A la carte in Retrospect - Day Old Donuts!
(Excerpt from “The Wreck and the Exoneration of Captain Joe Hazelwood”, a novel approach by S. Pam McGee)
The Trans-Alaska-Pipeline-System was a complicated endeavor since its inception, which actually started out “gun-oh” with not much ammunition way back in the late 60s. Due environmental issues in constraint, how in hell to build an 800-mile pipeline through a “wilderness” on lands claimed by the Alaskan Natives? So that “humble” interest sat on the “back burner” for years, just smoldering away. Had it not been for the Arab Oil embargo, well that was the precipice that forced Congress to work towards a bipartisan agreement to streamline the “TAPS Right-of-Way” permit. The rest is history and in 1977 it was “Oil In”. Yes complicated, from the construction days to the operational phase and when all was said and done and seemed a “piece of cake” cha-chinging away, the “Wreck”. It was “Destiny’s Child” and that nightmare was on the warning track. It could have and should have been avoided - too damn late for that! But herein entered as a “limited edition” of this writing called “The Wreck”, an abbreviated maybe condensed version the how and why, that maybe finds an easier understanding what it was all about. In a nutshell, what allowed that “Wreck” to dead reckon our efforts as once dedicated for the cause as “pipeline workers”. Yes, in retrospect the ignoring of abusive tanker crews returning from furlough and stumbling back to their “ship of fools”. That well-known abuse finding itself as a lower priority of interest in the Alyeska management’s “abuse category”, a lessor priority then “day old donuts”. I am serious, “day old donuts” cause for concern - maybe we needed that “Union”!
When I was transferred from the Valdez “Marine Terminal” to Pump Station#1, it was due the fact Alyeska cherished my dedication to the job duties but castrated my “vocal Union supporting” and there was in effect a “Union Busting” plan of attack, break up the troublemakers! “Go North young brave-heart and we will use you then abuse you”. So relocate this “Technician Level VI” with the highest of ratings in “Performance” to a place I may find comfort at ease, far and away from that “Union” interest any and all participation castrated. Wherein all that I needed was location familiarization and more then qualified to take over the “Custody Transfer” obligations that were in ruins, and one could not get further away from that “Causeway” 800-miles due north. And I did not hold a grudge even though every damn “promotional opportunity” I bargained for, same old story time-after-time from Alyeska’s “HR” in a nice way “Thanks but NO Thanks”. Even when the Valdez supervisors went to bat for me, based on my past performances time-after-time of “Exceeds Expectations” and “potential to advance far within the company and (I) highly recommend Mike for any first-line supervisory position…”. I was “black-listed” when at the same time “back-blistered” from working my ass off to help this bastard child company succeed! Yes “bastard child”, as the “Owner Company” agents saw the tanker abuse like we had witnessed and instead of confronting that dereliction the adults ran away like negligent parents. I was “black listed” for taking action against the “drunks” wherein it was closing in to a “brawl & blood” fest, for that promotions denied, as by that time it was still in secrecy my of record vocal “Union” support activity being monitored by the 5th Floor. Along with the sad fact of the matter the “Alyeska Covert Operation” efforts to illegally “SPY” on the workers involved with “organized labor” well engaged - targeting those ratted out as “supporters” like myself. Sure this Alyeska condoned “spying” was “illegal”, as the Alaska Constitution guarantees that “Right to Privacy”, even if that “Right” is not stipulated in the U.S. Constitution. For those Alyeska executive brats that disagree, in consideration that “SPY” thing it is what one would expect living in the Soviet Union: § 22. Right of Privacy - The right of the people to privacy is recognized and shall not be infringed. Will the Alyeska “rat-fink moles” please identify yourselves, as there is a prison that finds a cell with your M.O. as there is “No Reason for such Treason”, not in “My Country ‘Tis of Thee”. And any Alyeska employee that realized this “SPY” thing was going on and didn’t speak up, may you rot in Charles Hamel HELL! Back to the “day old donuts”.
Up at PS#1, I got to know a guy called “Buffalo Joe”. He was a feisty individual, had many stories to tell about his days in Vietnam as a “Drill Sargent” enlisted in the US ARMY. This guy meant business, and had my draft number called out “you’re in the ARMY now”, I would have hoped a guy like Joe as my commander, as you knew he would have your back! And I became friends with Joe, because he worked the midnight shift and that is when a lot of my work found me up and about. Due the “Closing Tickets” for the Custody Transfer deliveries of crude oil for the “pipeline” went printed, as it went on a 24-hour cycle. So if something went afoul during the day with the “flow meters” used to measure the incoming oil from several carrier pipelines, I would show at midnight in efforts to make corrections, as the “Owner Company Bean Counters” on the East Coast would soon be asking questions if something didn’t look right. Every missing penny counted, so for myself it was a proactive dedication. And on that shift, there were only 3-technicians on the time clock, so a very lonely place. Joe was a “mind your own business” type of guy, the sentiment of “nothing to prove to anybody” and was a dedicated employee - his thumb was on the pulse of what was going on with the “pipeline” but never boatsful about it - just the facts. And you wouldn’t think so such dedication by his grouchy demeanor, as it appeared the younger generation of know-it-alls sometimes invaded his domain, his tranquility. For the most part, a man of few words. And Joe had a dream, he wanted to buy some land in Wasilla and raise “buffalo”, so he was always filling me in on the prospects of that retirement “dream”.
Now come shift change at 0600-hours, it was a requirement that all Alyeska workers assemble in the “Control Room”, for turnover. Usually, it was business as usual, and Joe would mention nothing to report and soon head over to the PLQ for his sleep time. There was an active logbook, so anything “normal” would be documented as well as any anomalies, and the latter would be the subject of the “morning meeting” facilitated by the Station Management & Supervision. The PLQ - Permanent Living Quarters - it was a first-class operation, 24/7 kitchen with a “spike line” that, well you could enter the walk-in refrigerator and take anything you wished. At breakfast, eggs cooked “your way”! And for the Alyeska “directs”, it meant single room status wherein a “bull-cook” cleaned the toilets when you were at work and made up your bedroll! And every Sunday, it was “prime rib” with Alaskan King crab on the menu and on the goodie tray, well Dee could whip up one hell of an 8-layer cake! Come your birthday, you would get the dessert of your choice. It was living on “High Street” and for the most part “Easy Street”, then you would get an entire week off at home to do as you damn well pleased. What else could one ask for in a work environment?
One day at morning shift change, Joe’s turn on the mat to turnover a problem he had encountered during the ending shift was sidetracked by the “Supervisor” having more important issues at hand to discuss. I could tell it pissed Joe off, as many thought he was “out to pasture”, just because he had a no-frills demeanor - if it wasn’t important don’t try to make a non-issue an issue - aka “diarrhea of the mouth” sentiment. And that over-riding mentality in rudeness by a supervisor that threw Joe’s concern under the “Bozo Bus”, it was of issue that had become a priority from one of the “Operation’s Technicians” that was known as a genuine “trouble-making” and used the “gender” trump card to her advantage. Now I understood what Joe was trying to convey and convince as a problem, as he explained it to me while I was at the station in the early morning hours. I saw what he was talking about, it was somewhat on the scary side of things. But the “Supervisor” was quick to disengage and thus disregard Joe’s concern, as the other concern seemed more important. That is what a “Supervisor” gets paid to do, prioritizing concerns. And Joe’s concern had to do with concerns of intermittent alarms in the generator room, something about a nuisance “LEL” alarm. That was serious business, as “LEL” defines the “Lower Explosive Limit”, meaning a gas detector had picked up whiffs of natural gas, that which was used to power the electrical generation turbines - it keeps the lights on and the crude oil pumps running and allows that PLQ to “grease” cook those morning “donuts”. And the fact that a few years back a faulty gasket caused a similar situation, which caused a fire and resulted in several workers seriously burned, what could ever be acknowledged as a “higher priority” with respect to worker safety? No wonder Joe was pissed.
But even though Joe issued a warning, the audacity that the “Technicians” were upset over the fact that “day old donuts” were being mixed with the fresh fat pills, that concern was the priority over a gas leak possibility. When Joe’s voice was silenced by “day old donuts”, he stormed out of the “Control Room”. And later in the day it would be rumored that Joe was sent home, to get a medical expert’s evaluation wherein “management” was concerned upon his behavior. He had become a target of a disingenuous management style. Low and behold, as even later in that same day as Joe was on a company plane heading south, an “HEL” alarm due a real gas leak shut-down the pumping station - it means curtailment of throughput and could have been avoided if, well if “donut time” had not ruled the priorities. And Joe never returned back to the station, forced into retirement and that wish in dream of a “Buffalo Farm”, it never materialized. I contacted Joe a few months after this episode, he was in good spirits but we were on the same page - why in hell “day old donuts” would prioritize…well it was that Alyeska “management mindset” no different then what I witnessed down in Valdez - it seemed to be a company-wide line-wide management disease. We had a good laugh, with the “Day Old Donut Caper”. Joe soon passed away and in memory he was called “Buffalo Chip Joe”. Total disrespect to a man I had grown to understand and honor, a dedicated Alyeska employee as so a decorated “Vietnam Veteran”, cast aside because “day old donuts” ruled. Get the point, that was the Alyeska “management mindset”. Out-of-sight out-of-mind the real problem, must satisfy those disgruntled “donut” whores. See, “day old donuts” finds an easy “fix”, but not so with drunked up tanker crews. It was sick, but par for the course. Said again, no different as to how Alyeska treated those who went concerned over the tanker crews that abused the system of merits in “Furlough”. Oh, and low to behold following Joe’s dismissal, that same day as the station personnel went busy trying to re-start a stalled station necessary for any oil to flow south, the PLQ manager issued a memo stating no more “day old donuts” and that 2-ply TP would be continued! In a cost cutting attempt, I guess single ply wipe was tested - stink finger rules and was another bone of contention with the “troops”. And I am sure that when the station went into an “ESD” event, that during this temporary “Emergency Shutdown” the fat pills went into overtime production! Probably a lot more toilet flushing also! For real, I once witnessed “Two Chairs” with a donut in each fist, when he was dealing with management issues attacking the SCADA crew - which I was associated with and Migraine Rick did not like the fact he had no control over that crew - as we had a boss like the “Hoss” that understood what ethical management was all about - it is called RESPECT. A la Carte in retrospect? How about Carte Blanch in Disrespect in the way “Buffalo Joe” was dealt with - but rest assured that is why a grown man would one day drive a fully laden tanker into a reef, as “day old donuts” ruled just like abuse of booze ruled! Amazing, this be the qualification for a “Pipeline Manager or Supervisor”, how to handle the dough and the wipe!
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