Not Just Work

By Vince Pirrottina

Gus

They say if you have a couple of good friends in your life that you are very lucky.

I feel blessed to have had rewarding relationships with some of my Attendant Carers.

Each relationship has had a unique value to it and along with my wife Rosanne helped me achieve many goals that I would never have attempted.

Besides spending much of my time with my wife Rosanne, I would also spend 5 to 7 days a week with Gus who is my major attendant carer, he starts at approximately 8:30am, doing 3 shifts a day and finishing around 10:45 pm at night.

Gus and I have shared a mutually respectful partnership; that is performing his role as a attendant carer and I the client of the services he has provided, since April 1998. During that time we have kept a strong working relationship while being open to allowing our friendship to grow. Gus is like a great big Teddy Bear to my Rosanne and I, and we can’t imagine life without him around.

Gus has literally become a part of our extended family.

Gus and I were born in the same year and share a wicked sense of humor. We haven’t had an argument in our ten years together and I consider him amongst my closest friends. Gus and I share a bond that allows us to almost read each others mind, for example, while doing things together we are often thinking the same thoughts at the same time. That is we are so tuned in to each other now that we can start or finish each others sentence when we get a bit tongue tide.

Gus, Rosanne and I, do little things for each other that make a big difference in our relationship and shows how much we care about our friendship. We always try to acknowledge each others birthdays by giving an inexpensive present, the same at Christmas time. It’s more about taking the time to find something that has meaning to the recipient of the gift.

Going away together as a threesome, Gus helps make the trip enjoyable taking everything in his stride. The three of us often go to movies, exhibitions or live shows together as friends, Rosanne looks after me during the show so we usually split the cost between us.

With the help of my wife, Gus and other attendants at meetings I worked on during 2005. I was nominated for Darebin’s citizen of the year award. It was great Gus could share that moment on stage, while I received my award that Australia day.

During our time together we have both lost parents, shared problems and solutions, looked after each other and our dogs. When Gus hurt his knee we found new ways to do things so he could keep working. Gus picks up a paper when getting his own and gives Rosanne a lift when the van is serviced. When shop assistants ask Gus what I want to buy, he diplomatically directs them back to me, unless we have decided otherwise.

Though I don’t like to think about it, Gus and my working relationship will one day come to an end. What I hope will remain is our friendship and all those great memories that I will always treasure. Gus has made a real difference in Rosanne and my life and we look forward to our future years together.