Everyone's worst nightmare...

I was stuck in school this evening.
Something I thought I'd escaped forever.

I had to work at a school up the hill in Sandy.
The custodian, who was supposed to stay at the school until we vacated at 6, left at 3:30. He was happy to go home a little early and spend time with his family. He said that it appeared we had everything under control.

I thought we did, too.
The site director from that site left about the same time after telling me to leave her badge in the cabinet in the classroom.

So my last kids were picked up right at 6. After that, I vacuumed the carpets in the classroom,put Marlene's badge in the cabinet, bundled up alllllll the stuff I brought (years and years of experience have taught me that when I work someone else's program, I should bring complete activities, with everything from scissors, tape and glue to yarn, paper and staples. Basically, everything needed for a complete project, because most sites are woefully understocked, SDCC even more so than the Fluffy's Cavalcade of Cunts daycare I was previously affiliated with.

Once again the activities I brought were a big hit and the kids who had been bored and acting up until I got there seemed to have a good time with the projects I brought. I called Marlene this week a couple times (do you have Model Magic, do you have ______ ) to find out what she had going on, but she was in a panic of not knowing what to do with kids "for a FULL DAY!!!"

God help us.

So I had a large rubbermaid bin full of stuff for activities, my handtruck (it's collapsible) and my backpack, which I carry everywhere when I'm working. I put the backpack on top of the bin, placed it all in the hallway outside the classroom and went to the office foyer to turn off the lights. I came into the foyer from the big double doors,  turned off the proper switch, turned around to open the doors and go back down the hallway to get my stuff and turn off the other lights at the breaker on my way out... and couldn't open the doors.

I also couldn't open the door to the next hallway. Or to the gym, which had a door in the area, too. ALL of them lock automatically and one needs the electronic badge to open them. I was stuck.

The ONLY door I could have used was the one to the outside.
And I could have gone on out and headed home... that 'be prepared' thing I do causes me to always have my cell phone in my pocket, my car keys in my right pocket and tonight because I had planned to turn off lights, a flashlight as well. But my backpack had my wallet (driver's license etc) and debit card etc. No way in hell that I was going to leave it in the hallway of a school 30 miles from my house for a weekend.

Faaackkkkkkkkkkkk!
I was locked in the goddamn school!

But (that be prepared thing again) I have phone numbers for my program manager and the guy above her on the food chain.

So after carefully trying all the doors again to make sure I hadn't messed up in trying to open one, I called my manager.

Well, it was 6:30 on a Friday night. Guess who didn't answer her phone?
Shit.

So I called the manager of the whole mess. Fortunately he did answer his phone. And he called my manager person on her personal phone, she called me, I explained what was going on. She has been working at that school a bit, so knows the layout etc.

She said she'd call me back.

I called Eric to let him know I'd be even later than I had planned.

She called me back as I was hanging up with him. Told me the custodian was on his way, that he lived just around the corner.

He was there in about five minutes. In pajama pants with slippers and a ratty old t shirt. And a cheerful attitude. I apologized for him having to come back out to the school, but he said it really wasn't a problem.

And I escaped from still another public school.

I didn't get home until nearly 7 this evening, though.