Small Treasures

A short list of things not normally appreciated outside a power plant...

• Roger, the hole watch foreman, who danced with me briefly my first night.  Roger is a former professional ballroom dancer, and a bit of a flirt.  A very sweet older man with an unexpected past made us fast friends.
• Jonathan, one of the night foremen.  At the fresh age of 37, it's his first time as foreman, and he's taking it seriously.  He doesn't hesitate to make a joke, tho, and pick on his little brother in law, Nicolas, who is 20 years old and all of 120 pounds.  Nicolas swore he wanted to do what Jonathan did for a living, and when Jonathan tried to convince him otherwise, Nicolas proceeded to win 5 state trophies for welding.  He's one of our best workers.  Maybe he knew what he wanted all along...
• Bonnie, the night shift supervisor, also a Certified Weld Inspector (CWI).  Bonnie is in her mid 30s as well, and while she pesters me about progress a bit too much, she doesn't take herself too seriously, which is refreshing.  The occasional self-depreciating joke is an unexpected spice on a fast-talking southern accent.  She's been asking me about boilers and why they're doing the work they're doing tonight, which has been fun.  She's trying to learn my job, which is just fine.  :)
• Katie, the TUV weld inspector.  We ladies have started a bit of a QC club!  Katie had a long day and asked me to QC her men for her tonight.  I don't mind at all, and even asked her guys to recut a piece of replacement pipe in her honor.  (I don't care how talented they are, it was just too short!)  She offered me access to her trailer's stash of granola bars, and we shared tales of the road.  I told the girls to use the actual bathroom instead of the porta-potties, since there are so few women on site at night.  It's just sooo much nicer for everyone.  It's important to feel human.
• Bob, the purchasing agent.  When Bob says in his knowing, grandfatherly smile, "Welcome home", you really feel like you're home again.  Even when you didn't want to be here in the first place, somehow that makes it alright.
• Greg, who's really changed his tune in the past year, and the way he's been dealing with me.  Taking me aside to either give me a needed kick in the ass, or explaining plant social politics.  And almost losing his temper today, which prompted Bob to come in while Greg ranted with his feet on the desk, tie his steel toed shoes together, and gently tell him to change his attitude.  Bob also said he can't quit until he retired.  :-)
• Vinnie, the day shift foreman who lost half a hand and 25% of his face in a firecracker accident when he was 7.  Tough guy, but really good guy, and immediately offered to "talk to" someone who was leering and standing wayyyy too close for comfort, hoping I will bump into him on an 8" wide plank 10 feet up in the air.  Let's just say that person hasn't made eye contact since.  ;)
• Steven, the engineering manager, who never struck me as a fun person.  This outage, however, he started keeping score.

• Finding a dollar on the boiler floor.  Of all the random things I've found on a boiler floor, this was the best.  I got me a fantastic hot ramen dinner instead of my expected peanut butter sandwich.  (It's all relative, ok?)
• A quiet, empty boiler.  One walkman and one flashlight and it's just fine.

To be continued.