Now that he has a boot, The Pony is like a baby who has learned to walk. He lurches around in a manner too fast for safety. Yesterday afternoon he whacked that boot on a kitchen stool under the cutting block. It's not like he felt anything. The boot is sturdy, with a lot of padding.
He has picked up and moved from Farmer H's recliner back to his bedroom. I am mourning my again-empty nest. The Pony only comes out for food, bathroom, and soaking in the big triangle tub in the master bathroom. He says it's nothing personal. He's perfectly happy living in one room (which certainly comes with gracious amenities).
He bears us no ill will, but does not like watching Farmer H's TV shows, and doesn't want to unplug all his chargers to move his electronic gewgaws back out to the public area. He has to crawl under his bed, he says, to plug in those chargers in his room. I'm pretty sure that's a partial truth. I think there's a lot of junk in the way under the bed, and he can probably stick his arm down between the bed and the wall to plug in.
Anyhoo... as you probably predicted, The Pony did not get his continuation of pay put into the system to get a paycheck this pay period. So it will have to go two more weeks (don't think I'm holding my breath) at the earliest. There will have to be a re-adjustment back to the time it should have begun.
The Pony is fortunate to have the soft hammock of Mom and Dad's support system to fall gently into. The other broken ankle does not, being an adult woman with bills to pay at the beginning of the month. She is NOT happy. The union rep said she can come in and sign up for an advance on the money she is owed for this time she's been off so far. I guess it's like a loan against your wages. There better not be interest!
The Pony is kicking up his heels, and enjoying his newfound mobility. He is resigned to waiting on compensation.
And The Pony has this easy life--with pay--until how long?
ReplyDeleteI have tried to slip because of puddles in the hall at school... I've tried to trip over the custodian's broom propped up against the wall... I've run my finger over and over the edge of a piece of paper, trying to get a horrible papercut--all the while, I holler, "It's workman's comp, it's workman's comp!" but it's never succeeds. And yet The Pony gets a little vacation without even trying.
Life ain't fair.
I hadn't given any thought at all to the other broken ankle, I thought she'd have some sort of support from family and I definitely thought she would get paid from the Post Office. How dare they leave her in the lurch like that?
ReplyDeleteI am happy the Pony is getting around better now and completely understand about not wanting to watch Farmer H's TV shows. When I lived with my adult kids, they each had all their equipment in their rooms and I saw them for mealtimes when they would come to the kitchen and collect their filled plates to take to their rooms and eat.
Sioux,
ReplyDeleteThe ankle doc said 8-10 weeks until ready for regular duty. I think The Pony can get six weeks continuation of pay from 3 days after the injury, and then it goes to 60% of that amount for remaining time off until he is released by the doctor. Not bad "work" if you can get it, but The Pony would rather be delivering mail. He was just getting in the groove, completing routes in the allotted time, without help.
Let's not forget, Madam, that time you wedged your head under the faucet of the faculty restroom sink... I found a scorpion on the floor of my classroom. Had I only known of your continuing quest, I could have trapped it in a bottle for transport and release in your district.
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River,
The other broken ankle is also a "middle-aged woman," according to The Pony. Who says he can't be sure, but she's in her 20s or 30s or maybe 40, and has her own household to take care of. Her break only occurred 3 days before The Pony's.
That's EXACTLY how it happens around here! A couple nights a week, we are graced by The Pony's presence at the marred coffee table. Like tonight, when he dropped some crumbs of buttered baked potato on the carpet.
"I hope the melted wax protected my carpet."
"Sadly, no. The melted was is over THERE!"