And the correct answer was
a) For me to do what?
b) Isn't it just!
c) It was colder in the winter of '45.
d) Nah, I like it colder.
e) I reckon.
I ask you: "Cold enough for you?"
fair warning: on block island or manhattan or in missouri, we can be a little salty
Cold enough for me is fourteen degrees F on a floating stage working on a steel bulkhead with a too-heavy air drill, wet gloves going frozen, the hawk blowing 24 knots, and whitecaps ready to crash your kneecaps.
ReplyDeleteYou hope your toes aren't frostbit off, because at some point you'd like to climb off this thing and make it to the shanty for just one sip of the hot chocolate (I swear) that the ol' lady poured scalding into your thermos.
But right now you've got razor blades lashing your ear lobes and tears are frozen in their tracks. When you're two thoughts away from wishing you were never born the crane operator breaks your finger because your glove sticks to the jet pipe on "cable up." Its your right hand that winds up between a jet pipe and a hard brace.
Yes, that's about cold enough for me, and also not enough for me. "To the good times."
Good heavens! I hope this didn't happen recently!
ReplyDeleteThis cold-weather event took place in Atlantic Highlands, NJ: January, 1999.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that the broken finger was my pinky.
When D, the operator and company owner saw me nursing it, he threw up his hands in mock disgust.
I then pulled down my Patagonia balaclava (thank you, Dorothy) and yelled for all I was worth:
"You broke my f'n pinky!"
Of course, the crew howled. D. then pulled his 6' 3" 260 pound self onto the track of the 30-B and yelled, "Boo hoo hoo."
Of course, I finished the day. The finger was set at Monmouth Medical that evening and I came back to work the next day.
We were working a 6-man job with 4 guys. If "Jimmy breaking his pinky" shut down the job for the day, this story would still be told, but I wouldn't be looking too good.
Alas, the poor pinky now shows a question mark at the end of the row. And my diamond-studded pinky ring? It has not seen good light since 1998. In central New Jersey this can really hold you back.
that's a pretty tough act to follow...wouldn't even want to try...so I will just say "yeah" and that car looks like a cool ride ...literally
ReplyDelete