Incapacity Benefit.

This is turning into a saga now. I was due to attend a week on Wednesday Jean had rearranged her diary and then I got a letter Monday telling me to present myself for Interview at Belle Vale Job centre plus. I arrive in good time and greeted by a pleasant lady at a reception desk. I am concerned by the fact she is flanked by two security men. When I see my fellow job seekers I see why. There seems to be a mix of bleak desperation, apparent indifference and an alarming amount of teenage mums. I took my mum I cant face that sort of stuff on my own. She is soon passing judgement on the benefit entitlement of ssome of my fellow claimants. She does this in best old lady top of voice style. There is more carpet and computers than I recall from my last claim in 1977 but the same sense of humiliation pervades.
Jane the assistant processes me, she asks me for my copy of the telephone interview? I explain about the appointment being brought forward and she dissapears off to a bank of laser printers. She comes back goes through things and I sign. me having a job seems a a complication. They ask some odd questions. Which I have already answered. She takes my passport and my driving licence. She asks whats wrong with me and then reads the form  - her "oh I see look" tells it all. Clearly my card is marked "barking - handle with care". She tells me to sit and wait for Lois a dimunitive woman who is clearly making someones life a misery. After having dipensed with her she calls me over. She apologises for her sore throat and lack of voice no problem says I, " I am deaf." It would appear she is too. She is an adviser - she advises me the government want me to go back to work. I advise her that would rather be healthy free from this illness and back at work. This riposte floors her a little and belief is suspended, she turns into Ricky Gervais and gives me a "your health is more important than money speech, I expect her to pull a guitar from under her desk and sing me a ditty. She doesnt thats it you can go.
So erm I hate to say this but am I getting anything - oh that has to go to the decisionmaker and I may go to Mann Island - sort of like Robben Island plus. I should just continue putting in my sick notes to this office and at this point I say I havent done so. This clearly isnt scripted, where have they been going - so you have a job she says in a way that makes me feel ashamed. Why didnt you say,  I did there under employer South Liverpool PCT. So we need your sicknotes - no worries I have them here copies as requested she gets Jane who inspects them they arent good enough we want originals. Deep Joy. Benefits - easy.
I take Mum off to New Brighton a moribund seaside town 30 years past its sell by date. She loves it decay and fruit machines, all you need. Seems that the New Brighton Job Seekers enjoy it here too. Felt a bit like Ripleys paradise in this decadent whirlpool. Home and Jean is overtime doing some Agenda for Change job matching. She is knackerred when she gets in.