Quote:
Originally posted by J'Pol+15 August 2004 - 04:14--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (J'Pol @ 15 August 2004 - 04:14)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteBegin-j2k4@14 August 2004 - 20:13
I'm kinda from the BigBoab (welcome back, BTW) school of aches and pains, though I've managed largely to skate on the stitches.
I'll try to describe one of my adventures:
I was helping a friend rehabilitate an old building as a sort of camp, on Lake Michigan, but in the middle of nowhere; nearest road was about 15 miles away, and we brought all the materials in by boat.
One fellow was building a rough septic tank right next to the house, about 5 feet from the eave.
I was pouring sidewalks, and was coming around the corner and going between the house and the septic tank (concrete blocks, in this case; about 4x6 feet, and 6 feet deep) with a wheelbarrow of stone for my mix.
One of the fellows shingling the roof yelled "HEADS UP!!" just in time for me to see two bundles of shingles (about 150 lbs.), which hit me in the head and knocked me into the empty septic tank; I hit the opposite side of the blockwork, caving in my ribcage, dislocating my shoulder, puncturing a lung, and giving me a nice concussion.
This was followed by the wheelbarrow (and probably 350 lbs of stone) falling in on top of me, followed further by 2 more bundles of shingles.
My mates fished me out of the hole as gingerly as they could, and treated me to a nice, leisurely boatride to town and the hospital. :)
I was back a month later to help them finish the cabin. ;)
I am truly sorry, but I couldn't help but think of this.
Quote:
The Bricklayer’s Lament
Now dear sir I write this note
to tell you of my plight.
For at the time of writing it,
I’m not a pretty sight.
My body is all black and blue,
my face a deathly gray,
And I write this note to say why
I am not at work today.
While working on the 14th floor,
some bricks I had to clear.
But tossing them down from such a height
was not a good idea.
The foreman wasn’t very pleased,
he is an awkward sod.
He said I had to carry them down
the ladder in my hod.
Well moving all those bricks by hand,
it was so very slow,
so I hoisted up the barrel
and secured the rope below.
But in my haste to do the job
I was too blind to see
That the barrel full of bricks was heavier than me.
So when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead,
and clinging tightly to the rope,
I started up instead.
I shot up like a rocket, and to my dismay, I found
that half way up, I met the flaming
barrel coming down.
The barrel broke my shoulder
as to the ground it sped,
And when I reached the top,
I banged the pulley with my head.
But I held on tightly, numb with shock
from that almighty blow,
While the barrel spilled out half the bricks
some 14 floors below.
Now when the bricks had fallen
from the barrel to the floor.
I then outweighed the barrel
and so started down once more.
Still clinging tightly to the rope,
my body wracked with pain,
and half way down I met the
flaming barrel once again.
Well the force of this collision
half way down the office block
caused multiple abrasions
and a nasty state of shock.
But I clung on tightly to the rope
as I fell towards the ground
and landed on the broken bricks
the barrel had scattered ‘round.
As I lay there on the ground,
I thought I passed the worst,
but that barrel hit the pulley wheel,
and then the bottom burst.
A shower of bricks came down on me,
I didn’t have a hope.
As I lay there bleeding on the ground,
I let go of the bloody rope.
The barrel then being heavier
it started down once more.
It landed right across me
as I lay there on the floor.
It broke three ribs and my left arm,
and I can only say,
I hope you’ll understand
why I am not at work today.
traditional Irish pub song
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