Paid slavery only leads to social unrest and a shorter lifespan for everyone. Injuries are a regular occurrence among labor workers. The types of injuries are sometimes not physical but mental. Once injured, it is difficult to rejoin the workforce. No one cares except your Mother. There were good days to be had in spite of these drawbacks.
The boat ride over to Blakely island early in the morning was unsurpassed. Obstruction Pass was always a challenge to cross with a boatload of uneducated but intelligent workers. Sometimes in the winter we would see harbor seals hauled out on the rocks waiting for a blast of early morning sunlight to get them going. When they saw us, they quickly retreated to the safety of the waters of Northern Puget Sound. Starting the day at 4 am and ending it at 7 pm was the life of the men who build the houses and homes in these San Juan Islands.
Larry the long hair carpenter drove the boat over one morning. We all took turns doing this chore of going to work. To empty the boat of rainwater one simply removes the drain plug while skimming along as free as the breeze. Larry seemed to be tired like a rabbit after having sex. He put the drain plug in his pocket. He forgot to remember it. We all left the boat since time is money when you are at work. In the afternoon we looked at the anchorage in anticipation for home. All we could see was the bow of the green runabout with the brand new Mercury outboard attached dangling by its painter. Gordon was none too pleased.
John B. the foreman, took control and emptied the boat by dragging it ashore with the truck. We then dismounted the engine and according to the factory, we turned it upside down in a barrel of fresh water to stop corrosion. The next day after much discussion and cleanup we pressed the starter and the damned thing fired up. Larry still had his job but was not driving the boat ever again.
Gordie gave us the job digging up the electrical supply cable that comes ashore in a remote area of Blakely for an eventual splice to the new housing development we were involved with. Late in the afternoon, we heard the telltale clunk as the shovels found the underground line. You could actually hear the EMF hum of this huge electrical cable transmitting all of the electrical power for Blakely's wealthy patrons.
Gordie gave us the job digging up the electrical supply cable that comes ashore in a remote area of Blakely for an eventual splice to the new housing development we were involved with. Late in the afternoon, we heard the telltale clunk as the shovels found the underground line. You could actually hear the EMF hum of this huge electrical cable transmitting all of the electrical power for Blakely's wealthy patrons.
Gordon issued no warnings about how easily we could get electrocuted if we happened to break the outer plastic covering of this monster cable. It was just a small oversight. Explaining an electrocution to the sheriffs' department could be dicey, so the plan was to bury any victims of electrocution in the same hole as the cable. Nice work, boss.
In a moment of departure from his norm as Commander of the Slaves, he told us a story of his first and only time to smoke the evil weed called wacky backy. He was at a celebration with plenty of party girls. You must remember party girls tend to be over sized.He got stoned. He stared at a poor struggling thing. He suddenly blurted out a despicable remark, completely out of character. 'You've got a fat ass.' She did not give in to his charming ways though, and left in short order.
In a moment of departure from his norm as Commander of the Slaves, he told us a story of his first and only time to smoke the evil weed called wacky backy. He was at a celebration with plenty of party girls. You must remember party girls tend to be over sized.He got stoned. He stared at a poor struggling thing. He suddenly blurted out a despicable remark, completely out of character. 'You've got a fat ass.' She did not give in to his charming ways though, and left in short order.
The man was a loser from the get go. Until he got tangled up with a beautiful Maritime lawyer who put him straight. There was no hope for this guy in the real world. This lady was the most rapturous thing I had ever seen. She was living in a cold log cabin and raising her only son as best she could. She was looking forward to the day she could sling her fur coat over the sofa and pick up a wine glass after dismounting her private jet from Seattle.
We got the job to build for the Runstadts two cabins of remarkable size using the biggest timbers all with mortise and tenon joints. This was the Hall of the Viking King. It was a cold day when we started clearing the site. Digging down we uncovered a huge boulder that could never be moved in our lifetime. We built the cabin on it. We then hid the rock behind a full, porch-wide staircase that would rival 'Gone with the Wind' of the antebellum South. After months of hard labor we put the last touches on this master work. His wife surprised us with an hours long party complete with beer and specially catered dishes flown in from Seattle by seaplane. That was the most memorable party I ever attended dressed in work clothes. I just hope the Runstadts twin 63' Swans are always moored safely.
We got the job to build for the Runstadts two cabins of remarkable size using the biggest timbers all with mortise and tenon joints. This was the Hall of the Viking King. It was a cold day when we started clearing the site. Digging down we uncovered a huge boulder that could never be moved in our lifetime. We built the cabin on it. We then hid the rock behind a full, porch-wide staircase that would rival 'Gone with the Wind' of the antebellum South. After months of hard labor we put the last touches on this master work. His wife surprised us with an hours long party complete with beer and specially catered dishes flown in from Seattle by seaplane. That was the most memorable party I ever attended dressed in work clothes. I just hope the Runstadts twin 63' Swans are always moored safely.
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