Pipe stretcher - photo

[Frank S]

The problem with pranks impractical jokes and all things related is things have a way of escalating. I always hated to have to terminate the employment of someone because they either needed the job or more importantly I needed the production from their labors to be able to afford having them employed in the first place. We hired a lot young persons back when I first started my fabrication shop temporary or summer work. My way of thinking was if I could get someone new to the work force and over time teach them a skill they could use throughout their lives regardless if they remained working for us or moved on to bigger and better things at least I could feel good about giving them a start towards a possible career and hopefully a leg up on life in the short time they would be working for us.
Along with the young and some much older persons as well though. There always seems to be that one or two who no matter what you did, would constantly try my patience. One time we had to such characters an 18 year old and a man almost my age at the time nearing 40. I don't know how long they had been pulling pranks on each other but one day their pranks came out of the closet so to speak, and one of them got injured Not bad but serious enough to require administering first aid. When the first aid cabinet was ever opened I wanted to know/ had to know why. Did a wrench slip and a guy skinned his knuckles did he hit his thumb with a hammer or get something in an eye or a grinder disk explode what was the reason.
Oh me and so and so did something stupid and I may have jammed or broken my index finger its alright I'll just use a finger splint and bind it up and return to work.
Not until I hear the whole story you won't and then you are going to the emergency room for an x ray that is why I have to pay a percentage of your salary every month to an insurance company.
As it turned out the older guy was getting back at the younger for a prank he had pulled by stacking some materials in jenga fashion with the young guys lunch box as one of the blocks.
OK I said I don't know who started this how long it has been going on and I don't want to know Tom is old enough that childish pranks should have passed through his system 20 years ago and you should have learned form this that these things have no place in the work place, these end now or both of you get your pinks. My tolerance level is below zero for this. Finish up bandaging your finger and go get it x-rayed.
Tom can I see you in the office for a minute. After reading both of them the Frank S version of the riot act so far as I know there was never any more Tomfoolery in our shop.
The way I look at things is if you feel the need to pull pranks or impractical jokes audition for a spot on candid camera