Fun Friday: Tough Day At Work

I'm back in the daily workplace. In my training class this week I shared some of my war stories from Census 2000. Seems I can be minding my own business and suddenly an "event" happens.

My worst story revolved around inspecting a lot where a house had burned down. I drove into an overgrown dirt driveway and felt a tug under my car. Several black tubes were hanging under my Buick Park avenue. I secured them with a seat belt and let them hang just under the car. I finished my assignment of approximately 10 miles of travel. I drove to my mechanic's shop. They put the car into the main garage building and suddenly his wife, the secretary, asked me what was wrong with my car. "You've done something big, Kay. Look, they're rolling the car outside and all of them are moving back but Jim."



It seems I had run over a limb that had pulled my entire gas line loose from the car. One spark would have fried me and the car to toast. Jim came in and told me he'd have to replace it and the cost would be $125.00.

All of the mechanics were staring into the office to see my reaction. I literally went into praise to God for all those angels keeping me alive in spite of my ignorance and poor judgment. I was euphoric!!!


Jim said, "You seem mighty happy. Did you hear me, the parts alone will be $125.00?" I replied, "Compared to the alternatives I see I am one blessed woman. Honestly, I never knew God would go to such lengths to keep me alive in spite of my foolishness." He nodded..."Yep, this time I have to agree with you. This has to be a miracle."



Here is one of my favorite stories of a bad day at work. I must admit I've never had this tough a day.

"Dear Sir:
I am writing in response to your request for additional information in Block #3 of the accident reporting form. I put "Poor Planning" as the cause of my accident. You asked for a fuller explanation and I trust the following details will be sufficient.

I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six-storey building. When I completed my work, I found I had some bricks left over which when weighed later were found to weigh 240 lbs.

Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley which was attached to the side of the building at the sixth floor.




Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went down and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 240 lbs of bricks. You will note on the accident reporting form that my weight is 135 lbs.



Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building.



In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel which was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed. This explains the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken collarbone, as listed in Section 3, accident reporting form.



Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley which I mentioned in Paragraph 2 of this correspondence. Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of the excruciating pain I was now beginning to experience.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground-and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs.



I refer you again to my weight. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.


In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, broken tooth and severe lacerations of my legs and lower body.


Here my luck began to change slightly. The encounter with the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked.


I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain, unable to move and watching the empty barrel six stories above me, I again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope."

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Please laugh at the funny stuff in your life. Along with the laughs praise our Mighty Lord as He brings you through the tough moments. Delight yourself in the Lord and Live with Vigor and Thrive: We're Alive and God is with us all along the way.