I am also one who has the same stuff with me regardless. (I avoid planes religiously. Like flying hate the BS. Cort rooms to.)
I was superintendent on a large commercial remodel/addition and got stuck with a new crew. (Seems the office found a new Coyote) :jerkit:
I'm not new to breaking in South American crews but these guys were playing all the games.
No English, no supply's, 2-3 guys trying to sign in with the same name on different days so there Buddie could lay out or get a few hours in if they weren't 'On a job this week'.
"I was not stealing. I found it and was keeping it safe until someone calmed it." one told me when I asked why the company tools were in his trunk.
"Yes, you found it in the gang box yesterday morning. Why did you put it in the trunk of your car instead of putting it back so I could lock it up?" I ask
"Oh, It' yours? Hear I was watching it for you."
:jerkit:
A few weeks in to this I was getting aggravated. I just could not break down the cultural barrier.
So were at break and one of the guys pulls the cigarette out from behind his ear(were he put it after he bummed it, IN PERFECT ENGLISH HE THOUGHT I COULDN'T HEAR, from one of the plummer, ) in his mouth, holds up his hand and wiggles his thumb. (Asking for a light) I know he has smokes and a lighter, he is just trying to get over, a freebie of the Gringos. (another one of the games we played:jerkit
With out thinking I throw him my mag bar and striker off my key ring.
He looks it over, no idea what it is, hands it to the translator, rattles of something about the Boss (me) is stupid, and every one laughs. Translator tells me "No he wants a lighter."
"That is a lighter" I got them now.
I pick up a scrap of 2x4 and start a small pile of shavings on the edge of a stack of Dry wall, take my mag bar back, scrape a little off and strike it. FIRE. Pull out a smoke, light it and brush the fire off on the flour and stomp it out.
Now the hole crew is gathered round. We go threw my EDC kit. Knife for work and one for me. (The one for me stays clean and sharp and NEVER gets loaned to anyone for any thing, it's mine.) Necker (2 is 1, 3 is a margin of error) with Para cord raped sheath and nylon string wrapped handle JIC. A couple short zip ties. (we used to fix a tool bag that got snagged and ripped a few days later.) Compass, Sight tool for the Fal and Photon light on the neck cord. Spare Photon and mag bar on key ring......
After that most of the crew started talking English, Production and Quality went up, Lay outs and most of the other games quit. When they saw I was about being prepared they stepped up and started doing the same. (I have learned a lot about minimal living and getting buy with nothing from my S. American buddies over the years) We over shot profit estimates by 40% on that job and did 3 more big jobs as a TEAM (not a wight guy and 'those guys') before I left the company.
My survival kit got me threw what was looking like a real hard time. I take it every were I go. :thumbup:
