Red Tape

Lots to report since my last post!

I worked  a few days at the theatre last week, packing boxes and boxes of props (aka glassware and other breakables) and using a ton of newspaper. My hands were SO DARK after awhile, with the ink rubbing off on my hands, that was pleasant! Thank goodness for sinks and soap and water =P

I also worked a bunch at the country club, weddings mostly. Nothing too exciting to report there, just the same old same old!

Regarding the cruise job: NO I do not yet have a date. Trust me, when I know, y'all will know, too. I am waiting for my surgeon to fill out some paperwork and then I will send it to them and they will hopefully approve it and then sometime after that I will have a ship out date. Red tape is evil but necessary, they just want to make sure I won't get broken again.

The sentencing for the guy that hit us was Thursday morning. Me, my friend Erica and my sister all got up early to go downtown to be there for it and for me to make a statement. Here's how it all went down:

We arrive at the Justice Center at 9am. We go to the floor that the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney told me to go to and I go and try to find her. A guard tells me that she isn't down yet and to have a seat and she will call my name. So we do.

TWO HOURS LATER, after the light on the court didn't even light up until 10:15, I go up and I say, "Is _________ here yet?" "Go back to that table and ask for her" "Ok." So I go back to this table and ask for her. She stands up "Are you Brittany?" "Yes" So she walks over to me....
"Ok, well, it happened already."
"What did?"
"The sentencing."
".............what?"
She then explains that she went into the courtroom earlier (idk how much earlier) and told the court that she wished to be present for the sentencing and that the victim was going to be there to make a statement. Then she says that she went back in awhile later to see how things were going and they told her they had already done it.......nowhere in there did she ever call my name to talk to me. Keep in mind here folks that I had never met her before and had only spoken to her on the phone. RIDICULOUS. So I say:
"Well...that sucks."
"Yeah, they've done that to me before."
"Ok, so, what did he get?"
"2 years of probation and 10 years license suspension."
"Meaning?"
"He can't do anything wrong in the eyes of the law without being thrown in jail....and he won't be allowed to drive for ten years."
"Well...that's good....would us being present have changed anything?"
"No, it just would have given you the satisfaction of being able to speak your mind."
"Yeah...that would have been nice."
"So, I will type up the information and send it to you."
"Okay."
"I'm sorry it didn't work out like planned, but, considering his record isn't too bad I think this was a fair sentence."

Then we said our goodbyes, shook hands, and I got into the elevator with Erica and Jenn and cried. I agree that that was a pretty good sentence for him, and I hope that he screws up again and gets in trouble, but, I wish I could have looked him in the face and told him exactly what happened to me in my own words...made him apologize to me, etc. It's hard to not be angry with our legal system, but, I am trying to figure that everything happens for a reason and to not worry too much about it. Completely ridiculous, though, for sure.

On to happier things! Friday morning I left Cleveland to come to Pittsburgh to visit some of my besties :) We've had a fantastic time and I'm leaving in a little bit to go home :( Lots of hanging out, goofing around, eating delicious food, goood times!!

Working a whole bunch this week, hoping time flies by until I am approved and can FINALLY go on my cruise job!!!!!

Thanks for reading, y'all, and I'm glad those of you who live in the Eastern coastal part of the USA are all ok after the Hurricane/Tropical Storm! <3

B