Brian, I hope Kauai has relaxed and refreshed your spirits. I have had the most challenging couple days of my young life. Your last email and its title now strike me as ironic.
I just finished writing an "INCIDENT REPORT". I will transcribe it for you here:
Name: Samantha Mairson Team: Fire 4
Date: 12/11/12 Room: BGC Farmington
Description of incident: (When, Where, Who, What, TL action taken, and witnesses, if applicable):
Boys and Girls Club of Farmington, NM - evening on a Sunday, Samantha is running in the gym. As she is running, Samantha notices abandoned pullstring athletic bag on the bleachers. She considers it every time her lap sends her past it. She suspects, like the rest of the clothing articles & personal items that litter the bleachers, the bag belongs to a club member. On one of her laps, she swoops it up. Running with it, she realizes the bulk of contents. She wonders if there might be a wallet inside to identify the owner of the bag. She opens the bag & extracts a small, palm-sized glass container. The label is faded. Tea leaves or marijuana, she decides. She will finish her run before further examination. Thinking, running, sweating, helping carry in groceries, helping unpack groceries, final lap around gym. Then bag examination - Samantha pulls out two packages of rolling papers; unscrews the bottle, smells, suspicions confirmed - all doubt removed. Walks to kitchen, asks to speak with TL Fei. (I) tell him of findings; he responds O-o-o, "I'll put this somewhere secure." Sam brainstorms which clubmember could be the culprit. She then returns to other activities, proud of herself for not making a scene. Shower, movie-watching, dinner, finish movie-watching. After the movie ended, Brandon walked into the education room. "Anyone seen my Adidas bag?"
(I'm gonna write in first person now) I, (Samantha,) feel my gut drop an inch. "What was in it?" No clear response. Tension. I follow Brandon out of the room. He is on the phone. "Brandon," I catch him and say, "Do yourself a favor and stop looking for it." His face is like a stone. I descend into deep sadness. I know what this could mean for him & the inner-city Chicago he would have to return to -
I talk to Brandon. I begin the conversation with something along the lines of, "Hey. So there was this stupid girl running around the gym..." I finish with something along the lines of Fei has the bag - I won't lie to that man - (crying) I express my love for Brandon to Brandon; how torn the situation makes me feel.
I sleep terribly. I awake the next morning and go to see Brandon again. I tell him he has to come forward and tell Fei. I give him big, sad hug. I send Fei a text that morning:
"Oh Great Fei, before I
get to work I'm taking
a bathroom break to
write you this. Didn't feel
I had a moment to pull
you aside this morning. I
have come to know things
about my discovery
yesterday that I rather
wish I didn't know. Alas,
such is life. I think I
know the person responsible
for the weed and put it
on them to talk to you
about it. Know that it
breaks my heart to be
involved in finding it -
and that a teammate
is at fault.
I expect they've already
talked to you or will soon.
Please let me know if that
is not the case."
Fei responds:
"Thanks sam. No one
has approached me as of
yet. But we should
talk later, maybe after
dinner"
The day was heavy, crew energy was in the dumps, and people were figuring it out, suspecting, asking questions. I'm not sure there was any doubt Brandon & I were at the heart of the matter. Brandon was sick; missed dinner. Josh, Brandon's roommate from campus, was sick during the workday. By dinner, Kelly & Robin knew what was up and had entered the burning house of internal conflict. We can't send Brandon back to Chicago; Why did you open the bag, Sam? What can we do?
With that, I move towards closing this, my 'incident report' -
The only thing I've neglected are the followup conversations between Fei & I, Brandon & I. Both young men were open, supportive, and understanding of the situation.
- Samantha Mairson
And with that, I pray I have not signed his death certificate.
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| Credit: http://media.npr.org/assets/img/2012/12/04/marijuana-dbc04668ba596d1d11bbfdcab899d5bdcf6b293a-s6-c10.jpg |
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| Credit: http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site36/2012/0823/20120823_114449_marijuana_400.jpg |
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| Credit: http://media.salon.com/2012/10/marijuana_ridealong_rect.jpg |
Thoughts?
Recently discovered food for thought: (courtesy of the AmeriCorps NCCC Member Handbook)
"6. Illegal Drugs and Controlled Substances
The introduction, consumption, and/or possession of illegal drugs or controlled sustances and paraphernalia is prohibited for all individuals. Campuses will conduct random drug screening among members anytime throughout the service year and will use the results to determine suitability for continued service. Members who test positive for illegal drugs will be given the opportunity to explain the positive results. Additionally; the AmeriCorps NCCC will take no disciplinary action against members who voluntarily admit their drug usage to their region directors, as long as all of the following conditions are met:
a. The member voluntarily identifies himself or herself as a user of illegal drugs prior to being identified for testing;
b. The member agrees to obtain counseling or rehabilitation; and
c. The member agrees to refrain from using illegal drugs thereafter.
The above procedure will not apply to members who attempts to self-refer before they undergo initial drug testing. Therefore, the AmeriCorps NCCC self-referral policy will only apply to members who have successfully passed their initial drug screening and physical examination."
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