Tuesday, May 21, 2024

Closed for the Summer

 I closed the nonprofit business I run for the summer.   

I've encountered too many mean and/or lying people lately to continue currently.

It's too much for me.  I don't have to do this, help people get their cats fixed for nothing.  

Actually I've done it to help the cats, but it does also help the people who care for them.

However, the bullying, the entitlement, the lying, its gotten to the point I can't survive it.

Not to mention the sadness.

The latest, well not exactly the latest, but last night was horrible.  I'd gotten notice from SCR they had a barn home for two boys.  I dutifully texted the 7-11 manager about it, who said nothing about any changes there, but instead said she wouldn't be there last night but hoped for trapping succes and sent videos of the cats left as she fed them.

Well everything had changed, although I didn't know it til I'd been there an hour.  The new owners, unknown to me, there only a couple of weeks, stormed out and started yelling at me.  I'd caught Twilight again, thank goodness, one more out, but they ordered me off their property, that I was never to return, said they had had multiple complaints about the cats, threatened to call the police if I didn't leave instantly, told me I was not to be back on that property ever again.  

I was in shock.  Dumbfounded.  I tried to explain I had been given permission by their manager then.   They retorted they had no manager.  I named her.  They said they'd fired her.  WTF!!!!   Why hadn't she told me this, like the day before when I was texting her about going up last night to catch two of the fixed boys for a barn home.

I only got in a few more words.  I said "Kindness is a virtue".  They were chasing me off  like I was an unwanted stray cat.  I collected my gear and left.  I couldn't drive home though.  I was shaking too badly, so I sat for awhile in the thriftway parking lot.

I thought about the hundreds, actually more like thousands, spent there to solve that, and the dozens upon dozens of hours.  And the complete lack of gratitude or even kindness shown to me for doing that.  I guess its more like I don't want to have to sneak around to do what I do, or constantly take flack from people, online and in person, defend myself.  But that's what its become.  Even when I talk to my own family, which isn't often, if I say I'm tired from trapping, I can hear the eye rolls going on.  

I thought then about getting 19 cats fixed there in the process and most of those out to safety and felt better but not better in my relation to the people in this area.  They're not good to me.  I get used and duped and lied to and about.  WTF.  I don't have to do this.

I texted the "manager" who admitted she was no longer manager but claimed to still work there.  I have no idea if that is truth or lie.   WTF.   

I'd left a trap at a house in Lebanon.  The people who contacted me were frequent fliers, had lived in Waterloo, at the bad property where all the addicts were living.   I'd left a trap with them there once for a female that they never set.  Now they're in Lebanon.  So I was skeptical and sure enough they didn't set the trap but instead tried to force the cat in by hand and that of course went south.  So I told them I'd be up to get my trap tomorrow and they replied how rude I am.   Great.  No more will I take this off people.

I don't have to do this.  For at least the summer, I won't be doing this.

14 comments:

  1. I am so sorry to read this. It is sometimes (often) hard to like our species. Hugs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, when and if I start again, I will have a contract for those wanting help to sign, that includes "No hissing, spitting or pissing on the volunteer". You know what I mean.

      Delete
  2. No one should have to take abuse of any type!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Swear words seem appropriate at this point, bad swear words. But please don't do anything too rash until your mind is in a better place. You may get lots of summer sailing in this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I won't do anything rash, like quit for good, just take time off. The reservoir is up to 625 feet, still down about 12 feet but its getting there. I know they're trying to get it full by this holiday weekend. And then I can be on the water, my happy place.

      Delete
  4. I'm so sorry. Yeah, take some time off. The summer. A year. A couple years. The new owners of the 7-11 will find out pretty quickly that you helped them when they get inundated with cats. And the contract is a good idea. You're volunteering. If they can't appreciate what you do, they can do without.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah. People are strange about animals. When they want something, they often use what animal folk call emotional blackmail, threaten bad things "if you don't help". This is generally the way of people who want things done for nothing and right now and who caused the problem in the first place. But others too.

      Delete
  5. It is time to get away from it for a while. We have become a nation of angry people. Better to find some peace somewhere, and approach things later on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it is time to get away from it for awhile.

      Delete
  6. You should not put up with this. People in stressful jobs can only do them so long before they burn out from the difficult work. I think a break is a good idea, and the reservoir will be full enough for some outings soon.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The reservoir was at 625 yesterday. Haven't checked today. They have 12 feet to go to full. But I know they'll try by Memorial Day weekend.

      Delete
  7. WTF, indeed. I do wonder if the former manager didn't know she'd not only been demoted but fired. It's common here for business sellers to tell their employees after the deal is done and perhaps these a-holes changed their minds about retaining her. I must quote Nathan Lane's character from the animated film "Titan AE". At one point Preedex said, "I weep for the species." Sad to admit, I quote that almost every single day. Hugs, my dear.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I still have no idea when she was manager or if she still even works there. Probably I'll never know now. I'll never be in that store again, which is fine by me, all they sell is complete junk food and drink.

      Delete

24 Hours

 We had two days of very hot weather, in the upper 80's.  These were the days I travelled to and back from Bend. I went to see my brothe...