RCA Retainer - 11 March, 2010

...As written in my field notebook...

I drove from Veyo this morning to work. I was especially looking forward to this week in the field because of my over stuffed food bag. Back at the lodge I had taken my snack bars to the next level; melted down caramel candies, Reese’s pieces, honey, and butterscotch for a little extra flavor. I had also premade all my bread as well – a full ration of wheat with chives, garlic, salt, and cayenne – rolled out with the rolling pin machine, cut out and baked on cookie sheets. Those babies tasted good in the lodge – I couldn’t imagine how amazing they would taste in the field!

Shotgun, our staff meeting before going into the field, went fairly normal. Nurse Karen gave a presentation on skin diseases and treatment in the field. Because Warrior was gone for the week, Medicine Bull wrote the group assignments on the whiteboard. It brought back feelings from the mission when transfers came along. Bull wrote the group name on the board and then the staff assigned to them underneath. As each group came and went my heart started pumping harder. I had to be coming up soon… nothing. I raised my hand as Bull sat down. “Uh, Med Bull – is there a reason I’m not on the board?” He paused for a moment, walked back to the board and wrote, ‘RT – David.’ “Sorry about that.” The meeting was adjourned and everyone began their final preparations. In passing Bryan mentioned that he had asked to put on Retainer for this week – and that if I wanted we could ask Med Bull to switch us. Med Bull was a little hesitant when we first approached him, “Yeah there’s a reason for that – we’ll keep David on retainer this week.”

I met with Allison briefly to learn Retainer duties and responsibilities. I was basically on call all week and to be an extra hand where needed. She gave me a sheet explain that I wasn’t to be drinking while on call, that I was to be available by phone 24/7, and that I was always to be within an hour of base. She gave me a heads up of a few events that she knew were coming up. “We have an intake tonight, a med run on Friday and a graduation on Monday. So it looks like you’ll get a few days in this week.”

I stowed my pack back in my car and took a shower before heading back down to Veyo. While in the shower, Jordan yelled in through the door, “Hey Dave! Is that you?” Yeah! “Hey come see me before you take off.” Sure thing, is that C.W.? “Nah, it’s Jordan – Lynx.” K - be out in a minute.

I put my blue jeans back on with my new Jacob Lake –North Rim shirt and headed over to Jordan’s office. He sat me down and apologized for not having brought me in earlier. A few weeks back I had requested an interview with him to sign off my internship. Jordan had mistakenly shrugged me off and told me to catch him next week. Well – the next week I returned to find his office empty. Timeliness was going to be an issue because February was coming to an end and time sheets were due. If I wanted to get a pay raise then I needed Jordan’s signature. I should have told him that I instead met with Warrior but thought the conversation would be a good way to build report with Jordan.

…back to work – to be continued later!...