sgt253
Enlightened
Great words. Thanks for sharing. Puts everything in its proper perspective.
So... Once Upon a Time...
- Thread starter Poppy
- Start date
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How about a day in the life story?
This one is another 'perspective changes over time' tales. After 32+ years as a roadway inspector the zeal is still a smoldering ember. But decades have used right many arrows from my quiver.
In around 1984 I was tapped watch pavers put asphalt over existing roadways. No big responsibility there, just grab weigh tickets and add them to acquire a total used. It was an annual contract where pavers went by a list. I was a government employed equipment operator used to cutting grass, fixing potholes and other roadway maintenance tasks...
The first year was uneventful.
I got tapped the following year. Again my bosses did the heavy lifting brain stuff. But I was asked to keep up with progress of the running totals and ensure each street was using predicted amounts. As needed I let the bosses know if things were running over budget.
Year 3 I was asked to actually estimate quantities needed for upcoming work. It was kinda like handing a 23 year old $300 grand in $20 bills. I took it pretty serious and when time to pave placed more of 'me' into things as they progressed.
In 1988 they needed somebody to keep watch over construction projects. I was tapped. Again being used to cutting grass and fixing potholes I knew nothing about installing water lines, replacing a pavement structure with new materials and most importantly how to spot cheating. My first project was a trial by fire.
I was handed about 6 projects at once. The big one was a road rehabilitation next to the local city hall being done by a crooked contractor. Politicians did not like being inconvenienced enroute to the 'ivory tower' and the contractor had hired some pretty unsavory characters to perform the work. And my boss was suddenly "never seemingly available". Ok I got this....
By '93 things had become same ole same ole organized chaotic politics of beurocracy. I was used to juggling my time in 10 minute increments while pouring 100% into cutting through red tape, counting pennies by the thousand and generally taking on all comers. Local developers had decided I was a problem. Some saw me as an ally who ensured folks they hired were kept corraled into an honest direction. Others took it personally and did what they could to make my life more difficult.
Being young and stubborn they were my favorites. I reveled in the battles that took place. When they'd raise their voice all cussing in public while local residents listened to the plethora of bad language and personal attacks I'd smile and say "is that a fact? Now go appoligize to that lady on her porch for talking so crudely in her presence"...
One day a politician who was demanding I allow a matter to be over looked. (he was a councilman that owned a local engineering firm that had designed the new subdivision I was inspecting items of) it was a matter I did not back down from...he said "you'll regret this someday." In '98 he became mayor and had not forgotten.
I ended up leaving under a cloud of suspicion. I was told soon after that at the next staff meeting much of the administration were stunned and silenced to find out I had resigned. At about that same time my first wife and I had split up.
I moved to an undisclosed (to my community) location and stayed in touch with a very small group.
Not long after; I was employed by an engineering firm as a consultant. In my mid 30's I was starting from scratch. End tables in my apartment were kitty litter buckets and at work I was below the low guy on the totem pole. Humbling is an understatement. But in a few weeks the bosses saw potential and were trying to coax me up the ladder career wise. I was having no part of that!!!
My little bungalo was stationed over looking a peaceful lake in a darkened corner of the community I had served for nearly 15 years. Everyday was like being on vacation now that all that stress of being in charge was gone. No more desk with phone line and secretary. But... no more ringing phone with bad vibes on the other end, no more desk to store all those records I was required to keep, and no more 2 faced cheap tart so-called ally stabbing me in the back vying for my job...nope I was little guy now and loving it... oh and making more $ than when at the gov't job.
Little by little as a consultant my career has taken me on adventures never imagined while working for that little 1 horse town. My role has been mostly like the character 'Radar' in the tv show M.A.S.H. It was the same in the 1 horse town. While a consultant I have worked for several Col Blakes and Col Potters along the way and at year 10 began being mentored by a fellow I highly respected prior to that.... that is on the days I did not want to punch him in the throat...
But by being mentored I learned when to bark, when to bite and most importantly when to remain cool.
The mentor and I parted ways in 014. He chose another path. And yet at times I'm honored to have him ask my advice at times.
I say all this while watching a project fraut with waste. A local county hired a contractor to widen a cut through from city to country. It's on the outskirts of the 1 horse town I used to work for. It was designed by the politician who said "you'll regret this" and due to numerous errors the contractor is building it by design and being paid big bucks to rebuild areas deemed incorrect. Example is a $100k traffic signal pole being moved 5' south because it is built in the middle of a proposed sidewalk and the Americans with Disabilities Act frowns on that. Now the roadway next to said sidewalk is some 2' too low. It was built knowing that. Add another $75 grand to the bill to rebuild it. Meanwhile the contractor is being billed $2200 a day for not finishing on time.
The county is sending the bill to the politician who said "you'll regret this someday".
So instead of getting all whipped into a frenzy about things, hollering at a well connected guy who'll mention my name at a cocktail party, which could lead to being forced out under another cloud of suspicion based on more false allegations... I sit in the shade typing this knowing that kharma is fighting the battle and I get to watch it from the best seat in the stadium.
This one is another 'perspective changes over time' tales. After 32+ years as a roadway inspector the zeal is still a smoldering ember. But decades have used right many arrows from my quiver.
In around 1984 I was tapped watch pavers put asphalt over existing roadways. No big responsibility there, just grab weigh tickets and add them to acquire a total used. It was an annual contract where pavers went by a list. I was a government employed equipment operator used to cutting grass, fixing potholes and other roadway maintenance tasks...
The first year was uneventful.
I got tapped the following year. Again my bosses did the heavy lifting brain stuff. But I was asked to keep up with progress of the running totals and ensure each street was using predicted amounts. As needed I let the bosses know if things were running over budget.
Year 3 I was asked to actually estimate quantities needed for upcoming work. It was kinda like handing a 23 year old $300 grand in $20 bills. I took it pretty serious and when time to pave placed more of 'me' into things as they progressed.
In 1988 they needed somebody to keep watch over construction projects. I was tapped. Again being used to cutting grass and fixing potholes I knew nothing about installing water lines, replacing a pavement structure with new materials and most importantly how to spot cheating. My first project was a trial by fire.
I was handed about 6 projects at once. The big one was a road rehabilitation next to the local city hall being done by a crooked contractor. Politicians did not like being inconvenienced enroute to the 'ivory tower' and the contractor had hired some pretty unsavory characters to perform the work. And my boss was suddenly "never seemingly available". Ok I got this....
By '93 things had become same ole same ole organized chaotic politics of beurocracy. I was used to juggling my time in 10 minute increments while pouring 100% into cutting through red tape, counting pennies by the thousand and generally taking on all comers. Local developers had decided I was a problem. Some saw me as an ally who ensured folks they hired were kept corraled into an honest direction. Others took it personally and did what they could to make my life more difficult.
Being young and stubborn they were my favorites. I reveled in the battles that took place. When they'd raise their voice all cussing in public while local residents listened to the plethora of bad language and personal attacks I'd smile and say "is that a fact? Now go appoligize to that lady on her porch for talking so crudely in her presence"...
One day a politician who was demanding I allow a matter to be over looked. (he was a councilman that owned a local engineering firm that had designed the new subdivision I was inspecting items of) it was a matter I did not back down from...he said "you'll regret this someday." In '98 he became mayor and had not forgotten.
I ended up leaving under a cloud of suspicion. I was told soon after that at the next staff meeting much of the administration were stunned and silenced to find out I had resigned. At about that same time my first wife and I had split up.
I moved to an undisclosed (to my community) location and stayed in touch with a very small group.
Not long after; I was employed by an engineering firm as a consultant. In my mid 30's I was starting from scratch. End tables in my apartment were kitty litter buckets and at work I was below the low guy on the totem pole. Humbling is an understatement. But in a few weeks the bosses saw potential and were trying to coax me up the ladder career wise. I was having no part of that!!!
My little bungalo was stationed over looking a peaceful lake in a darkened corner of the community I had served for nearly 15 years. Everyday was like being on vacation now that all that stress of being in charge was gone. No more desk with phone line and secretary. But... no more ringing phone with bad vibes on the other end, no more desk to store all those records I was required to keep, and no more 2 faced cheap tart so-called ally stabbing me in the back vying for my job...nope I was little guy now and loving it... oh and making more $ than when at the gov't job.
Little by little as a consultant my career has taken me on adventures never imagined while working for that little 1 horse town. My role has been mostly like the character 'Radar' in the tv show M.A.S.H. It was the same in the 1 horse town. While a consultant I have worked for several Col Blakes and Col Potters along the way and at year 10 began being mentored by a fellow I highly respected prior to that.... that is on the days I did not want to punch him in the throat...
But by being mentored I learned when to bark, when to bite and most importantly when to remain cool.
The mentor and I parted ways in 014. He chose another path. And yet at times I'm honored to have him ask my advice at times.
I say all this while watching a project fraut with waste. A local county hired a contractor to widen a cut through from city to country. It's on the outskirts of the 1 horse town I used to work for. It was designed by the politician who said "you'll regret this" and due to numerous errors the contractor is building it by design and being paid big bucks to rebuild areas deemed incorrect. Example is a $100k traffic signal pole being moved 5' south because it is built in the middle of a proposed sidewalk and the Americans with Disabilities Act frowns on that. Now the roadway next to said sidewalk is some 2' too low. It was built knowing that. Add another $75 grand to the bill to rebuild it. Meanwhile the contractor is being billed $2200 a day for not finishing on time.
The county is sending the bill to the politician who said "you'll regret this someday".
So instead of getting all whipped into a frenzy about things, hollering at a well connected guy who'll mention my name at a cocktail party, which could lead to being forced out under another cloud of suspicion based on more false allegations... I sit in the shade typing this knowing that kharma is fighting the battle and I get to watch it from the best seat in the stadium.
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Another day in the life of:
After working for the same company the last 17 years I've been asked to help them move 4 times. Yesterday was #4. The first 3 I was doing the work by my lonesome. No biggy, but thank goodness I received some help this time.
Each time involves hurredly packing boxes, taking out trash and moving furniture. I say hurredly because office dwellers I work for wait until the last minute then go into a panic.
First time was moving the office from a small room to an actual office building. Thousands of pounds of paper was tossed into a dumpster, boxes were packed and labeled for ease of finding stuff at the new office and general cleanup took place. There were 2 items I took notice of in storage and hoped to obtain.
I asked "where's that logo going?".... "On the wall of the reception area" I was told. "How about that geology map?" "In the bosses office." Fair enough. But at the new destination neither were hung.
Move #2 was to a bigger building where we were to share a suite with others in another division of the company.
Again same routine. At some point the logo and map were found in storage so again I enquired. Again I was told the same thing.
But that time I was given a coffee mug only available to company execs, along with some ancient swag from the companies early days of the 1930's to the 80's. Cool.
Move #3 was more of the same. But this time they were moving to an office across the hallway. Again thousands of pounds of paper were tossed, boxes packed and again the map and logo were found in storage. That time I was given furniture, more company swag reserved for the bosses and geek stuff like antique staplers and enough printer paper and printer cartridges to last 3 lifetimes. Again the map and logo were to remain at their next destination. I'm still using paper and ink from the last move.
Yesterday I helped again. It's always enjoyable to get a full body workout, while dodging ladies in high heel shoes who smell way better than the usual sweaty construction folks I hang with each day. But this time age played a role. I aint 32 anymore and it showed. I was in my 30's the first 2 times and early 40's at the 3rd adventure. I realized going in I was not a spring chicken anymore but was surprised at the lack of stamina of folks half my age. The hardest worker was a guy in his 60's who has been on a weight loss deal for a year now. He left me in the dust!
At 5pm he and I were the last 2 still going and we loaded a trailer with stuff destined for a church in West Virginia that was destroyed by a flood not long ago.
At 8pm he was still looking spry. I was ready to keel over but we were done. Phew!
Again the office dwellers were ill prepared. Again a couple of tons of paper were tossed along with once state of the art phones, computer monitors and cords. I kept a few dozen cords knowing that when the office dwellers get settled in they'll be needing those cords and I'll hook up a couple of gremmies with what they need later.
I got more exec swag. Between move 3 and 4 we got bought out by a big company and the folks are being moved to an even more swanky location. I took home dress shirts, pens, mugs, ball caps, an umbrella, more geek stuff for my office on wheels pickup truck and other stuff with the new company logo and....
After 17 years of trying, that map and logo went home with me.
Woohoo!!
After working for the same company the last 17 years I've been asked to help them move 4 times. Yesterday was #4. The first 3 I was doing the work by my lonesome. No biggy, but thank goodness I received some help this time.
Each time involves hurredly packing boxes, taking out trash and moving furniture. I say hurredly because office dwellers I work for wait until the last minute then go into a panic.
First time was moving the office from a small room to an actual office building. Thousands of pounds of paper was tossed into a dumpster, boxes were packed and labeled for ease of finding stuff at the new office and general cleanup took place. There were 2 items I took notice of in storage and hoped to obtain.
I asked "where's that logo going?".... "On the wall of the reception area" I was told. "How about that geology map?" "In the bosses office." Fair enough. But at the new destination neither were hung.
Move #2 was to a bigger building where we were to share a suite with others in another division of the company.
Again same routine. At some point the logo and map were found in storage so again I enquired. Again I was told the same thing.
But that time I was given a coffee mug only available to company execs, along with some ancient swag from the companies early days of the 1930's to the 80's. Cool.
Move #3 was more of the same. But this time they were moving to an office across the hallway. Again thousands of pounds of paper were tossed, boxes packed and again the map and logo were found in storage. That time I was given furniture, more company swag reserved for the bosses and geek stuff like antique staplers and enough printer paper and printer cartridges to last 3 lifetimes. Again the map and logo were to remain at their next destination. I'm still using paper and ink from the last move.
Yesterday I helped again. It's always enjoyable to get a full body workout, while dodging ladies in high heel shoes who smell way better than the usual sweaty construction folks I hang with each day. But this time age played a role. I aint 32 anymore and it showed. I was in my 30's the first 2 times and early 40's at the 3rd adventure. I realized going in I was not a spring chicken anymore but was surprised at the lack of stamina of folks half my age. The hardest worker was a guy in his 60's who has been on a weight loss deal for a year now. He left me in the dust!
At 5pm he and I were the last 2 still going and we loaded a trailer with stuff destined for a church in West Virginia that was destroyed by a flood not long ago.
At 8pm he was still looking spry. I was ready to keel over but we were done. Phew!
Again the office dwellers were ill prepared. Again a couple of tons of paper were tossed along with once state of the art phones, computer monitors and cords. I kept a few dozen cords knowing that when the office dwellers get settled in they'll be needing those cords and I'll hook up a couple of gremmies with what they need later.
I got more exec swag. Between move 3 and 4 we got bought out by a big company and the folks are being moved to an even more swanky location. I took home dress shirts, pens, mugs, ball caps, an umbrella, more geek stuff for my office on wheels pickup truck and other stuff with the new company logo and....
After 17 years of trying, that map and logo went home with me.
Woohoo!!
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SG Hall
Flashlight Enthusiast
Good story bykfixer, and good score!
I think we all know that guy 10 or 20 years older that just doesn't stop, and we ask how we will be at that age? And, of course, the 30 year old that's as soft as butter to make us feel better!!
I think we all know that guy 10 or 20 years older that just doesn't stop, and we ask how we will be at that age? And, of course, the 30 year old that's as soft as butter to make us feel better!!
Your words helped ease the next day soreness way more than the tylenol I took this morning.
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SG Hall
Flashlight Enthusiast
Here's an 'adventures of identical twins" story.
As a kid having an identical twin was a drag. My twin and I were complete opposites. He liked blue, I liked red, and the grownups thought it was cute to dress us alike. By grade school my mom was cool about us being opposites and let us choose the color of new 'tough skins' jeans, shoes and shirts. We usually chose different attire from the other in hopes grown people could tell us apart.
"Which one are you?" was tiring. But we put up with it.
In middle school there was a 'try it' class where you rotated from art, to drama to shop every 90 days. My brother was enjoying shop class and I was digging art class at switch time. Figuring we'd fooled granma a million times, maybe we could fool the school faculty too.
We stayed put when time to switch pretending to be the other. None of the grownups ever knew. If they did they never let on.
Some classmates knew but chose to keep silent. Each day I thought would be the day somebody rat'd me out but it never happened.
We both ended up in the drama part at the same time.
As an adult I worked as described above in the 1 horse town and my brother worked at various carpentry related businesses. I was famous and he was obscure in the community.
One day this guy who was building a sidewalk at a site I was inspecting went to the Hechinger where my twin worked to buy some lumber. He comes back and says "howthehell did you get back before me!?"... I had to go with him to Hechinger to prove that I was not in 2 places at the same time. At first my brother was at lunch so the guy was really tripping about it. Then as we were leaving my brother appeared. It was hilarious.
Well like I said in a previous post I moved to an obscure location and disappeared from the scene. Meanwhile my twin is very active in the communities largest church.
Recently I went there to see his daughters baptism. I had not seen my brother in a couple of months. Normally clean faced he had grown a beard and so had I. I wear glasses full time. He wears readers. It was Valentines Day so I had a red carnation tacked to my dark gray woolen hooded dress coat. (Turns out so did he, only his was hoodless).
Not knowing where he normally sits and hoping to sit with him during the service, I approached several folks some 20 minutes before the service. He was teaching a class. Whenever I'd approach somebody and ask "where does Mark sit" I was told "that's not funny Mark" or "you're not Mark?" But my favorite was "next to your wife Mark" lol...
When I finally saw him it turned out we had the same color shirt, trousers and similar scarf.
For varios reason I only see my twin a couple of times a year. We talk, but through electronic means mostly.
All those years of trying to be un-alike, we now unwittingly dress alike, act alike and even drive the same style pickup truck.
As a kid having an identical twin was a drag. My twin and I were complete opposites. He liked blue, I liked red, and the grownups thought it was cute to dress us alike. By grade school my mom was cool about us being opposites and let us choose the color of new 'tough skins' jeans, shoes and shirts. We usually chose different attire from the other in hopes grown people could tell us apart.
"Which one are you?" was tiring. But we put up with it.
In middle school there was a 'try it' class where you rotated from art, to drama to shop every 90 days. My brother was enjoying shop class and I was digging art class at switch time. Figuring we'd fooled granma a million times, maybe we could fool the school faculty too.
We stayed put when time to switch pretending to be the other. None of the grownups ever knew. If they did they never let on.
Some classmates knew but chose to keep silent. Each day I thought would be the day somebody rat'd me out but it never happened.
We both ended up in the drama part at the same time.
As an adult I worked as described above in the 1 horse town and my brother worked at various carpentry related businesses. I was famous and he was obscure in the community.
One day this guy who was building a sidewalk at a site I was inspecting went to the Hechinger where my twin worked to buy some lumber. He comes back and says "howthehell did you get back before me!?"... I had to go with him to Hechinger to prove that I was not in 2 places at the same time. At first my brother was at lunch so the guy was really tripping about it. Then as we were leaving my brother appeared. It was hilarious.
Well like I said in a previous post I moved to an obscure location and disappeared from the scene. Meanwhile my twin is very active in the communities largest church.
Recently I went there to see his daughters baptism. I had not seen my brother in a couple of months. Normally clean faced he had grown a beard and so had I. I wear glasses full time. He wears readers. It was Valentines Day so I had a red carnation tacked to my dark gray woolen hooded dress coat. (Turns out so did he, only his was hoodless).
Not knowing where he normally sits and hoping to sit with him during the service, I approached several folks some 20 minutes before the service. He was teaching a class. Whenever I'd approach somebody and ask "where does Mark sit" I was told "that's not funny Mark" or "you're not Mark?" But my favorite was "next to your wife Mark" lol...
When I finally saw him it turned out we had the same color shirt, trousers and similar scarf.
For varios reason I only see my twin a couple of times a year. We talk, but through electronic means mostly.
All those years of trying to be un-alike, we now unwittingly dress alike, act alike and even drive the same style pickup truck.
SG Hall
Flashlight Enthusiast
That's really fascinating! You can't fight the genetics sometimes can you.
There's also something to be said for the failure of defining yourself by what you're not going to be! Gravity tends to pull you in, doesn't it. Better to have a plan of what you do want to be like!
There's also something to be said for the failure of defining yourself by what you're not going to be! Gravity tends to pull you in, doesn't it. Better to have a plan of what you do want to be like!
This is a story of how being a loud person saved somebodys life one night.... Owen, wherever you are this one is dedicated to you sir.
You've probably been around that person or know someone who seems to speak through an amplifier all the time. You're in a quiet small space and their normal volume makes your ears ring even though you are 4' away from each other....
Last summer at about this time I was on a project with a young stone mason turned highway inspector. Good guy. The type you saw in the movie 'perfect storm', which by the way was filmed in his hometown. Big scrapping guy who twitches his head for no apparent reason. And loud? Oh my!
Anyway it was paving season and we were observing final overlay of the riding surface on our project.
Just an ordinary night shift where the ordinary took place until sunrise. As the pavers progressed they slid road cones over to ensure motorists see a taper that leads them from the lane closed to traffic to a lane with no activity.
Parts of my job include checking the temperature of the asphalt, the thickness, making sure the roller rides over the hot stuff X number of times for ideal compaction etc, and traffic safety.
Having done my routine for product check I walked back from the work to view things from a short distance. Pavers, rollers, dump trucks, back up alarms and the like are loud. I'm not.
So my co-workers walks up and we began chatting about work stuff. Being this is his first night paving operation his eyes were glued to the giant Tonka toys all excited like a little kid in a sand box. I'm surveying the overall scene. He whispers louder than I yell, so my voice is straining trying to carry on a conversation when to my left I see a car approaching 5 football fields away. It's about 3 in the morning so traffic is scarce.
The next phase took place in about 30 seconds:
About that time a fellow on one of the rollers slides one cone over (without making a taper), pulls his roller behind a truck just pulled into what was a live lane of traffic. I'm thinking "what no taper of cones? Naw man, seriously bad idea". But it all happened so fast.
Dude was standing behind the truck trying to get a troublesome water pump engine to start.... Another worker walks up to offer assistance. Nothing unusual to my coworker, but... I'm see-ing the car is now 1 football field away and not getting over. Oh CRAP!!!
I'm all hollering "HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, LOOK OUT".... but dude don't hear me. Car still not getting over. By now the car is 50 yards away. I'm still hollering and my coworker notices the car now. I'm turning away because a construction worker is going to be cut in half in about 2 seconds and there's not a dam thing I can do about it. (Voice in my head is saying "O Lord, please not again")
Coworker yells in his megaphone voice "Hey", roller dude looks at us, we point to the car and at the last possible millisecond the construction workers dives away from behind the truck like those guys in the movies who jump on a grenade to save their buddy.
WHAM!!!
The arrow points to where the worker had been standing.
While diving he crashed into a guy who was standing nearby who would've also been wiped out.
These 2 fellows are alive today because of a loud guy.
Driver being taken away in cuffs for DWI.
This was my perspective.
The arrows point to the spot where workers were standing just before impact. To the far left is my co-inspector consoling the guy sitting down who was one of the two nearly wiped out.
Shortly after impact: Nobody dead. Cool.
So I quickly jolted towards oncoming traffic direction and slid cones over to make a discernable taper. It was surreal. Like time stood still briefly and since the guy was ok my mind quickly turned to ensuring the next car doesn't do the same thing.
Plus from previous experience I knew that shortly there'll be a bunch of motorist blinding flashing red and blue lights all about. So I used cones to create a bigger storage area for all the rescue vehicles arriving shortly.
[Sidebar: I love my job, but hate see-ing this part. Yet in each incident God is with me, keeping my composure in check until later. Upon arrival at home later I got the chance to come unglued during my after work toilet time.
"Holy Cow that was close" I thought as my body began to briefly quiver. But this time nobody was seriously hurt. I did not sleep well that day. Flashbacks of times when folks were not so lucky plagued my thoughts and kept waking me, until time to return to work.]
The car had never slowed down and hit the truck at full speed. The driver inside the truck was taken to the hospital with a neck injury.
The car was placed on a roll back, hauled away and when debris was removed from the roadway paving continued just like any other ordinary night.
When things settled down I asked my coworker how he felt after his first save. He responded "first?, "you mean there'll be more?"
He seemed to be in deep thought the rest of the night.
Next night at work the atmosphere was a little different. Almost like nothing had happened. Yet folks had a perspective that 'this could be your last day so enjoy it.' A bunch of people thanked me for saving that roller dudes life. I retorted "it was God, and the loud guy, not me."
You've probably been around that person or know someone who seems to speak through an amplifier all the time. You're in a quiet small space and their normal volume makes your ears ring even though you are 4' away from each other....
Last summer at about this time I was on a project with a young stone mason turned highway inspector. Good guy. The type you saw in the movie 'perfect storm', which by the way was filmed in his hometown. Big scrapping guy who twitches his head for no apparent reason. And loud? Oh my!
Anyway it was paving season and we were observing final overlay of the riding surface on our project.
Just an ordinary night shift where the ordinary took place until sunrise. As the pavers progressed they slid road cones over to ensure motorists see a taper that leads them from the lane closed to traffic to a lane with no activity.
Parts of my job include checking the temperature of the asphalt, the thickness, making sure the roller rides over the hot stuff X number of times for ideal compaction etc, and traffic safety.
Having done my routine for product check I walked back from the work to view things from a short distance. Pavers, rollers, dump trucks, back up alarms and the like are loud. I'm not.
So my co-workers walks up and we began chatting about work stuff. Being this is his first night paving operation his eyes were glued to the giant Tonka toys all excited like a little kid in a sand box. I'm surveying the overall scene. He whispers louder than I yell, so my voice is straining trying to carry on a conversation when to my left I see a car approaching 5 football fields away. It's about 3 in the morning so traffic is scarce.
The next phase took place in about 30 seconds:
About that time a fellow on one of the rollers slides one cone over (without making a taper), pulls his roller behind a truck just pulled into what was a live lane of traffic. I'm thinking "what no taper of cones? Naw man, seriously bad idea". But it all happened so fast.
Dude was standing behind the truck trying to get a troublesome water pump engine to start.... Another worker walks up to offer assistance. Nothing unusual to my coworker, but... I'm see-ing the car is now 1 football field away and not getting over. Oh CRAP!!!
I'm all hollering "HEY, HEY, HEY, HEY, LOOK OUT".... but dude don't hear me. Car still not getting over. By now the car is 50 yards away. I'm still hollering and my coworker notices the car now. I'm turning away because a construction worker is going to be cut in half in about 2 seconds and there's not a dam thing I can do about it. (Voice in my head is saying "O Lord, please not again")
Coworker yells in his megaphone voice "Hey", roller dude looks at us, we point to the car and at the last possible millisecond the construction workers dives away from behind the truck like those guys in the movies who jump on a grenade to save their buddy.
WHAM!!!
The arrow points to where the worker had been standing.
While diving he crashed into a guy who was standing nearby who would've also been wiped out.
These 2 fellows are alive today because of a loud guy.
Driver being taken away in cuffs for DWI.
This was my perspective.
The arrows point to the spot where workers were standing just before impact. To the far left is my co-inspector consoling the guy sitting down who was one of the two nearly wiped out.
Shortly after impact: Nobody dead. Cool.
So I quickly jolted towards oncoming traffic direction and slid cones over to make a discernable taper. It was surreal. Like time stood still briefly and since the guy was ok my mind quickly turned to ensuring the next car doesn't do the same thing.
Plus from previous experience I knew that shortly there'll be a bunch of motorist blinding flashing red and blue lights all about. So I used cones to create a bigger storage area for all the rescue vehicles arriving shortly.
[Sidebar: I love my job, but hate see-ing this part. Yet in each incident God is with me, keeping my composure in check until later. Upon arrival at home later I got the chance to come unglued during my after work toilet time.
"Holy Cow that was close" I thought as my body began to briefly quiver. But this time nobody was seriously hurt. I did not sleep well that day. Flashbacks of times when folks were not so lucky plagued my thoughts and kept waking me, until time to return to work.]
The car had never slowed down and hit the truck at full speed. The driver inside the truck was taken to the hospital with a neck injury.
The car was placed on a roll back, hauled away and when debris was removed from the roadway paving continued just like any other ordinary night.
When things settled down I asked my coworker how he felt after his first save. He responded "first?, "you mean there'll be more?"
He seemed to be in deep thought the rest of the night.
Next night at work the atmosphere was a little different. Almost like nothing had happened. Yet folks had a perspective that 'this could be your last day so enjoy it.' A bunch of people thanked me for saving that roller dudes life. I retorted "it was God, and the loud guy, not me."
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SG Hall
Flashlight Enthusiast
Wow, you're on a roll bykfixer! Another great story, thanks!
Years ago, just after I moved from the Riverland of South Australia to Adelaide, I was driving home from my local church at night. As I exited the main highway, I came over a rise and discovered a wrecked car at an intersection. Its driver was wandering around the car with his hands clasped on the back of his neck. I pulled over to see if he was ok, which he was. It turns out that this guy was just driving home from work and was t-boned by a speeding car that ran the intersection. The car didn't even stop.
Once I knew he was okay, I offered him a lift to the police station in Gawler. He took up my offer and we travelled and chatted. The guy had just bought the car and had no insurance. As we entered the vacant main street of Gawler at about 10 at night a girl, probably about 18, jumped out in front of the car waving her arms. My new friend said casually "Looks like you've got another one!"
I pulled to the curb and wound down my window as she circled the front of the car. Poor girl. She was staying at her sister's house and the drunk boyfriend of the sister had turned up and started to throw his weight around and break things. She begged me to take her to the police station.
"Get in, we're actually on our way because this guy's been in a hit and run on the bypass!" She climbed in the back seat and we arrived in about two minutes.
The police station was a typical outer suburbs/country town station. You had to ring the bell, which I did as my two dishevelled acquaintances flanked me.
"Can I help you?" asked the constable as he opened the locked door and peered out suspiciously. Upon letting us in, he asked us how he could help.
The young lady jumped in first and we let her speak.
"Can you please come urgently, there's a man getting violent in our home and we need help." He nodded to her and then looked at the guy.
"And you are with her?", he asked.
"No, my car has been wrecked by a hit and run driver on the highway, so I got a lift here so I could report it."
"Okay," he said as he turned to me, trying unsuccessfully to put the pieces together. "And are you a friend of him or of her?!", her said as he pointed to them both.
"Neither." I replied, "I just happened to be driving past!"
Years ago, just after I moved from the Riverland of South Australia to Adelaide, I was driving home from my local church at night. As I exited the main highway, I came over a rise and discovered a wrecked car at an intersection. Its driver was wandering around the car with his hands clasped on the back of his neck. I pulled over to see if he was ok, which he was. It turns out that this guy was just driving home from work and was t-boned by a speeding car that ran the intersection. The car didn't even stop.
Once I knew he was okay, I offered him a lift to the police station in Gawler. He took up my offer and we travelled and chatted. The guy had just bought the car and had no insurance. As we entered the vacant main street of Gawler at about 10 at night a girl, probably about 18, jumped out in front of the car waving her arms. My new friend said casually "Looks like you've got another one!"
I pulled to the curb and wound down my window as she circled the front of the car. Poor girl. She was staying at her sister's house and the drunk boyfriend of the sister had turned up and started to throw his weight around and break things. She begged me to take her to the police station.
"Get in, we're actually on our way because this guy's been in a hit and run on the bypass!" She climbed in the back seat and we arrived in about two minutes.
The police station was a typical outer suburbs/country town station. You had to ring the bell, which I did as my two dishevelled acquaintances flanked me.
"Can I help you?" asked the constable as he opened the locked door and peered out suspiciously. Upon letting us in, he asked us how he could help.
The young lady jumped in first and we let her speak.
"Can you please come urgently, there's a man getting violent in our home and we need help." He nodded to her and then looked at the guy.
"And you are with her?", he asked.
"No, my car has been wrecked by a hit and run driver on the highway, so I got a lift here so I could report it."
"Okay," he said as he turned to me, trying unsuccessfully to put the pieces together. "And are you a friend of him or of her?!", her said as he pointed to them both.
"Neither." I replied, "I just happened to be driving past!"
Now that is a cool story.
Good Samaritan x2.
The police officer must have been thinking "hmmm" lol.
Good Samaritan x2.
The police officer must have been thinking "hmmm" lol.
SG Hall
Flashlight Enthusiast
There was a hint of suspicion!
Hint of suspicion.... you shoulda got a medal.
So 1 year ago yesterday I was finally able to correctly guess that "type what you see here" correctly and actually join this site. If memory serves it took a bunch of tries to correctly type in the box what I thought it said. I want to say for a few evenings I tried until one evening it let me through.
Within a short time I got the confirmation email.
But the 1st three posts required the same.
I had been landing here as a lurker for a few weeks and was curious what members see vs guests. I really had no intentions of posting very much, or participating in many discussions. 4000+ posts in a year...well that didn't work out... but anyway....
I posted #1 and logged out. Later after fighting with the "type what you see here" box again I knocked out #2 and #3. I logged back out.
Welp it was some time before those 3 were approved. Back to the "type here what you see" box. Dratz!! I had read a ton of threads in many locations and so I knew this was a well moderated, orderly place. Seemed kinda scary at first. Lots of "thread closed" were seen where a discussion was taking place and WHAM! Thread closed. Well I knew from countless hours searching on car forums where legit questions were asked and by post 4 the thread was way off topic and the question never answered... this would not be the case for flashlight info here. Yet I did get the occasional pm from mods and was corraled in a few times.
I remember my first pm from a mod that did not advise me of a policy I had violated. Nice.
Looking back, it was a time where the Coast HP-7 was the greatest flashlight in the whole wide world in my mind. Folks wrote "yeah I like them too, but mine are in a drawer now."... as it turns out 1 year later so are mine. Back then the 300 lumen thing was the norm with quests for 500+ being the typical and speak of cracking the 1000 from a single emitter. Pft, that's same ole stuff now. Only 500? Are kidding?
Man I was happy with 250 after using mini mags for my search lights for years. Using a 'titanium' colored HP7 to see the top of a light pole at 250' in the rain for the first time... Wow! Anything brighter than a 2 log campfire in a handheld flashlight was unimagined by me at that time.
Tonight I begin a night shift at work. Back at the same project where it all began. The job was completed but some items have failed during the 1 year warranty period of this heavily travelled roadway. So lanes are closed at night to perform repairs. It was the project where the car crashed into that truck near the workers.
I spent yesterday getting info for duties involved, meeting folks and generally getting familiar with what is going to take place. Today I'm going through a mental list of my favorite flashlights, what they meant to me upon the first uses, what fuel they use and deciding which ones will go with me tonight. My wife took over the 'titanium' colored HP7 so my brain says "arrive early, go to Lowes and purchase another one." My first 2D Mag LED...the 'pro' is on the list. So is the fairly new tech Streamlight ProTac HL4 with its frosty 2200 lumens. A couple of rechargeable cop lights will go too. A Stinger and an early model LED Strion. A couple of PK products and a Malkoff or two will go. And my trusty SureFire G2x Pro will certainly get some playing time.
A Coast headlamp was purchased the last night I worked last year, so it'll get used for the first time as my last night was rained out back then.
Being a huge fan of incans I figure one or two of those will be used for plan reading or low light needs. But the construction folks use light plants that mimic sunshine. So LED brightness is needed to light up shadows mostly.
I'll spend the remaining 'dog days of summer' 016 working at night. If all goes well by mid september I'll be using sunscreen again. But last year a 3 week stint ended up being 4 months... so we'll see.
Either way it'll be nice to get paid while playing with flashlights. I am supposed to be sleeping while typing this, but I'm too excited thinking about all the flashlight time. Plus the trashman in the neighborhood has my dogs all wound up.
It's been a fun year.
Edit:
There is a vast assortment of lights to choose from. But I'm finding that for night shift on a construction site my duty lights with their bright white beams are in my bag.
This place has taught me a lot. I hope that I'm able to pass it on at times. I've e-met a ton of cool people, had lunch with some, exchange messages with some and speak on the phone with some. If the Lord takes me tonight my wife and family will never have to buy another flashlight, nor batteries nor bulbs. So there is that.
But most of all as my body has gone through some changes, partly due to mileage and past mistakes but partly due to father time... my brain has been stimulated during the adjustment period. Yet most people in my daily life have no clue I am a flashaholic. lol.
Thanks for letting me in the door folks.
Next night edit:
Tonights commute was about an hour before the eternal flashlight turned off for the evening. On the way it occured that about this time last year I was commuting at the same time. I had just purchased an LED Mag 2D and was shining it on road signs a quarter mile away getting all excited that they'd illuminate in daytime... trouble was I was doing that while driving, yacking on the phone with my wife and photographing it. I contemplated repeating it.
Tonights thought was "man are you crazy?!"
Another thought was how exillarating it was then. I'm still having a blast, but at least the excitement is contained long enough to drive safely. lol
So 1 year ago yesterday I was finally able to correctly guess that "type what you see here" correctly and actually join this site. If memory serves it took a bunch of tries to correctly type in the box what I thought it said. I want to say for a few evenings I tried until one evening it let me through.
Within a short time I got the confirmation email.
But the 1st three posts required the same.
I had been landing here as a lurker for a few weeks and was curious what members see vs guests. I really had no intentions of posting very much, or participating in many discussions. 4000+ posts in a year...well that didn't work out... but anyway....
I posted #1 and logged out. Later after fighting with the "type what you see here" box again I knocked out #2 and #3. I logged back out.
Welp it was some time before those 3 were approved. Back to the "type here what you see" box. Dratz!! I had read a ton of threads in many locations and so I knew this was a well moderated, orderly place. Seemed kinda scary at first. Lots of "thread closed" were seen where a discussion was taking place and WHAM! Thread closed. Well I knew from countless hours searching on car forums where legit questions were asked and by post 4 the thread was way off topic and the question never answered... this would not be the case for flashlight info here. Yet I did get the occasional pm from mods and was corraled in a few times.
I remember my first pm from a mod that did not advise me of a policy I had violated. Nice.
Looking back, it was a time where the Coast HP-7 was the greatest flashlight in the whole wide world in my mind. Folks wrote "yeah I like them too, but mine are in a drawer now."... as it turns out 1 year later so are mine. Back then the 300 lumen thing was the norm with quests for 500+ being the typical and speak of cracking the 1000 from a single emitter. Pft, that's same ole stuff now. Only 500? Are kidding?
Man I was happy with 250 after using mini mags for my search lights for years. Using a 'titanium' colored HP7 to see the top of a light pole at 250' in the rain for the first time... Wow! Anything brighter than a 2 log campfire in a handheld flashlight was unimagined by me at that time.
Tonight I begin a night shift at work. Back at the same project where it all began. The job was completed but some items have failed during the 1 year warranty period of this heavily travelled roadway. So lanes are closed at night to perform repairs. It was the project where the car crashed into that truck near the workers.
I spent yesterday getting info for duties involved, meeting folks and generally getting familiar with what is going to take place. Today I'm going through a mental list of my favorite flashlights, what they meant to me upon the first uses, what fuel they use and deciding which ones will go with me tonight. My wife took over the 'titanium' colored HP7 so my brain says "arrive early, go to Lowes and purchase another one." My first 2D Mag LED...the 'pro' is on the list. So is the fairly new tech Streamlight ProTac HL4 with its frosty 2200 lumens. A couple of rechargeable cop lights will go too. A Stinger and an early model LED Strion. A couple of PK products and a Malkoff or two will go. And my trusty SureFire G2x Pro will certainly get some playing time.
A Coast headlamp was purchased the last night I worked last year, so it'll get used for the first time as my last night was rained out back then.
Being a huge fan of incans I figure one or two of those will be used for plan reading or low light needs. But the construction folks use light plants that mimic sunshine. So LED brightness is needed to light up shadows mostly.
I'll spend the remaining 'dog days of summer' 016 working at night. If all goes well by mid september I'll be using sunscreen again. But last year a 3 week stint ended up being 4 months... so we'll see.
Either way it'll be nice to get paid while playing with flashlights. I am supposed to be sleeping while typing this, but I'm too excited thinking about all the flashlight time. Plus the trashman in the neighborhood has my dogs all wound up.
It's been a fun year.
Edit:
There is a vast assortment of lights to choose from. But I'm finding that for night shift on a construction site my duty lights with their bright white beams are in my bag.
This place has taught me a lot. I hope that I'm able to pass it on at times. I've e-met a ton of cool people, had lunch with some, exchange messages with some and speak on the phone with some. If the Lord takes me tonight my wife and family will never have to buy another flashlight, nor batteries nor bulbs. So there is that.
But most of all as my body has gone through some changes, partly due to mileage and past mistakes but partly due to father time... my brain has been stimulated during the adjustment period. Yet most people in my daily life have no clue I am a flashaholic. lol.
Thanks for letting me in the door folks.
Next night edit:
Tonights commute was about an hour before the eternal flashlight turned off for the evening. On the way it occured that about this time last year I was commuting at the same time. I had just purchased an LED Mag 2D and was shining it on road signs a quarter mile away getting all excited that they'd illuminate in daytime... trouble was I was doing that while driving, yacking on the phone with my wife and photographing it. I contemplated repeating it.
Tonights thought was "man are you crazy?!"
Another thought was how exillarating it was then. I'm still having a blast, but at least the excitement is contained long enough to drive safely. lol
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Wow how things change.
Last week, after having lunch with some friends, I stopped in a Walmart near where I grew up. A predominately white neighborhood. Irish, Polish, German, Italian. The area is a mecca for immigrants. The latest influx has been Hispanics, and Asian Indians.
Remember when you were in High School, and someone dropped a dish in the cafeteria, and everyone clapped and cheered? Well, yeah, some of us never grow up
So here I am looking at some camping equipment, and some guy and his lady friend pass by a stack of 8 garbage cans, stacked one inside the other. Somehow, he managed to snag one of them, and they all fell over. He was a little embarrassed, and started picking them up to stand them back up. Of course the kid in me just couldn't let it go :devil: I had to let out a ohoooooooooh
He looked at me and laughed a little. I smiled and went back to looking at those emergency blankets. Then, out of the corner of my ear, I heard someone calling... I turned my attention to the direction of the sound. It was him... calling me... "Hey... White Guy" "WHITE GUY!" He smiled and gave me a salute, and I saluted back, we both laughed, and went on our ways.
WHITE guy!!! Is that how I stand out now?
Boy oh boy, things have changed.
Last week, after having lunch with some friends, I stopped in a Walmart near where I grew up. A predominately white neighborhood. Irish, Polish, German, Italian. The area is a mecca for immigrants. The latest influx has been Hispanics, and Asian Indians.
Remember when you were in High School, and someone dropped a dish in the cafeteria, and everyone clapped and cheered? Well, yeah, some of us never grow up
So here I am looking at some camping equipment, and some guy and his lady friend pass by a stack of 8 garbage cans, stacked one inside the other. Somehow, he managed to snag one of them, and they all fell over. He was a little embarrassed, and started picking them up to stand them back up. Of course the kid in me just couldn't let it go :devil: I had to let out a ohoooooooooh
He looked at me and laughed a little. I smiled and went back to looking at those emergency blankets. Then, out of the corner of my ear, I heard someone calling... I turned my attention to the direction of the sound. It was him... calling me... "Hey... White Guy" "WHITE GUY!" He smiled and gave me a salute, and I saluted back, we both laughed, and went on our ways.
WHITE guy!!! Is that how I stand out now?
Boy oh boy, things have changed.
CanadianSurvivalCompany
Newly Enlightened
You sir are so correct on so many levels hahaha
Poppy, I was raised to be color blind regarding flesh tone. But like you, whenever I visit "the old neighborhood" it is pretty obvious that things have changed.
What troubles me is how many folks are angry at each other over their skin tone, dress code or generation.
But I still hold the door for strangers and notice others do for me as well.
So as changes occur in the old hood some things stay the same. Everywhere you go there are still ladies and gentlemen. They just look different these days.
What troubles me is how many folks are angry at each other over their skin tone, dress code or generation.
But I still hold the door for strangers and notice others do for me as well.
So as changes occur in the old hood some things stay the same. Everywhere you go there are still ladies and gentlemen. They just look different these days.
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When traffic stopped on I95 as I traveled north through South Carolina, I got a hotel room. Before settling in for the night I went to a supermarket to get some snacks.
After a bit I realized I WAS the only WHITE GUY in the store. It didn't matter. If you are light hearted, and treat people kindly, they'll treat you the same.
After a bit I realized I WAS the only WHITE GUY in the store. It didn't matter. If you are light hearted, and treat people kindly, they'll treat you the same.
Walk softly and carry a bright flashlight sir.
But seriously it just makes me smile to see perfect strangers greet each other with common decency. And you probably made that dude in Wally World feel like hero instead of zero.
Hopefully those folks in the old hood can make their way up the ladder and also look back some day with the same happy thoughts of their humble beginnings also.
What bothers me is when folks think"this is as good as it gets" never realizing that quite possibly it is just the starting point.
Ok, so I'm doing this EPIC passaround thing here at the site at the request one histories most influencial flashlights dudes ever. The products to pass around did not have batteries. Well I wouldn't invite folks to my cook out and expect them to bring their own mustard and ketchup, right? But dawg gonnit my 123's are down to 4 battery stations and a Panasonic. I need 8.
Ok, order online Friday afternoon knowing package goes out Monday? Or go to a local battery store and buy Streamlights for $2.50 each? Store it is.
I get there and checkout dude is like "hey bro, where you been?"... I'm running on fumes after only getting like 6 hours sleep in 3 days. I'm thinkin "whothuhell is this cat?"... and so I said "whuthell are you talking about?" He says "man you don't remember me?" Ok I've not been there since winter...
Anyway I toss a 12 pack of 123's on the counter and go look for 16650's. They didn't have any. Dude man has rung up my batteries and given me 33% off. Cool.
So I say "can you get me some 16650's?"... he goes and grabs 18650's. I say "naw dawg I need 16mm's." He enquired why and I answered for flashlights with 16mm tubes and he replies those 18650's will fit. Uh oh.
Ok it goes back n forth for a minute and dude is insisting they'll fit ANY flashlight that takes 2x123's... I say "dude that's a BOLD statement... matter of fact I'll bet you they won't."
I grabbed an overpriced ProTac HL3 and say "I'll buy this over priced piece-o-*** and every 18650 in your store if it fits." If they don't you toss in another 12 pack at your cost.
Easiest bet I ever won.
Turns out my wife knows the guy and she's trying to tell him do not bet my husband. If he bets more than a Pepsi it's because he is going to win...
I left the store while he was Googling 16650's. For good measure I said "look up www. 17650's too while backing out through the out door" lol.
Ok, order online Friday afternoon knowing package goes out Monday? Or go to a local battery store and buy Streamlights for $2.50 each? Store it is.
I get there and checkout dude is like "hey bro, where you been?"... I'm running on fumes after only getting like 6 hours sleep in 3 days. I'm thinkin "whothuhell is this cat?"... and so I said "whuthell are you talking about?" He says "man you don't remember me?" Ok I've not been there since winter...
Anyway I toss a 12 pack of 123's on the counter and go look for 16650's. They didn't have any. Dude man has rung up my batteries and given me 33% off. Cool.
So I say "can you get me some 16650's?"... he goes and grabs 18650's. I say "naw dawg I need 16mm's." He enquired why and I answered for flashlights with 16mm tubes and he replies those 18650's will fit. Uh oh.
Ok it goes back n forth for a minute and dude is insisting they'll fit ANY flashlight that takes 2x123's... I say "dude that's a BOLD statement... matter of fact I'll bet you they won't."
I grabbed an overpriced ProTac HL3 and say "I'll buy this over priced piece-o-*** and every 18650 in your store if it fits." If they don't you toss in another 12 pack at your cost.
Easiest bet I ever won.
Turns out my wife knows the guy and she's trying to tell him do not bet my husband. If he bets more than a Pepsi it's because he is going to win...
I left the store while he was Googling 16650's. For good measure I said "look up www. 17650's too while backing out through the out door" lol.
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Oh man... I literally laughed out loud. !!!
My wife would bet me on a regular basis, and then change the conditions of the bet... I never got paid, even though I should have won.
We are more alike every day my friend. I am not a gambling man. I almost never even buy a lottery ticket.
My dad will offer a Penny bet, then make you look it up to prove your point. Oh my goodness, the presentation that he'll make giving up that penny! Yet, when he wins one... he'll gloat, and claim that he will polish it and place it upon his mantle, with his other won pennies. It's all in good fun.
But like you... don't bet against me, for more than a buck, or... you sir, are going to lose.
