My life as a volunteer

So, I decided to volunteer for the animal shelter here. I went to the place (about 2.5 miles from here) and talked to the head guy. We agreed that I would come this past Monday although no time was discussed. I arrived about 9:30 and the receptionist told me the guy was out, he had the computer and the work that I was going to do and wouldn't be back until much later. As I had a lift home (usually I have a car at my disposal but the car was being serviced), I told her I would come in Tuesday and did she expect the head guy to be in? She said yes, he'd be there.

I went in Tuesday about 1:30pm, the receptionist said he was out, once again with the computer (they provide 24/7 service to people who are calling in about their lost pets) and he would be in around 3pm and did I want to wait? I agreed to go to the cattery and entertain a cat for a while. The facility is pretty nice, you walk into the building and there is a long hallway with cages on each wall. Basically there are 2 cages on top of each other most of the way down the hall. There is lovely music playing and each cage has an exit to the outside, where the cats can wander out for a play (they have all sorts of scratch posts etc) if it wasn't 5 degrees C out. Brrr. My lovely shy cat is Munka (she looks like Bucky, S) and she is in a cage on the top. She's crouched at the back of the cage but seems to like it a bit when I start petting her - certainly she isn't adverse to a scratch and rub. She likes it. But she keeps moving out of her reach and as far as I know, this is only place I can 'play' with her, so I wait while she comes back into reach and I give her another scratch. In between times, the little cat below me (a black/white smallish looking cat) is trying to get my attention - he's got his paws sticking out of the only place I could possibly get my fingers, so I'm trying to give him a scratch. He seems more interested after all. Finally, I give Munka another go, for whatever reason she BITES me and I finally decide this isn't really for me on this particular day (I'm really a dog person anyway). I wait a bit longer for the head guy and he is delayed now until 3:30pm. I say I'll come tomorrow at 11am, will he be there? yes, he will. of course, you guessed it, he was not.

But fortunately there was something for me to do. I input some information, old records into their database, which is fine. But the whole time I was doing this, probably 2 hours or so, the rest of the staff was literally DOING NOTHING. Chit chatting, laughing, whatever. I know, while the cats away the mice will play, so I can't really blame them. But I can't help wondering if it's like this all the time... If it is, it's no wonder they need volunteers to do their work! LOL. I'll keep you posted. But if my first few days were any indication of the organization of this outfit, I'll probably be looking for a new volunteer position soon.