Observations from a drug screen

I recently decided that I needed to invest in my community by doing some service. I wanted something out of the typical realm found in church. After a little bit of research I selected the Washington Street Foundation. (http://www.wsfkids.org)

I recently met the kid I will be tutoring and he is top notch. He is in fifth grade and has an incredible zeal for life. This should be a rewarding experience indeed. But before things begin I must pass through a few things to ensure that I am not crazy. One of those things was submitting to a drug test. Here are a few observations from my recent visit.

• All in all it seems like a simple task, right? Pee in a cup and then have some dude in a lab coat look at and confirm that I haven't been smoking doobies or something.
• Like any vestige of the Health Care industry there was a boring waiting room, a crowd, and a long wait. The only thing that made this scene slightly different was the sight of 15 grown men gulping down water and coffee in hopes of preventing stage fright once their time came to deposit their speciman.
• I camped into my seat and scanned the coffee table for a magazine. My options were either." Deciding that I wasn't that desperate I decided to read over the shoulder of the gentleman next to me who was reading the sports page.
• After 20 minutes I was summoned to the front. I was surprised that things were moving so quickly. That amazement was soon extinguished as the real reason for the summons was revealed. I needed to sign a new battery of forms. After 20 more minutes I was called up again. Yep, more papers to sign. All this for a little pee?
• By now the room is really full and no one has been summoned. And to my amazement, no one is surprised or complaining. We've just come to expect this kind of inefficiency.
• After an hour I was finally called. I was sent back with a lady nurse who asked me to empty my pockets. In a robotic and monotone manner she walked me through the drill. I had 4 minutes to take care of my business.

After 90 minutes my routine task was finally completed. I went about my about my daily routine. Sometimes it takes a crowded and long morning in a smelly waiting room to recognize how grateful you are that the rest of your life runs efficiently.