‘Through decades of change, a core crew remains’
July 1st, 2008
New York Times writer Dan Barry rides along with a four-man work crew that cleans a rest area along the highway in Connecticut.
Bob, Bobby and Tony have been living at the Southbury Training School, “a 1,600-acre residence for people with mental retardation,” for as long as they can remember — more than 40 years. Southbury has gone through crises and changes, and is now down to fewer than 500 residents.
Dave is their driver, supervisor, counselor and friend. He has known these men for decades. They drink a lot of coffee together.
Lately, in the maintenance garage at the Danbury rest stop just off Interstate 84, the topic of conversation can shift suddenly from grass-cutting and litter pickup to death. What happens afterward? Where do we go? When I die, will you remember me?
Is there coffee in heaven?
(New York Times photo.)
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, July 1st, 2008 at 8:36 am and is filed under employment/jobs, institutionalization, intellectual/developmental disabilities, personal stories.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Email This Post
Our RSS Feed