10 years ago today

It was 10 years ago today that I did my first 8 hour shift as a dispatcher. I, before that day, had been a full time hair designer. I wasn't looking for a change. I really liked doing hair. However, I had more bills than money and set out looking for a part time job. What I found was a full time job dispatching. I'd always been very intrigued by law enforcement. A guy I dated in high school had a scanner at his house. I loved listening to that thing. Normally I had no idea what they were saying on there, but I was more than captivated by it.

One night I was laying in my bed wondering how I was going to make a credit card payment. It was about 11 o'clock PM and I couldn't sleep. I sprang out of bed, went to the local convenience store, and bought a paper. The ad spoke to me. Dispatcher, $7.90/hr. I thought dispatching would be so much fun, and almost $8 an hour? Wow! I got my resume ready and sent it as fast as I could. It didn't take long for me to hear back from them to set up an interview. Holy cat smokes was I nervous. I went to the Sheriff's Office in Flandreau, a place I'd never been. I waited in anticipation with my heart in my throat. Finally they called me in. BZZZZZZZZZZZZ. They opened a security door. A security door - how exciting!

I was interviewed by the Sheriff and the Chief Deputy. Neither of those titles meant anything to me at the time. The interview was an hour long. AN HOUR LONG I said. The Sheriff would ask me "What would you do if this happened?" I didn't have a clue. I didn't know the first thing about dispatching. I'd have to learn the tricks of the trade, but if they'd only give me the chance, I could show them that I'd be really good at this job. Finally after about the third or forth time the Sheriff asked me a 'What would you do' question, the Chief Deputy started bickering with the Sheriff saying "She doesn't know. She's never been a dispatcher. Stop asking her those kinds of questions." I sat there in awe, not sure what to do. The Sheriff asked me "How long do you think it will take you to learn how to dispatch?" I thought the Chief Deputy was going to come out of his chair. He scolded the Sheriff again. By this time it was comical. An hour later, that's right - an hour, my interview was complete. I felt pretty confident that I was a front runner for the job. I don't know why exactly, just a hunch.

I left the building and had to walk in front of a room full of 'cops'. 'Where did they all come from' I wondered and 'why weren't they out working'? They all stared at me as I walked by. It wasn't a fond memory. Anyway, during the interview I found out that the dispatching job I'd so eagerly wanted was full time. Uh, I already had a full time job. I certainly couldn't have two. Something would have to give. I decided if I got the dispatching job then I'd drop down to doing hair part time.

I obviously got the job and cut my hair hours down to part time. That only lasted 7 more months. I worked the midnight to 8 shift dispatching and then would work from noon until 6 or 7, sometimes 8pm doing hair. HO-LY CAT SMOKES! I kept a journal at that time. At the beginning of each entry it said "I'm so tired today". I was, I was beat.

From then on I did hair part time here and there. The last time I worked in a salon was when I was pregnant with Nathan. I went on maternity leave and never went back. I dispatched in Flandreau for 2 1/2 years and have worked here for 7 1/2 years. I love my job. It's quite rewarding. There are days that I'd like to not have to answer the woman who calls 911 to ask for a weather report, but I guess with everything you take the good with the bad.

Ten years ago today I started a new life. I'll never regret it and never forget it.
(There might be some of you who are tempted to comment, you know who you are, but please choose your words carefully.)