Author - Norman G. Stallard
Submitted By -Cat Up A Tree
Florida Power Corp.
Eastern Division
Summer 1960
As a very new green groundman in the Winter Park Line Dept. I was fortunate to be selected to drive our first bucket truck. The lineman I worked with was lots of fun, we went all over central Fla. working with other line crews, other utilities, service work and even went to Orlando International where they (FAA mechanics) used our bucket to work on the tail of large aircraft. We were the king of the block back then.A call came one day from our GF to rush back to Winter Park to such and such address SAP.He would meet us there. Well I drove live a mad man thinking we were on a life or death mission. When we arrived the fire and police departments were both there., plus the local newspaper. The GF quickly gave us a brief. This cat had been up the tree for three days, police and fire dept. were unsuccessful in retrieving him. Plus the cat belonged to a city commissioner. My lineman told me where to set up. The newspaper reporter had his camera taking pictures. Some old southern ladies had made ice tea. The GF was telling the press our names and said the bucket truck could do everything but fly.Well we succeeded in retrieving the cat. For a few moments we owned Winter Park, They took many pictures and we drank ice tea. After this was all over and the crowd had thinned out, I secured everything on the bucket truck and got ready to back down a long driveway. We have a rule at FPC, do not back up unless some one is watching you. Well my lineman and GF were under a magnolia tree drinking ice tea. ON MY WAY OUT I BACKED OVER THE DAMN CAT AND KILLED IT. The GF had to get the division manager to do the pr on this one.
Norman G. Stallard