Jump Start Our Hearts

March 22nd, 2007

Jump Start Our Hearts

So finally the workday had drawn to an end. Time to pack up and go. There was a popsicle with my name all over it. Or was there? It seems that the safety light on the back of the crummy, blinking all day, had drained the battery. We were stranded! C.O. Person had to radio back to the jail for someone to fetch us. This had us sitting about for an extra half hour in wait. S.C.O. Wight was on his way and almost conveniently as far as Person was concerned. Wight could then lay eyes on the enormity of our day’s collective effort. We all sat about in the back of the crummy revelling in ourselves for a manly day. Camaraderie through hard work and laughter. Fred leading the way with his keen wit and infectious laugh. Finally Wight showed up. As Person was jumping the crummy, Wight pokes his head into the back and proceeds to tell us that we’re going to have to pull some of the alders further back from the road as he deemed them to be a hazard. He also went further to say that he wanted us to load up the back of his truck with all the rounds we’d stacked roadside. At this point, Fred pipes up, “thanks for the work guys…good job!” laughing as he does. This only provoked all of us to laugh the giddy laugh. 

Person started bending Wight’s ear about how productive our day had been as a perfect lead in to complaining about our woefully inadequate lunches. It just so happened that we got burgers today, which is what we really desire, but only due to Paul from the kitchen sneaking them into our cooler under the shitty sandwiches of which we are to a man unmoved by. Person said to Wight that with the solid work we do a better lunch is not only needed, but deserved. At this point, Wight asks if there are any sandwiches left, as his voluminous gut was seemingly growling. A perfect opportunity to have him taste such lacking fare. When he motioned to Fred to pass him a sandwich, he pulled out two and said, “have a second one, on me!” Giggling his signature laugh. Again, we all joined in. It was apparent that we were feeling beyond reproach given our efforts of the day on top of being delayed from our routine by the failure of jailhouse equipment. Wight took the sandwich, bologna and processed cheese on white, and after a precursory inspection proceeded to peel away the bread and dispassionately pitch it out the door of the crummy. This only served to confirm opinions of our pitiful lunches drawing further laughter from within the crummy.

Finally boosted the focus shifted to getting the hell out of there, but there was still the matter of filling Wight’s truck with the wood and cutting away the protruding alders from our neatly stacked roadside piles. This much we did, but not without Fred’s joking. At $3.50/day, we were officially done work 45 minutes earlier and because of a dead battery, were now having to do more work. Within earshot of Wight Fred said, “I’d like to put in for a raise!” Official-like in delivery, if not for his infectious smile and contagious laughter. Not two minutes later, as we’re continuing to do the S.C.O.’s bidding, Fred says to Peters, loud enough for Wight to hear as he was approaching, “it sure would be nice if we got a raise!” Again, riotous laughter. I don’t think Wight knew how to take it. Why was everyone so invigorated and in such affable spirits? I conclude because we all got our hearts pumping blood through a solid effort of work. Nothing more, nothing less. The only downside to the afternoon was that we didn’t stop for a popsicle on our way back to jail, due to running late. C.O. Person lied to us!!