Fair For All

Fair For All



Everything was late, streetcars and busses in both directions, and when Jamie got to work, she found out why. The police held a spontaneous drug testing on all Municipal drivers pulling out of some car barns and buss yards. Jamie was a beautiful woman with a soft voice and hair to match, though a small gal, she was a brave one. Nothing held her back from excelling at her clerical job with the city, and being a great mother and wife. She learned why muni was late when San Francisco’s ABC Broadcasting reported: “...there will be more drug tests upon Municipal drivers in the future. This morning was the first of the law’s surprises. Most drivers hadn’t comments, yet some feel victimized...” Jamie felt lighting like pulsations of fear shoot through her mind. Her husband drives the number 28 buss and used cocaine on the weekend, a rare happening, but he snorted only three days ago. She thought: there will surely be traces of narcotics within Joey. She knew that if Joey was caught with traces of illicit drugs within his system, he would be fired. Please, don’t let Joey come up dirty, Jamie prayed. Joey was a big guy, not brilliant, but enough smarts to do an excellent driving job on the number 28 buss line for the last five years. He was a good looking guy, and practiced wonderful public relations, and was an especially gentle and caring father to his three year old daughter, Gabriel.

For two days, Jamie worried, then on the third day after the testing, Joey arrived home late and inebriated. “What happened; why are you late, honey? Why have you been drinking?” asked Jamie.

“The narc team found drugs in my blood. I have been put on a thirty day punitive suspension without pay, and next time, I will be fired. I was so depressed, I went to a bar for a few, love. Please don’t say anything,” said Joey. “I’ll quit drugs and all will be fine. Don’t worry, Jamie Pie.”

Jamie didn’t say anything, but a glistening tear formed, like due on a rose, in her left eye, then in her right. She hugged Joey, kissed him, and whispered in his ear, “I love you Joey Toyie-I love you.” The romantic interlude was accented by Gabriel, their three year old little girl. “Daddy, Daddy home. Daddy home,” said Gabriel, and Joey cried.

“Yes, Daddy is home, sweetheart. Kiss Daddy hello,” said Jamie. Gabriel kissed her father, and they all went into the entertainment den where the TV was broadcasting: “Municipal railway workers had an unexpected drug testing Friday at a car barn and two buss yards. The surprise testing turned up six offenders who have been...” Jamie clicked on the remote to a travelogue of Italy. Gabriel played with a Gymboree Wheels and Joey and Jamie chatted about their next thirty days. They decided that Joey would fix the leaky faucet in the sink down in the basement, repair the broken toaster, paint Gabriel’s play house, and perform a few other chores.

Joey began fixing the sink the following day, but was interrupted by a telephone call from his boss down at the buss yard. “Joey, this is Sam. I need for someone to drive the 28 line tomorrow, but the Drug Prohibition Team took you and two others from this yard, and I am hurting. Now, Joey, I showed the team your five good driver, safety awards, and your courtesy certificate you have earned in the last fife years. Joey, because what they found in you was negligible, they said I could use you, that they would remove the punishment, but your record stays with the drug result for three years. If you sign a paper saying you won’t take drugs anymore, you can work tomorrow.”

“I will sign the paper; I won’t take drugs anymore, but I will not be available for work for one week,” said Joey.

“Ok, ok,” answered Sam. “You want time off? Be back in three days-no longer.” Joey was back on the job in three days and didn’t take drugs again, not because of the warning at work, but because of his love for Gabriel, his little girl.