Apr 18 2009
Tight Spots!
I found myself trying to work in a fairly tight spot in the attic yesterday, and it got me thinking of some other nasty situations from the past.
If your employer ever apologizes to you in advance for sending you to a specific location, saying that the job is really going to be unpleasant, run! Transplant your self and your belongings far away and do NOT look back.
All I had to do was hook up one floor grille in a house that had an addition built on, just one. Someone had even knocked a hole in the concrete stem wall for access, but it was a very small hole….
I had to push all my tools and materials into the hole ahead of me and then extend my arms out in front and wiggle in!
Never having gotten in the hole past my knees once I had gotten my connection made all I needed to do was back out and pull the flex out with me.
Now remember, this was a very small hole and my arms had to be out in front to fit into the hole to start, straight out over my head.
Laying flat on my stomach, encased in concrete, arms over my head, legs straight out behind, and pulling the flex for the heat run with me I came to the realization, that the human body cannot and will not move beyond a certain point….
Fingers and toes just do not propel a body well when that is all one can move! The floor was just above my back and bending my knees to help only caused me to wedge against the floor joists.
Doggedly holding on to the flex and the few tools it took to do the job I began to wiggle muscles I never knew I had. There was no way I was letting go of anything, knowing I would have to go back in the hole to get them again….
I don’t know how long it took to get back out, but it took longer than the entire rest of the job and quite possibly longer than it took to write the bible I’m sure. There were a few moments there when I wondered how long it would take before my absence was noted and a rescue party was sent to pull me out or send in food.
Good thing I don’t have claustrophobia!
Thomas H. Forthe
