The reason people like me have so much trouble with this process is because we expect those who employ us to treat us with the humanity and compassion that was expected of us during our working tenure, even on our worst days, but that just isn’t a factor in any of this. After a couple of very informative meetings I have learned that in the eyes of the city of toronto, cupe 416 and wsib I am overpaid, uneducated, potentially retrainable and that 21 years of service and struggle to return mean nothing to any of them. Despite doing a highly skilled, high performance and stressful niche job that required a niche education and regular credential renewal I can always go pick up garbage in the parks if I want to keep anything I’ve worked for thus far. As well, the expense and commitment to training I made to a graciously donated service animal (#IVEGOTYOURBACK911, Phoenix Canine Initiative and Glenannon Station Goldens: thank you, thank you, thank you!) to help me make this work out also means nothing to any of them. My psychologist need not worry either, since we last spoke my ability to train my dog has progressed the situation enough to have made him right about everything he said too. Sorry I got angry and yelled.

I guess I really did make it all up.

I am not a brother.