We had the 24 day shift sprung on us. Literally. We had just gotten back from our trips home and everyone was all smiles. Then Foreman Greg let the cat out of the bag at tool talk. "oh bye the way," he said in an offhand sort of way "they decided we are going to be working a 24 instead of a 14."
You can imagine how that little announcement changed the mood in the room! Instant quiet and shock. At first everyone was pissed off. How could you not be? Finding out last second and all. Packing for 14 days and working 24 instead. Mutiny was in the air.
After a few minutes of this someone saw some bright spots in the 24. First it meant that every day after the 14th (or maybe it's just the 7 after the 14th ... not clear on that one yet) would be at double time. Someone else looked it up on the tape at the hall and realized that it came with guaranteed flights across Canada. And then they added that the at-home part of the swing would be 7 days instead of the usual 4 in these cases so people were happier. Everyone would be taking home lots of money. And for me I would be getting a huge chunk of hours towards the 1,500 I need to have banked in order to take the apprentice course this fall that will raise me to a 2nd year apprentice.
Now we are 10 days in and just starting what would be a normal shift. 14 days left. Physically I am starting to get tired. I sleep 8 hours a night but I am 46 a d my body needs time to recover. And I miss my wife. And I miss my dog. And I want to play in my garden which is my wonderful summer distraction. And lets face it, after 10 days a man really wants a woman! As the song from Rocky Horror Picture Show goes: "I have an itch to scratch, I want affection."
Some one once said that the purpose of a liberal education was to make one's mind a pleasant place to spend one's quiet time" and I agree. I don't actually get time where I can sit under a tree and contemplate the clouds or anything but while doing repetitive tasks my mind is my own. So I fight off negativity and those self-crucifying thoughts that make you want to do something stupid so you can get sent home and instead I thinks about pleasant things. Like times I spent with my wife Juju. Or things I want to do in my garden. Or rivers I have fished. Or golf courses I have played. Anything but the voice of self-destruction the is ever present and looms just around the corner.
I am not suggesting that I am not paying any attention while grinding or doing dangerous tasks. Instead I find that I have 2 trains of thought running simultaneously and one is always locked onto the task at hand while the other does it's own thing. It's own thing I do have control of though and that is what allows me to do this job for many days straight and not go nuts in the process.
There are lots of positives to focus on. I have done lots of 14s and that is a that is left. In 2 days we are at the halfway point (effectively at the end of tomorrow). Thursday will be a payday and as there are 7 days on it (the boys call these 'a ringer') it will be a good one. Thursday will also be the start of our double-time. And then there are the Stanley Cup playoffs which are just starting and my Vancouver Canucks are in them. So all in all things are goi g pretty well.
But do you know what I miss the most? I love sex like the next person but that's not it. Not golf. Not fishing. I miss waking up spooned next to my wife with our little dog laying by our feet and the cat purring away on the other side of my wife. And when I am down or am fighting the urge to run for the door I stop myself and drive my mind to that place. The place where I am most comfortable in the whole world. And I tell myself that the pain now is part of the pleasure then.
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