Painfully Purple

I’m currently working as a custodian for The Denver School of the Arts. I’ve been chronicling my experiences through social media and this blog post. I put a lot of my own complaints and frustrations down, primarily to accurately portray my true experiences. No filter. There are good days of course. One day, this could be sort of a memoir.

I refer to myself as The Teal Fairy because this is a character that I’ve created. I hope to one day write about The Teal Fairy going back to school to protect those that have the potential to grow and flourish. Schools need more fairies over firearms to ensure the safety of the youth. I also use The Teal Fairy persona as my way of expressing myself creatively outside of the written word.

Thank you for joining me on this journey!

Day Five Hundred & Forty-three: 2/10/2025

I can’t say that I’m pleased to show up today, I’m never thrilled to be here in this custodial position, but I at least like how I look. I might be overweight, but I can still pull off a signature tie in plum. It’s going to be a purple week, so I thought I’d start the week off strong with vibrancy and vigor. Expressing myself with fashion is all I have sometimes, even when the buttons on the shirt are screaming from beneath the overalls.

The night consisted of me having to be in charge again. Our facility manager was off today and so the crew lead was covering for him. Surprise surprise, and I’m catapulted into the realm of leadership. I’m not sure if I did my duty, but I at least did the basics. If I was more committed to this job, then maybe I would try to be an extraordinary employee, except I’m just trying to manage with minimal strife.

Except, I’m having to deal with the winter weather. We had a week of false spring, which gave me a misguided sense of temperatures. As, this week is going to be consumed with frigid degrees and sprinkles of snow. I wasn’t sure how much precipitation we are going to get, but the amount that descended from the sky tonight was quite bewitching. It resembled shaved pearls. As if the clumps of snow were actually carvings from iridescent spheres. Many times the snow is reminiscent of glitter, but it seemed different this time.

Day Five Hundred & Forty-four: 2/11/2025

The look for the day is brought to you by comfort. It is incredibly cold and I have to be at the elementary school, so I chose an outfit and look that would be the most comfortable to perform my duties. I didn’t want to feel too constricted while I’m in a building that I absolutely despise. At least for this month I only have two more weeks that I have to be here. I’m literally counting the number of times that I have to show up at the elementary school as if I was imprisoned in some sort of correctional facility.

Sometimes I do feel like I’m paying penance for some crime that I may or may not have committed in the not so distant past. As if I have to perform some sort of retribution to rise from the ashes that I find myself. Will I be able to rise from the ambers like a phoenix, or will I continue to breathe in the smoke? Suffocating relentlessly.

Day Five Hundred & Forty-five: 2/12/2025

Oh fuck this job, fuck the people I have to work with, fuck winter! There’s so much more I’d rather do today versus the fact that I have to cover for more people today. Robert was given approval to take the day off even though he only gave 48 hour notice, it’s against the policy to get approval. Dequan called out sick, at least he gave the appropriate amount of notice. I, for one, struggled to get to work today. It was a mixture of issues that caused me to clock in two minutes late. It’s still only Wednesday and there are so many more hours to go before my three-day weekend.

Ugh, The night ended up descending into the depths of hell. Well, my type of hell. I don’t want to scream or yell at children. It’s not my favorite thing, but when you’re literally doing things you shouldn’t then I want you out of the building. I’m not a nurturer, I’m a strict enforcer of common decency. Especially, if I tell you that an area is closed.

I was working on the bathrooms upstairs, tasks outside of my usual run, when I noticed two teenage boys walking down the hallway that was closed. There was a performance, but that doesn’t give students the rights to wander the building. While I was working I could see them run down the hallway and duck into a corridor. THAT made me livid. So I walked down to tell them to move along.

The worst part is that the event ran late. Most events are supposed to end by 9:30 so we have time to finish the building by 10:30. We waited and waited for hours, but by 10:30 they hadn’t concluded. Only the crew lead is supposed to stay if we are running late, so I left at 10:35 while the building was in full swing. I felt guilty, but I was so over the day. I can’t believe that I still have to show up to work two more times this week!

Day Five Hundred & Forty-six: 2/13/2025

I was two minutes late yesterday, and that was the first time that I’ve been late in over a year. I wasn’t going to make that mistake today. Granted, I have little regard for the job, but I do respect the fact that I have to show up on time. So, today I left work with plenty of time. I didn’t want to get frustrated with the roads and the rudeness from the drivers narrowly missing me as they drive extensively fast while I have inches to peddle along snowy roads.

I have absolutely zero patience for pubescent antics. This week has pushed my limits and I’m not in the mood for them. I just want to get through the rest of the week without having to scold someone for doing something they should know better. Like, why do I have to deal with removing shitty graffiti from the bathroom. Someone wrote, “I hate it here.” Well, if you’re so disgruntled then LEAVE! Stop making it harder on others when you’re unhappy.

I’m wearing purple to express myself this week beyond the confines of the tealful hues that should represent my character. I needed to bring myself out of the usual mundane that has brought me pain. I’m using fashion to fend off these feelings that have only brought me fraughtful fears. Suck on that, you little bitch with a marker!

Day Five Hundred & Forty-seven: 2/14/2025

Sometimes, Fridays can be a royal pain. There’s always a laundry list of tasks to tackle before the week officially wraps, and after the way this one has dragged on, I wasn’t entirely sure what fresh chaos awaited me today. Would I be dodging last-minute disasters? Enduring pointless interruptions? Who knew? Certainly not me.

But lo and behold, the universe finally threw me a bone. All I wanted was to work in my area alone, meticulously handling every detail with an abundance of time and zero distractions. And today? I actually got my wish! No students. No lingering staff. The building was a ghost town, beautifully devoid of vagrants, chatterboxes, and general nuisances. Peace at last.

Look, I have to do this job but that doesn’t mean I always want to be around people. Even when I’m draped in my finest plum attire, looking positively regal, the trials of the week have gnawed at my patience like a ravenous beast. I have been pestered to my very limit, and I am beyond ready for a well-earned break.

And the best part? That break is coming. A full three-day respite awaits me. I may not be ending my week pleased, but I am at least peaceful as I type this, shifting my gaze to something far more enjoyable. My own writing. Now that is a way to end a week.