After a couple of day's working with Kev, he wound up describing himself as "Independant Kev" during one of our conversations. I kinda liked the "ring" of the statement, so it stuck in my head. I mentioned before that I had a helper on Tuesday, but it seems that he's not happy with working with me. He managed to talk the "Construction Coordinator" into sending him somewhere else. That's keen. I had him on the "Jail Job", and of the three things I let him do.. he fucked up two. (The third thing was "sticking" magnets to the selector tape, and I had to beat the bracket that holds it with a hammer, thereby misaligning all the magnets anyway, so I'll never know if he did THAT job correctly.) That's not to say that I "complained" when I learned that I'd be going it alone.
The worst part of the deal is the fact that I don't have anyone to "Send" to get the things that I forgot I needed. "Boy! I need you to run to the van and get me a "Left-handed, Metric, Crescent Wrench... and make it snappy!" As I'm working along, I realize that I need a tool that's two floor's down, and seventy feet away. It's nice to have a lackey to go and get that stuff for you, but when he ain't there, you've only the single course. Gogedddityourdamnself. Hell... I did less work when I was a "helper".
I'd like to have him around, if I could trust the work that he does... but if he can't be counted upon to put "Tab A- into - Slot B", then I'd rather be by myself. Unfortunatley, my legs and back feel much differently. Good Lowered, I'm tired. Damnit! I need another tool! Trudge out to van and retrieve it. Trudge back. I need to move the car! Clinb up stairs, access car, climb up ladder top car-top, use inspection station to move car where I need it, reverse prosess to get back where I can do my actual work.
Despite the fatigue... Despite the aches and pains... Sometimes I think that this is a blessing, It makes me think of what I need before I get to it. It makes me consider every contingency before it happens. It makes me be a better "Mechanic-In-Charge". If it's to better me in so many way's.. I'd rather be "Independant".
Posted by Johnny - Oh at January 19, 2006 10:06 PM | TrackBackLurking...
Posted by: Dax Montana at January 20, 2006 12:03 AMLurk away Brother! I do it all the time.
Posted by: Johnny - Oh at January 20, 2006 05:06 PMI sorta know the feeling.
Back in my Navy days, I worked in one of the engineering spaces (#4 plant) in the front half of the USS Enterprise. Supply department is at the back of the ship, about 600 feet away (city block, 1/10 of a mile, 2 football fields - pick your metaphor).
Typical event - 4 plant guy says, "Harv - go back to supply and get me a [name of widget]". So I traipse back & tell them, "I need a widget".
They'd ask "what for?".
"I don't know".
"Go back & find out".
After a few (or a few dozen) of those experiences, you learn to ask "why?" when someone asks you to fetch a widget.
In your case, the question is "what tools might I possibly need?", but it's the same principle.