Fuel & Lube

Third hitch begins. Warmer. More women this set it seems. 3:58 am. People are fresh, no pressure in the air. Bousher pickup near Tamarack, picking up someone.

Two and half months ago I drove from Calgary to Fort Mac, knocked on doors. Then to Fort McKay and found Bousher office hidden in the woods. Asked couple of guys smoking outside for ops superintendent and he came out to waiting area. Told him I can piss in a cup. When are you available? Now. I got all my shit in my truck. Got class 3 license, can drive water truck, vaccum truck, dump truck. –we’re looking for dump truck drivers. Takes my CV, logistics at JV, tickets, reliable, scribbles on it. Never heard from Bousher again.

- What’s broken, Frank? (Ken to Frank , instead of good morning)

- Nothing major, 2007

- I knew it! fucking Evan

- Fucking turbo..

Stop sign clicks in silence. Sighs in bus,many didnt sleep enough,  we were at camp past nine pm. At Rundle, all Redbull is sold out. Few remaining in one machine, but it has Sprite bottle stuck.

We roll into RMT7. Every set is like a separate life. Seems like ages go I left for YYC. A week in YYC is a nostalgia memory. It was yesterday.

Toolbox

Ken cuts lock from his locker with grinder, lost key between hitches. Travis (announcing):

- Does anyone now what it takes to cut a lock at Fort Fireweed

- I stopped by permit office, I got glasses

- I (points at himself), have to sign that permit...

-I am a big dick. I dont have a big dick, I am a big dick

-I got cialis , viagra in ouch pouch, if you go out drinking, you don’t want to not to be able to give her the good dick

- Everyone is back. Evan is back. That’s probably gonna be his biggest accomplishment today.

Derek is mechanic, came back from break, divorced. "She said half, its has to be my personal income, not company’s. That’s 300K gross on company, not net."

Chatter. Barry just walked up to Travis, "what are my options here." Wants to quit . "Return to camp? Its Tuesday, sit in camp until fly day?"

Toolbox - "SunCrude near miss. Haul truck was turning left. Pickup got squeezed to the berm. Haul truck hit pickup with rear tires. Horrid looking. No forgiveness here. Two haul trucks from Metal Haul they don’t stop. Water truck was doing sixty. Two blown tires. Youg kid. A lot of these drivers were in school yesterday. In thunder don’t extend crane. Don’t pull Victor, full crane extended."

Zane describe dangerous corner – "11 trucks on shovel/haul, up north dumping right off the road too. Berm too high, can’t see. Told Sunridge should have sign for trucks to slow down, blind spot."

Fuel bay

I volunteer to help at fuel bay. Kira did not return, Luke alone.

8039, CAT 789C haul truck, middle aged woman, grey hair, asks to put washer fluid. We get up near drivers cabin on top, on thin metal sheet, it shakes. Wow. Yeah. These trucks are old, like from 80s. Heat from engine is unbearable. Coming down, I leave my glove on ladder, grab it just before lady comes up. - Important , eh? Luke: countless times, I’ve seen my gloves just drive away.

8049 is a joker. As he pulls up to fuel bay, he shows with his hands as if he’s pulling the rope. Makes fun of Luke, who is maybe 5.5 ft. Whatever you do, don’t believe him, he’s an asshole, you know why Luke is short? Leans his shoulder over Luke’s shoulder. Luke (stoically): yeah, all the pressure.

8050, triple. Luke waves , guides in. Wheel chokes, lock, push in Flowmax, lever up, drum, grease hose, walk around to drivers’ side, flip open grease box, pull collar back on grease nozzle, click in, press handle into tie, walk around, hydrolic level – green, transmission oil – green, back – differential oil level good, continue counter-clock wise, wait for fuel to go, Luke is done up checking coolant, engine oil up top. Full, pull out, Luke gets bucket, wheel chokes off, pull lock off. Luke waves him out.

8026, komatsu eight five. Engine oil intake is too high, need ladder, all in dark area, stick is barely noticeable. Who designed this thing? Steering fluid gauge, intake on blind side is right behind the mud flup, always in 3-4 inches of concrete solid mud. We can’t check it. “And then you have steering problems.”

Trucks come in waves.