So, about a year ago, the mental health program I work in was managed by another agency that was located directly across the street from us here at this agency. They would open their doors to their clients at 9:30am each morning. All morning, starting somewhere around 8am, people would start lining up outside their building in the rain, sleet, snow, heat, whatever. When the agency I work for got the contract for the program, we decided to extend our "open hours" times so that people would not have to wait outside while braving the elements. We decided to open up at 7:30am.
Now, you'd think that change would have made a difference and folks wouldn't be lining up. Well, guess again. I come to work each day at 7am and there are at least 6 people already out there waiting. They get demanding and the other day rang the bell demanding to be let in because it was so hot out there.
The humanitarian in me wanted to let them in to get out of the heat but the realist in me knew that once they were in at 7am they would be here at that time everyday demanding to get in no matter what the weather. So, we made them wait that extra half hour.
I'm not sure what compels them to be here before the building opens. They can't really get anything before 9:30am anyway. That's when all of our nurses are here and our med room can open up. So they sit. They wait in the waiting area and sit. We don't have coffee there. No donuts. Not even a cookie! They just sit and wait for two hours. I don't get it. I have never in my life wanted to be somewhere that early for no reason. I'm prompt to my appointments. Maybe even a wee bit early. But never two hours! I just don't get it.
I'm sure if we changed the time to 5:30am they would be out there at 4am. It's unexplainable.
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