It was another long day in the life of this building engineer.
I was out the door by 4:45 and already moving across the 59th street Bridge before 5:30. The sun had yet to make its appearance, but at least I had music to keep me company.
I drove passed the security checkpoint at my loading dock and said my friendly good mornings to the security guards. Then I pulled behind my building, parked my car, and made my way to the time clock.
I don’t like the time clock. It reminds me that I am on someone else’s time and leaves me to feel as if I am being watched. And in many ways…….I am
Since construction is on the rise, I am often involved with the water columns and risers that run throughout the building.
However, the building I work for is old. This means the pipes are old. The valves are old as well, which means they break.
When this happens, we shut the main feeds, drain the lines, and then we change the valves. Only, with valves and piping this age, anything can go wrong.
Working on one line can lead to a problem with another. Any step must be carefully taken, otherwise, we’re stuck trying to change several lengths of pipe.
Another problem we have is our cold water lines are run in galvanized pipe. Galvanized pipe rots; it rots from the inside out. It clogs, it decays, and it leaks.
Today we were supposed to change one hot water valve and clear a cold water line on the west side of the building.
Beginning on the 28th floor, the cold water riser feeds downward and terminates on the 16th floor. However, some floors are fed from branch lines. These were the lines that clogged and tenants could net get cold water to the sinks in their pantries.
In addition, the line we had to work on was leaking at celling height on the 25th floor. The nearest connection was on the 24th floor, but there were more issues with the line on 23, which meant the entire pipe needed to be changed.
Pride plays a funny role in jobs like this. Everyone thinks they have the best idea on how to attack it. Everyone thinks their way is the only way, and anyone that disagrees is just wrong.
This, by the way, is why I hate being low man on the totem pole. Whatever idea I have on days like this are quickly ignored. But either way, the job still needed to be done.
So we started.
We started arguing too.
The columns are squared and closed inside terracotta bricks, and then covered with plaster. Being considered “The young guy,” they leave me to open the columns. But I don’t mind. It’s not often I get to hit things with a hammer. It’s not often I get to break things either…
This morning I broke into a column that has not seen daylight since 1976. I know this because I found an empty bottle of blackberry brandy. Arrow brandy, to be exact and the date on the bottle read, 1976.
That was the last time this column was opened.
But anyways…..
We opened the column and I kept the bottle. I argued with my supervisor, but he did not consider my suggestion. He said “It’s all or nothing. We have to replace the entire line….TODAY!”
This meant I had to do as he said. I could like it or not like it; I could agree or disagree, but neither of that mattered, because regardless of my opinion, I still had to do as I was told.
We managed to cut the line at the 25th floor.
“Why don’t we just tie in on 24,” I asked.
“The rest of the line is fine. There are no leaks and the clogged branches are running with water.”
Sometimes it is best to leave well enough alone. Sometimes it is better to sit back and assess the situation, rather than respond out of pride or anger.
Pride complicates the task.
A good friend of mine always said, “I would rather be happy than right all the time.”
Maybe I should have thought about that this morning….
An 8-hour job turned into an 11-hour job. I missed out on my Saturday. I came into work before the sun woke, and I left after it went to bed.
Eventually, I will become a supervisor myself. When that time comes, I will have to remember lessons like the one I learned today. Pride creates mistakes.
Listen to suggestions. Listen to my co-workers, but most important, never go against a gut feeling.
And….If something is working halfway; it’s better than not working at all.
5:00 and the evening swept in. I closed the loading dock gate. I changed out of my uniform, into my clothes, and then I returned to the time clock. I put my hand in, waited for the beep, and 11 hours later, I no longer felt as if I was being watched.
It’s candle time. It’s time for dinner and a movie. I’m sure after the lights are low my eyes will close.
But this is what I work for…this is my place to come to after a long day in the life of a building engineer.
Enjoy your evening folks
The Written Addiction 