizabeth Smart, The Olympics, Lori Hacking - and so much more. I even helped a grandmother deliver her own grandbaby when the mama didn't make it to the hospital.
In the records unit, we used to have to take and type up an inventory list of evidence being booked. This was anything from someone's wallet to blood-soaked clothing from homicide scenes. We typed in every report into the computer system. I mean, EVERY report. Officers didn't have computers in their cars then. That meant they hand wrote their reports, they were turned into the records unit and every report was typed. It was printed, the evidence sheets attached, the original report attached and everything filed by their case number - which was in order by year then date.
I moved to dispatch about three to four years later. I started as a call taker. We would take the 911 calls and send the appropriate resources. Back when I started, they didn't have Enhanced 911 that told you where they were. There was an initial 911 call point. They would answer EVERY 911 call in the state. They would determine the jurisdiction and how high the priority the call was. We had the regular business lines that came in, and then there was a color coded 911 lines that everyone would grab if they weren't on a business line. The bottom three lines were colored yellow and were considered low priority, the top three lines were red and were considered high priority. We all would jump on those top two red lines when we saw them - because we knew those were going to be the big calls.
Shortly after transferring over, I started training to be a radio dispatcher. Back then, we were in the old MHJ (Metropolitan Hall of Justice). We had the east and west Salt Lake City Police channels, we dispatched for West Valley and they had one channel and then a service channel where officers did all their warrants checks, registration checks, asked us to make phone calls, etc. Again, they didn't have computers in their cars then. We did it all. Cell phones didn't exist then. The first ones we ever saw were carried by the watch commanders and they were called bricks, because they were literally the size of one.
About fifteen years into my career, I was promoted to supervisor. I became everyone's mama. I worked nights for years, and by nights I mean 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. When I worked, I worked. I took on any and all responsibilities I could find or do. I loved being in the middle of everything. I loved accomplishing tasks. I loved being in the middle of the fray. I took on any project and all projects offered.
My last year I was promoted to Deputy Director. Probably the best and worst thing to ever happen to me. Worst, because I have never felt so helpless and unable to do anything in my life. I worked with and for two full on narcissists. The reason I hate Donald Trump (sorry, not sorry, to those fans) so much is because I worked with people that were the epitome of him. You feel like you're going crazy and you suck and you can't do anything right. I was this person who tried to be a shining star and now I had no clue who I was anymore. And, sadly, that meant pretty much nobody else had any clue who I was either. The best thing was, it gave me the need to just walk away. I had made that magical year thirty and some. I could leave. I could retire. My honey bunny, Ted, he gave me that strength that I needed to jump off that precipice and fling myself into something new. He looked at me and said, "it's balls to the wall sweetheart". I had to do it for my own sanity. I had spent the last several years putting my job first - not my husband, not my family, not myself. I was free to think about something other than my job.
So - that brought me to my new life. One month after walking away, I walked into the airport to work for Delta Air Lines. I've been there almost eleven years now. It's a whole new world and I love exploring it. I started out as a seasonal agent, only guaranteed to work that first summer. Moved up to a "ready-reserve" agent - or in other words, part time. Had a great double partner and for the first year or almost two I think I would work one week and have one week off. It was amazing!! Then moved into regular agent - and got that amazing health insurance that I hadn't had for years and years. Now I'm a "Red Coat" - or a lead agent. I love being there for the agents and the passengers. Love running gate to gate to check on my kids - now I'm old enough to be all of their grandmothers practically.
The old adage when one door closes another opens, well, I feel that is true. I've had so many amazing people in my life in both of my careers. It's truly amazing to me that only two people totally destroyed my previous life, and in such a short amount of time - but it only took a month to move on to a new life. I don't miss the old life. I haven't for a very long time. But, I still miss the people that I was so connected to. When you spend over thirty years seeing people more than you see your family, you miss them when you don't.
To all my friends in both lives, Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for loving me. And I love you right back.
Love you always
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