The time I walked in on something I shouldn’t have… or did I?

It was the height of the pandemic. I was just finishing up a course to be a personal support worker (basically if you ever need home care, you’ll probably be cared for by a PSW) and was in the process of looking for a job.<br><br>I got a call from a local agency so I went in for an interview. They told me I could start right away, and so I did.<br><br>For the first few days it was an orientation type thing, just spent in the office learning about the different clients and the staff. Then they told me I would be shadowing another staff member, mostly because if you’re new to the field they want to make sure you’re comfortable or if you have questions you have someone to ask. It’s a pretty mentally, physically, and emotionally demanding job so it’s not for everyone. So the other staff member I was shadowing, her name was Cindy. She had about 10 years experience but she was pretty new to this agency. She transferred from a different agency in a different city because she moved here. So she’s still in a bit of the training phase but the home care manager is comfortable with her training new staff.<br><br>So anyway, she had a night shift that she needed to do and they asked her if she was okay with me tagging along. She said it was fine.<br><br>The client’s name was Mr. Hemmings. He’s an older gentleman that lives alone in a condo in a pretty nice part of town. Cindy said he was pretty easy, all you had to do was make sure he gets to bed on time and then just kind of… hang out until your shift is over.<br><br>It was pretty weird. I mean, I am new, but I’ve been trained. I feel like I am capable of caring for someone, but I guess as a new staff member it is still a training process. But I was OK with it, it was good experience, and Cindy was very kind and patient with me.<br><br>For the first couple of weeks I mostly just watched or helped with little things, mostly things she only needed another pair of hands for. But I was getting more confident, and she seemed to notice that, because she was giving me more responsibility. But don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind her being there at all. She taught me a lot.<br><br>So this particular night, I don’t know what possessed me, but I got up to use the bathroom before my shift was over. I think it was just nerves or something because I literally did not have to go. But somehow I knew I needed to go.<br><br>So I excused myself and went to the only bathroom in Mr. Hemmings condo, it’s connected to his bedroom. But the door was closed and locked. I figured Cindy must have been in there. I was confused because she hadn’t said anything to me about needing to use the bathroom. So, I knocked on the door.<br><br>Nothing. I knocked again, thinking maybe she couldn’t hear me, and still… nothing.<br><br>I decided to go find Mr. Hemmings and see if he knew if Cindy was in the bathroom. I called out his name a couple of times, but there was no answer. I figured he must be sleeping, so I went to his bedroom to check on him. When I opened the door, nothing could have prepared me for what I saw.<br><br>Cindy was on top of him, having sex with him, and he looked like he was dead. He wasn’t moving or struggling, but his eyes were open. She was moaning pretty loudly and the way she was moving, I could tell she was almost finished. I must have made some kind of noise because she stopped and looked at me, I don’t know if she was mad, scared, or embarrassed. I mean I was all three, so I could sympathize with her.<br><br>I was in shock, I didn’t know what to do. So I just slowly backed away and went back to the living room. When she came out, she looked relieved to see me sitting there, like she thought I had went and told someone.<br><br>She walked up to me and put her hand on my shoulder, and I don’t know if she was trying to threaten me or not, but she said “I don’t think you saw anything, did you?”<br><br>I was terrified. I didn’t know what to say, so I just shook my head. When my shift was over, I got up and left.<br><br>The whole drive home, I’m just replaying everything that happened over and over in my head. My brain was reeling, I couldn’t seem to focus on the road. So I pulled over and just breathed for a minute.<br><br>Then I got home and just… I don’t even know. I mean I didn’t even know how to process it. So I just went to bed.<br><br>The next morning I received a call from the home care manager asking me how my shift with Cindy went. I was frozen. I didn’t know if I should tell her or not. In the end, I told her. I told her everything.<br><br>She asked me if I would come in and talk to her in person so I did. When I got there, Cindy was already in her office. The home care manager assured me that Cindy would not be getting in trouble for this, me telling them was just a precautionary measure so that they were aware. They said Cindy would not be in trouble because staff and clients can’t help who they have feelings for, and as long as they are both consenting adults there was nothing against the rules about it.<br><br>I wasn’t happy with that answer, but I felt like I had done all I could. I felt like I had to just drop it.<br><br>So I did.<br><br>Fast forward a few weeks. I still work for this agency, and they’ve since given me my own clients. I don’t work with Cindy anymore.<br><br>One day while I’m training another new staff member, she asks me about Cindy, because she was told she would be training with her but they told her she transferred to a different agency at the last minute.<br><br>I was shocked. So I asked my home care manager about it, because I needed to know. Basically what happened was, the day I told them what happened, she was told she couldn’t tell anyone what happened. If she did, she would face discipline. Also, she was told not to contact me.<br><br>I don’t know what happened to Cindy or where she is now. I don’t care. I don’t ever want to see her again, or Mr Hemmings. I just… I don’t even know.<br><br>But yeah, that’s my story.<br><br>Oh, and if you ever need home care, just… be aware of this I guess.<br><br>&#x200B;