A Visit To The Nut House
One of the local institutions for the mentally impaired had an ‘open day’ not so long ago. Somebody I know works there and she invited me to pay them a visit and offered to act as my guide. What a revelation! I always thought that everybody were in straight jackets and padded cells. Everybody seemed quite normal… well, that is until they spoke. In fact, it seemed so normal that I was scared that they’d keep me there so I did not stay long enough for my face too become familiar.The hi-light of the day was undoubtedly the rugby match against another institution of the same kind. But they were playing a different game. The ball was played on the ground, off-side lines were not observed, and throwing punches was part of the game. When a loose scum developed everybody, forwards and backs alike, climbed in. The home team lost the match but certainly won the fights.
But all set aside, it was fun to watch. Discounting the handling errors (which were not blown at all), the game was quite flowing and the whistle seldom blew. And when it did, it took for ever to get the game to stop and everybody back to the point of the ‘infringement’. Methinks the whistle only went when the referee needed a rest. It also appeared that neither team had a kicker. Not a single kick at post, not even a conversion from squat in front of the posts, was attempted. It may be a rule; I don’t know.
During the game a troop of Boy Scouts came marching my way. They were halted and their leader, a tall guy with more decorations than Idi Amin, approached us where we were leaning against my car. Under a spray of spittle I was told that I may not park there. It was a clearly marked parking bay but saw it best to humour him and asked where I should park. He pointed to the adjacent parking bay and stayed until I moved the car before marching his troops off to where they came from. In the process I missed a try being scored.
After the match my hostess took me into an restricted area and when a half dozen or so older ladies behind a 2 meter fence had to be restrained for wanting to climb over the fence to get to me, I decided to leave.
But the visit left me with a few other impressions. Foremost it was the compassion in my hostess for this people. She was born for the job. Then there was a woman pushing a pram with a doll in it. I was told that she stole a new born baby to end up there and another fella, about my age was also pushing a pram; fitted with registration plates, reflectors & a horn and giving hand signals and blowing the horn from time to time as he went along. I wonder what went wrong in his life.
I always thought my hostess had a few nuts and bolts missing but now I understand her better. She has the same problem as policemen and primary school teachers. Have you noticed how policemen talk to everybody as if they are criminals and how primary school teachers address everybody like children?
Have a wonderful day.
Comments (49)
Catfoot!!
How was your hols?
Don't laugh, it was serious. They were yelling and shouting, clawing to the fence as they were being pulled off it.:It was as if they have never seen a man before.
The holiday was good, just a bit short but I wanted to be back before Easter. And then I caught a flue. I only got out of bed yesterday.
I have been living on chicken & pea soup ever
since I got sick. And I don't like chicken feet. Just like sheep feet, there is nothing on it to eat. Just skin and bones. Pork or ox trotters are a different matter. That I have at least once a month. I love making my own brawn.
I tell you it must be very special people who work with these people. I was flabbergasted with the patience and dedication of this woman. Remember, it was her day off.
I'm not always so sure about the brainy but brawny I certainly ain't. That is my friend (bea's brother); he is the one with the muscles. Mind you, I did some body building when I was young but I fell behind with the gym fees so they repossessed my muscles.
I hate even the though of passing close to my work place on my day off .
That is why did not want to stick around for too long. Can you imagine me trying to convince a trigger-happy guard with a shock stick that I don't belong there.
Sorry to hear you been sick, and it is good to see you again
when I read the title at first time, I wondered something of hardwares. Afer read the first line, I knew I was wrong... it's Nut made me nut...
The one thing, I find somewhat odd is, I happen to know a few of the mentally impaired people who do some work in the community, and I put more trust, and faith in them, than a number of people who aren t mentally impaired.
Good blog, enjoyed that, Thanks Bud,
Well, I can tell you that this girl is a bit weird at times but after seeing her in her element I have new respect for her.
When you think of all the shooting recently, so many people with fractured minds, and anger issues that should be on medication are roaming around. As our own Brendan Behan used to say about Ireland 'It is an open air Asylum.
I guess a lot of people that are in should be out and visa versa. Glad you enjoyed your day Cat.
Yes, and it opened my eyes to a lot of things.
You know, there is a boy, about 5 or 6, living in the neighborhood who is not 'all there'. He's the most lovable child that you can imagine. I admire the parents for keeping him at home iso sending him to a 'home'. My only problem is that they teach him nothing. For instance, he still cannot wipe his own bum, comb his hair or bath himself. His mother does everything for him, she even feeds him. I realize that she loves him but I feel that he should learn to perform such basic tasks without help. I shudder to think what will happen to him if something should happen to his parents.
I just think that if she does not have the skill or patience to teach him, she should send him to a place where he can learn these skills. Even if it is just for a year.
No, I can't do that. They have enough problems as it is. But you're right something must be done. I'll think of something. They go to church regularly. Maybe I must talk to their preacher. I had some conversations with him before and he may be able to tackle the problem in a better way.
It's nice to bump into you, though.
Night all.
I guess I have failed in what I tried to do. It was not intended to be funny. I merely tried to describe my observations during a three-hour visit at a mental institution.
I did not want to go there and did so very reluctantly. Now I'm glad I went. I had no idea of what it was like. Believe me, it was an eye-opener and I have new respect for the people working at these institutions and a lot more compassion for the inmates.
Thanks, I did not mean to sound snotty. It is just that I have a tendency to notice the funny part in serious matters. Even something silly at a funeral can draw a smile from me and without the intention.it surfaces in what I say or write and I don't always like it.
I have not visited a mental institution but, did speak to people who have already been there & have come out. Then, professionals who have worked with them for many years.The majority of people spoken with have gone both to prison & a mental institution.
The worst part of this was that, them locked up (prison or mental institution or both) was absolutely unfair & uneccesary. Therefore, wrongful.
This was later confirmed by a friend social worker who later went to do psychiatric nursing and work in a ward with patients with serious mental disorders.
I think the hardest or most painful thing of all to hear from people who were wrongfully, unfairly & unnecessarily ended up in prison or mental institution or both was how their lives have been completely destroyed first & foremost , by the unnecessary , wrong medication that were forced(and did not want)to take during their incarceration.
In all cases of these cases , all that was required for the "destruction of their whole lives" as all these people spoken to without exception verbalised & made reference to and their experience was the wrong lawyer or doctor or both.
It was really very hard & painful to hear them expressing this. Then, describing the context of unfair, wrongful & unnecessary conviction or hospitalisation , how all took place, unfolded in the process & consequences it had upon their minds, mindsets, thinking processes, lives & relationships.
It sounds that it was suggested to you by your acquaintance you mentioned on your blog to visit the mental institution they worked at or them at this institution.
You mentioned in your comment that "you were reluctant" of going there. If you don't mind me asking, what was the motivator factor that finally led to the decision to visit this mental institution?.
Thanks.
I cannot think of anything in particular that moved me to go in the end but I can tell you why I did not want to go. Maybe it was the exact same thing that moved me to go in the end.
To understand it you have to read the sequence of events that I described in this blog:
The blog is called 'A Stolen Life' and I posted it on February 9, 2014.
I will read it now along with my morning coffee and get back to you after this
I've just finished reading the life story now. It's truly very difficult someone to make it without any help or emotional support when faced with difficult life events that are actually unpredictable , unforeseen & unfair.
It's not hard for any person to take the downfall due to powerlessness & helplessness in front of life events.
Reading what took place after the involvement with the law, it's remarkable that this man is still alive really.
We are all human & it is possible for everyone to both take a downfall or even get involved with the law when faced with difficult life events that as in this case, led to the distress of this man as, it would have led any normal, sensible, logical person to distress when found themselves in the situation.
Being aware of the above (human nature & possibility for any person to find themselves in that position) does come with the responsibility of another to make sure, they do not reach in a much worse situation than before, to rise up-the sooner, the better.
I agree that such institutions as not good environments to be in; just as prisons are not good environments for criminals. They just learn new tricks. But how do you handle it? You cannot keep them all in isolation.
As I said at the end of that blog that a lot of detail was omitted. One such detail was that the court committed him to the very same institution where he spent most of the time awaiting trial. Eventually he was found fit to stand trial but it was while he was there with nobody on the 'outside' to protect his interests that his (then) wife could pilfer everything that belonged to him to leave him with nothing when he was finally released.
I lost contact with him in in 2011 or 2012 when he just fell off the map but somebody saw him two or three months ago in a neighboring suburb and I'm trying hard to locate him.
I kind of liked him as a person and I think you can now understand my reluctance to visit the place.
I heard of Tara but I had the impression it was more like a hospital facility for short term patients. This place I visited is a huge complex on a large estate with tarred roads and sport facilities and workshops to keep the residents occupied. Granted, the place is surrounded by a 8 foot fence but inside the less serious cases can live an almost normal life.I never realized that it was such a big operation.