Prison is not necessarily full of bad people, just like the free world is not necessarily full of good people. In fact, we've recently heard some stories that made us go, "awww."
u/plankus_ asked:
Prison guards of Reddit, what is the most wholesome thing you have ever seen happen in your prison?
Here were some of the answers.
Jesus-ing Fruit
I work non-security. One time I had an inmate walk up to me, super-sketchy like. He reached in his pants. I mentally prepared myself to see his junk.
But instead he pulled out a piece of fruit.
He then proceeded to pull out twenty pieces of fruit from his pants, handing one to every inmate in the room.
When I went to scold him about taking food out of the dining hall he said, "what? I brought some for everyone!"
Working In Groups
I'm a social worker in a prison in Belgium. We were doing a cooking workshop with some of the inmates, there was one guy in the group that was a bit 'mentally challenging'. We were decorating cupcakes, and he reeeeeaaally didn't know what to do, so he just threw some sprinkles on it randomly.
The others stopped him, told him to breath and relax. Showed him how to make smiley faces, how to use different colours, all that good sh*t. They did it all together, slowed down the pace just for this one guy. Let me tell you, those cupcakes looked amazing and the one guy was so proud.
I work in a prison with a lot of mentally unstable guys and every time there is one participating in a group all the other guys are just so patient, it's amazing to see.
Hoppity Hop
I'm not a prison guard, but I was a prisoner. Out in the yard, a frog found its way into the enclosure from under the door. A group of inmates found it, and started pushing other inmates that wanted to step on it. They protected it until it went back under the door. It was sweet seeing these other inmates, who were in jail for violent crimes, ready to throw down to let the frog live.
Transformation
Not prison, but locked inpatient psych unit. We had a prisoner shipped to us bc he needed chemo during his life long sentence. I was only 21 (female) at the time and he was 6'5, in his forties. I was assigned as his 1:1 sitter and transport companion. I was terrified to be 1:1 with him bc he was so much bigger than me and had murdered 3 people about 15 years ago.
One day, after his chemo session, I was sitting with him and we were both eating a sandwich. He looked over and said "I really hope I don't scare you. I'm a different person now. Thank you for eating lunch with me."
So simple but so pure.
Kindness In Kind
I've had many a prisoner jump in front of me when someone gets too close and aggressive and tell them to back down, we're just doing a job and shouting at us does nothing.
I've seen prisoners assist staff in restraints when they're struggling. One particular prisoner was shouting he had razor blades in his mouth and wouldn't spit them out. Another prisoner overheard this and ran in to grab them out of his mouth before he could bite staff.
I've seen prisoners talk people they've never met down from suicide and I've seen them do their best to make life for people who are there bearable.
They make me laugh my arse off most days and they're honestly one thing that's kept me in the job as long as I've been in it.
Outlets For Inmates
Not a guard, but did some time at a minimum-security facility (for drug possession). My cellmate was a professional tattoo artist before his sentence. You'd think there would be a lot of requests for ink jobs, but he spent most of his time making drawings for other prisoners. They'd give him things out of commissary in exchange for a picture they could mail to their families.
The warden eventually just let him hold art class once a week. Even though having to check-in/out the pencils and pens was a stark reminder that yes, we were in prison, those classes were a lot of fun and helped pass the time. We'd talk trash about each other's art - 'your drawing is a crime against the arts, we hereby sentence you to thirty days of finger painting!' For some of the guys in there, this class was the first time they had any real exposure to art instruction. Seeing someone in their late 30s,40s,50s, get really really excited about shading and blending and in general just stoked about what they made was pretty cool.
First Responders
Former CO: In the pod adjacent to mine a nurse was passing meds when an inmate grabbed her and put a pencil to her neck and threatened to stab her. The CO called a code and I took off running the 100 or so yards to respond. By the time I got there three inmates had tackled and subdued the hostage taker I walked up and we threw cuffs on the guy and escorted him to seg. The 3 inmates who helped had a little ceremony and received a reduced sentence. You don't mess with women and don't mess with an inmates medication.
Exceptional Action
While working the floor one night, one of our officers had a heart attack and collapsed. An inmate rushed over, began CPR, got another inmate to run to the control booth and get help on the way, and saved his life. The inmates cheered and applauded when the officer revived. Not one inmate in that pod tried to take advantage of the situation.
There was also an incident with the state facility, where a prison bus was hit and rolled. The inmates did not flee, helped the injured, including the guards, and even directed traffic at the scene until police could take over.
In both cases, the inmates involved received reduced sentences.
Back To Babyhood
When I had to do community service in my small county I (a female) had to go out with the work gang from the mens jail. There weren't any other options for me. So it was a young 20's me with a bunch of hard-bitten frequent fliers more than twice my age. One of the days we broke for lunch at this little out of the way park. It's one of those first really nice days of spring and it's all breezy and pretty out. I finish my lunch and decide to go swing on the swings.
At first the men poked a little good natured fun at me. Then one of them came over to join me. Then another. Next thing you know there's a bunch of convicts and one deputy playing on the playground equipment and we're all having a grand time. We spun each other on the carousel. We went down the slide. We attempted to see-saw. It was such an odd moment of fun.
Soups Unexpected
I use to be a Correction Officer now police Officer. But once I came into work sick as a dog and one of the inmates on my tier asked me if I wanted some soup. Initially I was like "aaaah I don't know..."
He was like "Don't worry I'll make it front you and it will help knock out your cold."
Sure enough he made the soup and it was banging. Sure enough next day after I felt better. This particular inmate if you just met at a bar or wherever you would never think he was in prison for killing two people and attempting to kill another.
Worth It
I worked at the Calgary Remand Centre for about half a year before deciding it wasn't for me. This would have been maybe two years ago. The Toronto Raptors were in the playoffs and I was training on one of their Maximum Security units, murderers and whatnot all awaiting trial.
The other COs in the bubble were watching hockey, but the inmates were watching the Raptors on the unit television. I asked the other COs if they'd mind if I went and watched the game with the inmates. They laughed and said "Sure rookie". Keep in mind most of the COs are absolute garbage humans. Not all, just... Most.
So I put a radio on, buzzed myself onto the unit and walked over the to crowd of inmates watching the Raptors. They thought I was coming to turn off the TV or fuck with their game (something COs often do just to be a dick). Instead I asked if they'd mind if I joined them... 3 inmates moved out of their chairs to give me a place to sit, I said I was content standing with them. They asked if I was a fan. I explained I'd grown up in Ontario and went to Raptors games for years.
The next hour and a bit was actually the most fun I had during my short career as a CO, shooting the shit about favourite players, favourite games, the direction of the team going forward. It was a pretty cool experience that I'll always remember. I was reprimanded afterwards for giving a couple inmates high fives when we got the win.
A Healthy Anger Outlet
Not a correctional officer, but I facilitate behavioral intervention groups for sex offenders in preparation for their release back into the community.
One of my group members who was released a couple months ago called to let my team know how he's doing. He got to meet his son for the first time, he gave him some Marvel toys he had as a kid. He said he cried when he heard about Stan Lee. He's also working. Walking for 2 hours to get to and from work, but he should be able to get his license and a vehicle soon.
Another group member cried in group when he told us about how he can't wait to hug his mother, as it had been nearly 10 years. He said it was more for her than him, but we all knew he was lying.
Last week, in one of our emotional regulation groups, we were talking about relaxation techniques for when they're angry. I asked the group members about music and asked them to identify an artist or genre that they like to listen to when they are amped. One of the guys, who alludes to being in a street gang previously, and has known assaultive history, made the group swear to confidentiality before sharing that when he's angry, he puts on Celtic Woman and cries.
Violations Not Tolerated
My mum was a CO in a women's prison, and worked up until she was 7 months pregnant with me. There was one particularly aggressive inmate who in a rage threw a chair at her stomach with the intention of harming me- now if y'all know anything it is wayyy against GirlCrimeCode to ever harm a pregnant woman or child. The other inmates immediately tackled the aggressor and two rushed to my mum to make sure she was uninjured, and alerted the other CO's.
Fixing The Prison's Mistake
Obligatory not a prison guard but I did prison ministry for inmates with life sentences a few years back. Basically we stay in a prison for 3 days with a select group of prisoners who have had a record of good behavior. The goal of the weekend is to make these men feel like humans and show them that they are forgiven by the big man upstairs and that they still deserve compassion.
There is 6 tables in a room with 5 inmates and 2 of us "counselors" sitting with them. Now I have no idea how the prison didn't catch this from the beginning but we ended up having 2 men that knew each other from the outside sitting at the same table which is a big no no.
We had just got done singing a praise and worship song about forgiveness and I noticed one of the men had a look on his face like I have never seen before. It was a look of pure but calm rage. It was terrifying. I have no idea where I got the balls to do this but I walked over to him and just hugged him. I said, I love you brother and I'm really glad you're here.
Shortly after I did that he left the room to use the restroom. I was informed later that my hug was what broke down his walls. The next day we see him in the corner praying with one of the other inmates at his table. We found out that the prison made the mistake of placing those two not only on the same weekend together but at the same table. The man that he was praying with was serving a life sentence for murdering the man that I hugged's cousin.
Perfect Circle Time
Worked in the Mental Health portion of the county jail for some time.
We had a zero policy on destruction of property and graffiti.
Had one inmate, completely out of his mind, carve perfect circles into the plexiglass of his cell window, the steel on his bunk, the concrete on his walls. It calmed him. There was no chance of a security breach. Higher ups wanted the plexiglass replaced, sand down the bunk, and fill in the walls and repaint.
All three shifts implored the Major to 'let it be'. It kept him calm, we would just have more $ spent if we moved him and continually had to refurbish the cell.
We won, inmate was calm, and those circles...my god they were absolutely perfect!
People Break Down The Exact Moment They Realized They Were Being Manipulated By Someone They Trusted​​
Manipulation is designed to be stealthy. We hardly recognize it when it's happening to us because our abuser has forced it to appear under wraps.
But when we recognize it for what it really is, we really feel like we've been smacked across the face. There is no other descriptor for it. Usually we've trusted and loved those that manipulated us.
A Platitude Of Pleasing
<p>You never know where the next blowout is coming from. Any time something needs to be addressed, you might try to bring it up once, gently, if you're feeling brave. If you meet the slightest bit of resistance, or you don't feel like that fight in the first place, you just go "okay dear" instead. You find that you'll put the argument off until next time, and hope that whatever you thought to bring up won't have any consequences, because you'll be hearing about those, too. It sucks, and I'm glad you can speak about it in the past tense.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/TheGreatestAuk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TheGreatestAuk</a></p>Wrong Or Right Or Just Not Agreeing?
<p>When I started realizing that I was feeling like I was constantly walking on eggshells. I never knew which version of my friend I'd get when we saw each other, or when we hung out. I also just completely stopped disagreeing with them because I didn't want to hear them tell me how wrong I was if we didn't share the same viewpoint.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/WhatArcherWhat/" target="_blank">WhatArcherWhat</a></p>Being Used
<p>My best friend suddenly distanced herself from me. But every now and then she'd call and ask if I wanted to do something, and I was encouraged because I thought it meant that things were still good between us. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that she only called when she wanted to do something that required a ride, since she didn't have a car. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I don't use people that way so I didn't recognize user behavior. You can bet I do now.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/Goldeverywhere/" target="_blank">Goldeverywhere</a></p>Hiding The Receipts
<p>I was living with my former best friend and his gf at the time. When I asked for grocery receipts (I trusted him & his ex to buy groceries bc I didn't have a car at the time + our work schedules were different so I couldn't go with them) and they wouldn't provide any. The only reason I became suspicious was bc they started asking for a ridiculous amount of money for my half and the actual amount of food wasn't adding up. Up until that point they never asked for a crazy amount and I was content with our groceries, but I noticed they became extremely greedy. When I then asked to see a banking statement, they wouldn't even provide me with that either.</p><p>At that point I just realized they were finessing me out of extra money and I started buying my own food. I just bit my tongue bc we only had like 2 months left on the lease. They tried to gaslight me and make me seem like the bad guy any chance they had (almost the entire time I lived with them actually). Eventually, I grew apart from him once I moved away and the only reason he hit me back up was bc she cheated on him so he probably didn't have anyone else to turn to (go figure). We don't talk anymore.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/0MG1MW3T/" target="_blank">0MG1MW3T</a></p>Ah Yes, Good Old DARVO
<p>My mother and I have always had a rocky relationship. She's always encouraged me to tell her what's wrong, however, any time I would she'd immediately go "sorry I'm such a terrible mother, I give you everything you want and it's still not good enough! Why don't you just go live with someone you don't hate?" Keep in mind this happens over small things such as "mom, I'd appreciate it if you'd knock before coming into my room. You know how easily I startle and you barging into my room really upsets me"</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/paytonc0510/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">paytonc0510</a></p>How Do You Do This To Someone
<p>8 years into the relationship. As we're sitting down he explains to me that the "first couple years" we were together he only saw me as a place to crash and free rides, but he loved me NOW, and even though I accomplished all the goals HE set for ME so we could get married he said "I never really thought you could do it". Oh and also you got fat, but don't worry we can fix it! It was like a magic veil lifted and I finally saw who he really was. F**k you James.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/DoNotUseOnHumans/" target="_blank">DoNotUseOnHumans</a></p>Be My Friend And Not Theirs
<p>She always managed to make me do things I didn't really want to do but the last straw was when she decided I had to stop being friends with two mates of mine over something stupid that offended her. </p><p>Cut her off over that and she then proceeded to act derisively ("you'll come back"), then badmouthed me and then begged me to take her back. Ten years later I am still friends with those two guys and she's still out of my life.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/FatherTedHackett/" target="_blank">FatherTedHackett</a></p>Victim Time
<p>When literally every time me and my mom talked she played the victim.</p><p>I was trying to help her raise me, ask me about my grades and stuff. For her I just existed, she wasn't responsible at all.</p><p>I grew up watching her play the victim to others, and I was always on her side, cuz she's my mom you know. Also I never really understood what was going on.</p><p>I started getting older and older, and seeing sh*t after sh*t she did. I understood what she did to my father, to my step-dad, to my sister, to her friends.</p><p>Probably I'd be the next one who she would use and throw away.</p><p>I talked to her... and you know the result. The victim. Nothing it's her fault.</p><p>The last time we talked, I was expecting the victim card. When she started speaking, I already knew what was going to happen. I didn't even said a word, I just agreed with her, and the next day I moved out. I'm not wasting my time.</p><p>It was the last day before quarantine, I remember it as if it was yesterday. Friday night: saturday morning I was packing my stuff.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/NotFromHeel/" target="_blank">NotFromHeel</a></p>Sixteen Years Of Made Up Lies
<p>After 16 years of marriage I realized my now ex was manipulating me. I would work and take care of the house and if I asked him to do something like get a job or clean up he would stage a mental breakdown and make me feel bad for asking him for help. </p><p>He would play up a horrible childhood or PTSD from the military to make me feel like I need to take care of him. Then would play on his computer all day and smoke while I worked. </p><p>Found out that a lot of his horrible childhood stories were made up and that he never made it through basic training in the military. I am happily with someone now but still catch myself cringing when he does things like cook or clean thinking that he is going to yell at me for being lazy. Meanwhile he loves me and is just doing things to take care of me. I'm working on deprogramming myself.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/HolyCelestialCow/" target="_blank">HolyCelestialCow</a></p>Sometimes It's The Mother-In-Law
<p>Took me until after the engagement to realize that my cheating ex fiancee was trying to browbeat me into submission.</p><p>Anywho, I quickly recognized emotional blackmail and manipulation from my MIL after getting married to a different girl years later due to that experience. I called her out on it.</p><p>She... Doesn't like that. But since my wife and sister-in-law and brother-in-law also recognize it they've got my back.</p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/engineertr1gg/" target="_blank">engineertr1gg</a></p>Just as new mothers encounter the sudden, influential developments of powerful hormone changes, protective instincts, and milk production, so new fathers undergo some key changes of their own.
Their socks become exclusively white, climbing higher up the calf than ever before. All their shorts sprout cargo pockets and clunky belt loop cell phone holders. They start to really lean in to their old records.
Regional LawsÂ
<p>"Dad, driving past a cemetery: Did you know anyone living in a 3 mile radius of a cemetery isn't allowed to be buried there?"</p><p>"Me: No, I had no idea. How come?"</p><p>"Dad: Yeah, you're not allowed to bury the living"</p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk1d2k?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">TinyLuckDragon</a></p>For the Face Plant Image Â
<p>"Why do Scuba Divers fall backwards off a boat?"</p><p>"Because if they fell frontwards they'd still be on the boat" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjv4mt?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">hatsnatcher23</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Just told this one to my bf and he still has his face in his hands" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjka0w7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">sxeoompaloompa</a></p>A Mammal of Few WordsÂ
<p>"What did the father buffalo say when his child left for school?"</p><p>"Bison" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjp257?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">TatooineLight</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"LOL" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjp9p0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">BennuH</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Told this to my brother, he laughed his a** off." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk4cvq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Type10Civilization</a></p>Baggage
<p>"When I do home improvements I always use my step ladder"</p><p>"I never knew my real ladder" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjlkab?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">DavosLostFingers</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Whoever took the ladder, please return it or further steps will be taken." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjm2htz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">WaldhornNate</a></p>Woah Woah Woah, We're in PublicÂ
<p>"Me: I'm not very hungry, I just want something easy"</p><p>"Server: maybe the chicken strips for $6"</p><p>"Me: maybe it does, but that doesn't help my hunger" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjuq78?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">mcnoobs_</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"My husband was facepalming for solid 8 minutes after I read that joke to him." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjnee7m?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Madanax</a></p>Not WrongÂ
<p>"Two dudes were on a boat with a few cigarettes, but they didn't have anything to light them, so they threw one of the cigarettes out of the boat, and the boat became a cigarette lighter." </p><p>-- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjjkeoz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">OrangeMirrorJuice</a></p>Watch the News Before Saying This OneÂ
<p>"Did you hear about the kidnapping at school?"</p><p>"It's okay, they eventually woke up."</p><p>"I cringe every time." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk0ej7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">unicorndreamz94</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"My 10 year old tried this one a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I had just read news about a missing local girl. 'So I answered that yes I heard about the missing girl' Scared the sh** out of my 10 year old" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjo3ssv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Aubear11885</a></p>Got a Million of Em
<p>"What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fshhhh."</p><p>"I'm sorry but I'm about to say something tasteless. Water."</p><p>"I got fired from my job at the calendar factory. I took a day off."</p><p>"Unfortunately though, I can't really tell these jokes since I'm not a dad. I'm a faux pa."</p><p> -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk9igl?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">WholeGrainMustard</a></p>G-Pa With the Physics HumorÂ
<p>"Why does the movie "speed" have no director?"</p><p>"If it had direction, it'd be called velocity!"</p><p>"-my grandpa, earlier today" -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk4wdo?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">ConceptUpset4681</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"That's better than a regular dad joke. It's a grand dad joke." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjkuc30?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">VaultBoy9</a></p>A Surprising Amount of Elevator HumorÂ
<p>"I have a joke about elevators."</p><p>"It works on so many levels......." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjk1lrv?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">M0ntgomatron</a></p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"Did you hear about the corruption at the elevator company?"</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;">"It went all the way to the top." -- <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/kyz64a/whats_the_best_dad_joke_you_know/gjkyjrp?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">RandomName222222222</a></p>Cleaning up is hard enough when it's just clearing a month of dust bunnies. Can you imagine cleaning the debris left by murder, suicide and violence? I have a really great friend who used to do crime scene clean-up for a living. The pay is incredible; it starts at $55 an hour. But there is a much higher cost in mental well being. Death affects you in ways you don't always feel immediately. My friend has stories of nightmares, depression and pain after leaving scenes of horror. Why make all that money just to spend it on therapy? It takes a certain type of person.
***TRIGGER WARNING. CONTENTS ARE SENSITIVE ***
Redditor u/MemegodDave wanted to hear from the people who have the stomach to come in after crime and tragedyto try to bring back some form of normalcy to the location by asking... People who make their living out of cleaning murder scenes, accidents and the like, what is the worst thing you have experienced in your career?
Wrapped Up
<p>Dad had to saran wrap a guy's intestines back into his body once.</p><p>Dude had surgery and pushed too hard on the toilet. Dude was fine, according to Dad, just holding himself together on the toilet while a group of firefighters tried to figure out why the hell they were sent instead of paramedics.</p><p><em>Update</em> When he pushed too hard he opened a scar on his torso/ab area and it all fell out onto his lap. Should have mentioned this when I wrote the post. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l48wk3/people_who_make_their_living_out_of_cleaning/gko9lq0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">noblemile</a><span></span></p>Flesh
<p>One that stuck with me was a suicide in a bathtub, we couldn't drain the tub, so had to use a coagulant then scoop up the bloody mess into biohazard bags. Same for the toilet. Another was a suicide by gun in a basement full of boxes which was a nightmare to clean as even the smallest bit of flesh had to be found and cleaned up. The smell of the smallest piece of flesh meant the job wasn't done until it was found. </p>Walk Away
<p>Medic here, first responder to a motorcycle collision. Guy who crashed was a friend. He'd been torn in half and almost decapitated.</p><p>Had to walk away from the scene and let my driver and another crew handle it. Think about it daily. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l48wk3/people_who_make_their_living_out_of_cleaning/gko4y58?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Sabre-23</a><span></span></p>All over the House
<p>I posted this on another thread so just copy and pasted it but this was one that I had to do</p><p>Clean up after a murder. It was a rehab house for ex cons, 4 bedroom house with communal bathroom and kitchen. Sunday morning and guy A is in his room listening to music pretty loud, guy B is in the kitchen cooking his breakfast, B knocks on A's door and tells him to turn it down, there's a small argument and B returns to his breakfast and A turns his music up. So B grabs the biggest knife in the kitchen, kicks in A's door and stabs him through his left shoulder, entering by his collar bone. </p>"ride-alongs"Â
<p>Not a cleaner, but my brother's best friend is a police officer and I heard all about this horrible experience:</p><p>My brother's friend took him on "ride-alongs," all the time. One day, they were responding to a welfare check. This guy's neighbor saw his apartment door cracked open for several days and called the police. They went to check it out and found a college student (18-19) who had shot himself. </p>Melt Away
<p>When I was a bartender, a couple of clients told me the worst part about the job is cleaning melted bodies.</p><p>I don't know the science behind that, but from what I understand is if a body stays for a while in a certain condition of temperature and humidity, it melts. And those guys have to remove that person's remains in buckets. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l48wk3/people_who_make_their_living_out_of_cleaning/gknsqfm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Kaynny</a><span></span></p>Audrey
<p>I had a great uncle who helped clean up the bodies left behind by hurricane Audrey in 1957 and he said that the smell persisted in his nose for weeks after. It got so bad that he went to the doctor to see if they could do anything and they clipped all of his nose hairs and the smell went away. It was explained to him that the smell had soaked into the hair but I don't claim to know the validity of that statement.</p>Hazard
<p>One of my first jobs after moving I did this, and the job that had me walking wasn't even a scene as described. We did all types of hazmat cleans and the worst was actually a couple went on vacation and came back to backed up sceptic. Think about 1 ft thick hard dried out crusty sceptic waste spread throughout the entire 1st floor of a house. Not going further into detail here. Was nasty.</p><p>Septic, not sceptic. On break and mobile, so yeah... </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l48wk3/people_who_make_their_living_out_of_cleaning/gknvzn8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Kamenovski</a><span></span></p>After the Crash...
<p>Working for a tow truck driver that get the calls after crashes. The worst one for me was a family of 6 coming back with over 10 pizzas for a baseball team. It was a head on with a tractor trailer (18 wheeler). The ambulance took the bodies away of course, everyone died but one little guy. There was so much blood and vomit, diapers, toy dolls covered in blood, the pizza was everywhere inside of the car like 2" thick on everything and all over the road. </p>Fresh Meat
<p>Friend of mine does this.</p><p>His worst was an elderly woman who died in a bath. Skin falls off like long cooked meat. So he just saw piles of skin/flesh</p><p>God just writing this makes me gag. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/l48wk3/people_who_make_their_living_out_of_cleaning/gknwqwu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">PlagueDoc22</a><span></span></p>Image by freestocks-photos from Pixabay |
We all know the telltale signs that something is making us uncomfortable. Suddenly, we begin shaking, either in our hands or knees or toes. Then, usually, sweat starts pouring out of every part of our body, making it look like we just ran through a rainstorm underneath a waterfall. Finally, we lose our regular speech functions. Everything goes out of sync and our words don't match up to what's in our minds.
What's interesting is that what usually brings about these fits of uncomfortableness differs from person to person, as evidenced by the stories below.