Author - Michael Bulger
Submitted By -Ape
It was five in the morning and he was ready to go.
He had probably forgotten more than I would ever know.
His words were like thunder and he was a prick.
“ No time for coffee ape just get up that stick!!”
The poles and the lines were his life he had no kids and lost his wife.
“Piss poor line work that’s not the way,
you’re killing me son looks like we'll stay!!”
We were up there all morning and all through the night.
“You are a Union hand and you will learn the trade right!!”
Then one day it was his last and I could tell
he had been pondering in the past.
He handed me some Klines with his hands of leather.
His voice was hard yet soft like a feather.
I stood there with the Klines in my hand and listend to the words of this lineman.
He said
“A lineman who once taught me the trade
said to pass these on to some ape that would cut the grade.
Now do me proud and do the job right
and promise your self that you will go home at night.
You wont get many atta boys or pats on the back
but remember to keep those damn poles in tact.
Pay you’re dues and learn what you can
and some day ape you will be a lineman”.
I still think of that lineman and his way.
And I still have those Klines to this very day.
He had taken his time to show me the trade
and that lineman are not born lineman are made.
Michael Bulger
1st step APE M.S.L.C.A.T
08/31/00