Not Quite On Top Of Things

(I work with teenaged girls in a group home.)

Resident: “Ms. [My Name], are there any more sausage breakfasts left?”

Me: “Yes, in the door at the top.”

(I didn’t give her more detail because she knew they’d be in the freezer section at least. Five minutes later…)

Resident: “Ms. [My Name], there aren’t any left.”

Me: “I saw one in there earlier and no one else has gone into the fridge, so it should be there.”

(I follow the resident to the kitchen and watch her search. She opens the freezer door.)

Me: “At the top.”

(She looks in the middle, on the bottom…)

Me: “It’s at the top. Right there, in the door…”

(She is now looking in the actual freezer; she closes it, opens the refrigerator, and doesn’t find it, of course.)

Me: “It’s in the freezer door! At the top!”

Resident: “No, it’s not. I looked there!”

Me: “It’s there. Right there. Right in front of your eyes!”

(She reaches into the top compartment and finds the package.)

Resident: “Oooh! Why didn’t you tell me it was there!”