Sometimes we all have to shovel $#@!

As I was settling into my new office I pulled out my shovel and proudly hung it up on the wall.  WTH the guys all asked is that?  (I am sure you are wondering also why in the world would I have a hot pink shovel hanging on my wall?)

Well... let me tell you I have known for awhile in life sometimes we all have to shovel $#@! but I didn't realize how literally that stood especially here in the oilfield until a few years ago!

At my previous employer we had a contract company out doing integrity testing (testing the external corrosion and internal corrosion of our tanks, vessels, piping etc on several locations as crude and produced water which is normally heavily contaminated and salt water to boot is highly corrosive especially at high pressures, this type of testing can ensure you don't suffer a catastrophic failure such as a rupture, breech, spill etc) there were two guys working with this company performing these test an older gentleman probably in his late 50's and a younger gentleman in his mid 20's - learning the ropes, lets call them... the "poop dudes" for easy identifying as this story can get a little drawn out.

So every morning when the "poop dudes" were out on location I had to go out and write a permit (I will go into permits more another day) for them to use their camera on our locations.  So I would go out bright and early every day and write the permit giving them clearance to perform their tasks.  Unbeknownst to me they so endearingly nicknamed me "Muffin" to some of my co-workers who would run into them during the course of the day. (I am pretty sure it was the older "poop dude" as he honestly couldn't get over seeing a female out doing work in the oilfield in a hard hat and boots and had said that to me several times) I am seriously OK with that I am a big girl and can handle it as I have worked in male dominated fields my entire life.

Ok so back to the shovel and the what it has to do with the "poop dudes".  I had asked them SEVERAL times if they would like a porta potty on location as they were in pop-up campers and extended cab pick-ups and they were sleeping and living in those during the basically two weeks of this project.  Both of them had replied to me SEVERAL times "no thank you" and I was thinking where in the heck are they using the restroom?  These locations are smack dab in the middle of Oklahoma City proper and some were even actually on airport, yes OKC's main airport, property so there is MASSIVE amounts of traffic.

Until about 4 days or so into the project one of my Field Operators came into the office and said, "Do we have a shovel I can give to those "poop dudes" ?"  I said, "what for?" and I seriously wished I would have NEVER asked! Come to find out they were using the restroom on our locations and piling it up and needed a way to bury it!!!! Ok now out in rural America this is really OK but in the middle of a metropolitan area? The air traffic controllers probably saw some things they wished they never had seen!

Lucky me being the HES (Health, Environment & Safety) Technician I was tasked to go out and explain to them why we can't do that and how we have a porta-potty we can bring out for them to utilize (remember I had offered it to them SEVERAL times and each time they had declined).  DREADING every last moment of having this discussion with the "poop dudes" my best friend in the world and Office Manager at my previous employer said,  "I will ride out there with you, I have to see what kind of people these "poop dudes" are!".

So after lunch we ventured out to the location they were at, the older one started walking towards my vehicle and I was busy putting on my PPE so he was standing at my driver's side window for a minute or so pointing down to the ground.  Candice (my Office Manager) looks up (she was also putting her PPE on) and say OMG,  OMG,  OMG  DO  NOT  ROLL  THE  WINDOW  DOWN  WE  ARE  PARKED  ON  THE  POOP! At that very moment I died laughing (mind you the older "poop dude" is still standing outside my widow at a bit of a distance but he just keeps pointing down.)  I was trying very hard to gain my composure to roll the window down and in the background all I kept hearing from Candice was "don't look down, don't look down".  The older "poop dude" says to me, "might want to move your vehicle you are parked in a mud puddle".

WHEW!  What a relief is all I can say, it was a mud puddle only! To this day I laugh hysterically when I try to retell the story or even when I was just blogging about it, it took me over an hour because I was laughing so hard!

I did have a discussion with them regarding their personal hygiene restroom habits and they did bury their previous "poops" with their own shovel...

When I left to head to my new job my entire field office gave me a hot pink shovel in remembrance of that very day including the inscription of "We Will Miss You Muffin". So that is why I have a shovel hanging proudly and hysterically on my wall here in my new office!  I love my Wheatland Crew and I won't ever forget you guys & gals ;-)

It is also serves as daily reminder

we all sometimes have to shovel the $#@! 

Have a MOST Terrific Thursday and Stay Safe!