Archive for the ‘Voluntary Work’ Category

I was positively misty-eyed when I volunteered to help at the local hospice.  I imagined myself sitting by a patient’s bed, perhaps untying the faded ribbon around some treasured love-letters and reading them to my attentive listener who would grasp my hand in silent, grateful thanks… But no, it wasn’t like that at all.  They wanted me to work on the switchboard.  As I had no previous experience they trained me for a whole day (I thought I did quite well, but the lady training me had become rather ashen-faced and monosyllabic by 3.30 in the afternoon.) They told me they would be in contact when they needed me.  Well, I didn’t exactly cancel all my other arrangements in anticipation, but I did rather expect to be called in a few weeks rather than after four months which is what happened.  Not surprisingly I had forgotten most of my training and spent  the day cutting people off or putting them through to the wrong extension.