Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

It is 12:10 am and I should be asleep. But Ledcat had to go into work from 11 pm until 1 am tonight. She has to interview someone in one of her cases and has to meet them while they are on shift.

She’s too fair to shirk work even in frigid temps. She would never assign this to a subordinate for her own convenience.

So she drove Downtown, parked and walked to her building and up the elevators to chilly offices … to wait. Tbey can’t use space heaters because the buildings wiring is old.

But at least she’s inside with some heat and security on-site. She can flex her morning arrival time, but it’s a tough week to catch up physically with the toll this takes, even with flex time.

I don’t love this part of her work, but I admire her work ethic. She’s taught me so much about the unseen work of civil servants. I wish people like her – nearly 20 year veterans – were treated with more respect and consideration by the City. There’s something to be said about institutional history and a work ethic that has her at her desk right now. Not everyone bounces to other places from a launch pad in City government and thank goodness.

I can’t sleep until she’s safely home. I know nothing is likely to go wrong. The car is reliable, she has her phone, and she’s dressed in many layers. But it feels different than the many other times shes been out late – it feels a bit less certain. Her cat, Coco, is in her kitty bed downstairs, refusing to come upstairs until Laura does. So we both wait for her. I’m in bed with the other critters. The homeless kitties are snug in the second bedroom, sleeping soundly.

But I’m awake.