.
I already knew that this pig-eyed sack of useless primordal cells was lazy and for the moment very cocky. He'd squeeled with delight at the thought of bigger US dollars from the DC4... and how can you work for two opposing companies anyway?
And he certainly was untroubled by anything so inconvenient as a scruple.
I glanced at the half finished wheel assembly... and at my wounded airplane. I thought with intensity. .... and like a flash..
My mind raced back a month or two when I remember something Suzy Secretary said to me .. She was a loyal secretary to our company ... and me.
She would often give me shelter from the storm...
"These contract employees have to pay their own Workers Compensation payments" she purred, as I feigned interest in the topic whilst marvelling at her form.
In place of the left jab I postulated to the slacker , "I phoned Suzie when I was in Wrangell and it seems we have a problem with your WCB payments which opened up a can of worms with the tax department and all this crap with your ex wife ... blah .. blah .. blah .. blah".
He went slackjawed as his receding chin dropped into his sunken chest. He folded his hand to the master. I knew nothing of which I had spoken.... all bluff... and more..
"You will sign out all work till I find a replacement" I bargained from a newfound position of strength. Everybodys attention was diverted by the arrival of the DC4 from Alaska. Piggy's trotters were a blur as he ran off squeeling to his next employer.
The crew were a mixed bunch with a young blond hero type of guy as the captain and a copilot somewhat older and a swamper called Cowboy Jim.
The Bristol crew took them off in the direction of the bar followed by my porcine engineer darting excitedly behind them.
Rob and I were alone ... a busted winch , burned out brake , no left generator , no heater.... we looked at each other .... lots of heart .... lots of guts.
The deal was , we do the work , Piggy signs it out. There was the wheel. We saw why he abandoned the project. The multiple discs were warped and the brake blocks were hanging up , just like the brakes on the airplane now. Rob came up with a solution and we struggled long into the night .. in the cold clear night , soon to be cloaked in a dense fog.
Rob ground the castellations on the discs with a small grinder so that the blocks were not held up , a tempory fix but skillfully done.
The merriment from the chalet was of no comfort to us.
And a special thanks to Mzunga. The pics were well received and lent reality to the story.