Today I had a meeting at DCFS.
On my way down Adams
I realized that there was a police road block. I quickly cut down a side street
to avoid the area. As I crossed Jefferson I noticed a ways down there was
another police blockade right in front of the DCFS office. Thoroughly confused, I found my way through a neighborhood and came up on Jefferson
again, and found another road block. I took another side street, got
lost and found myself back on Adams going away from where I needed to be. So,
I made my way back though the neighborhood, back to the police road block where
I began to plead with the police officer.
“I have an appointment at
the DCFS office, I need to get there.”
“M’am, the water main broke,
there is water everywhere we can’t let you drive through there.”
“Ok, can I
pull through and park? Can I walk there?” The officer gave me a confused look
but waved me on through the road block.
here's a map of where the DCFS office is.
The Adams/Jefferson one-ways made the jaunt just that much more exciting.
So, picture this. Me. Walking down the middle of the road
in down town Peoria with my important little black file folder in my brand new
black suede boots. Water is gushing everywhere. Freezing cold
icy water. By this time I’ve nearly fallen three of four times, my binder
flying halfway across the street.
Two blocks down the street I find
the DCFS office and the broken water main. But, now there is a four inch deep
river of water gushing between me and the DCFS office. So, I walked
up to the officers who were manning this side of the road block. “excuse me...
Excuse me.” They turn around with a shocked look on their faces. “is
there a way to get into the office?” They look at me and the water and the
street and the office. “walk.” They say clearly confused with where I came from
(and, probably more concerned with the amount of water spurting on to the
street) I look at the water and my boots. Alright. And,
so, I walked straight through the water to the DCFS office. :) My inner farm girl puddle jumping self was grinning all the way.
There is also a video here.
Inside the DCFS office, no one could believe I was there. One
woman told me “you better have you supervisor on speed dial ‘cus if you slip
and fall I ain't comin’ to get you and it’s a rough neighborhood- you’ll get
beaten!” :)
About fifteen minutes later the police closed down the
DCFS building because they had deemed it ‘unsafe’ so, we rushed through the
meeting and I was back walking down the street to find my car.
Once I reached the safety of my car, without falling down
or getting beaten, I realized I was stuck now between four police
barricades. And, the roads were sheets of ice, running with water
and covered in huge chunks of dirt.
So I snuck (yes, I was being sneaky in my car, however
that works) down a side road and on to Adams again. When I came to
the fourth road block I again snuck past the police car and was free. :)
I do believe the whole police force and DCFS think that I
am crazy.
In Christ
~Michelle
