Friday, June 22, 2007

The drug test

So last Tuesday I got a phone call from Maria who works in the Pawtucket Personnel office. She called to inform me that I had to go to the Pawtucket Health Care clinic before 8pm Tuesday night to get a drug test. Apparently it is a new rule for the city where all city workers need to get this done. Seeing as I am working at the Pawtucket camp this year, I had to get it done. I have already peed in a cup before so I did not take this to be a big deal, I was wrong to think that. After waiting in the waiting room for a good 45 minutes, they called me to the back. I had to wash my hands, pick a cup out of the bin and then go into the bathroom to do what needed to be done. Before I could go into the bathroom though, I had to leave my bag outside and then they made sure that nothing was in my pockets. Once in the bathroom, I only had five minutes. The toilet bowl water was blue so that you would not be able to dilute your urine and you were not able to flush the toilet. You had to fill the cup up to a certain line which I thought we be no problem but I was wrong. I apparently had not had enough water so it took me forever. It ended up being a little below the line but I didn't have to go any more. I came out of the bathroom and I told the lady who was standing outside the door the whole time that I did not make the line. She said that it might not matter because the urine had to be transferred to a test tube and that was the one that really mattered. It ended up reaching the test tube line so I was all set. I washed my hands and then I had to initial a piece of tape that was used to seal the test tube. I also had to sign a form saying that it was my urine and I did not alter it in any way. The sample was then sent overnight to some random lab somewhere and the lady said that the results would be give to the city in 48 hours. Needless to say, this whole experience was crazy and the whole time I felt like I was in trouble. A word of advice though for any one who has to take a drug test, make sure you drink lots of water.

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