Vocational Specialist

I have met with a vocational specialist twice now. The first time, I filled out some sort of general assessment. This week, I took a sort of interest inventory on the computer.

After my results showed up on the screen, I said, “How am I going to get a job, anyway, with my record?” The vocational specialist said that anything over five years old wouldn’t matter, and she took the computer and pulled up my record on the courts site to have a look anyhow.

She said it wasn’t to trigger me, but trigger me it did! I asked her why they would have charged me and convicted me of crimes that I hadn’t committed. “Sometimes the system doesn’t work as it should,” she said.

I protested that I didn’t get to continue my education because of it and that I missed out on years of work because of it. She told me to focus on what I can do, not on what I can’t. That’s sound advice, I must admit.

It won’t be hard to get me a job, I was assured to ease my anxiety, which I had confessed to her. She recommended a meditation app for my phone, which I promptly installed. “Tacos are good for anxiety too, right?” I asked.

“Tacos are good for anything!”

“Good, because I think I’ll walk down to the store and get a taco kit.” And do I did after she dropped me off at my apartment. It was chilly outside, but the walk was pretty short. I picked up the items for the tacos, and a few other items, at the store. The total came to $18.63. For whatever reason, I handed the cashier two 20’s. The cashier apparently thought nothing of it; at least she said nothing of it.

“You forgot a bag,” said the woman behind me as I started to exit the store.

“Thanks,” I said. “This isn’t my best day.”