On Tue, 6 Jan 2009 18:16:44 -0800 (PST), Bob
wrote:


Vic.........
I forgot to ask. So were you of those unlimited laker guys?
Id think that would have to be a real "who ya know" group to break
into.

Don't know what "unlimited" is. Only did it one summer.
Maybe a month on the Illinois (Standard Oil Whiting IN) and a couple
few week trips on the Rocket (Cleveland Tankers - Ashland Oil Toledo
OH)
Quit more because I liked seeing girls than anything else. Pay was
okay and the chow was REALLY good. But you were hitting ports all
over the lakes with a quick turnaround when tied up. You could pump
in/out in 12-16 hours, and you were back out again. Couldn't even get
a drunk on with that. No way I'd work if not sharp, so it was hard to
even enjoy more than a couple beers. I had enough whoring in the Navy
and never went for bar floozies in the States.
So after coming back from one trip I just got a shore job.
Ended up with a good wife too.
But I think I know what you're talking about with the "who ya know."
I went to a couple halls first. There was a National Maritime Union
hall in Chicago then, beside the Seafarers.
Think the guys told me if I didn't have the Navy experience I would
have to get "sponsored" by a ship company to get the CG license.
I just went to the CG with my DD214 and took the Watertender test.
Watertender is a step up from Wiper, where you'd start if you didn't
have any experience. Maybe a 2-4 year jump. Didn't do anything for
seniority though, so I was on the bottom.
Had to go to a Veterans hospital for a physical too.
That reminds me. A nurse wanted me to **** on demand for a stool
sample. I couldn't do it. You know how some of these nurses are,
like they think they're God. I asked her why I had to ****, and she
said all food handlers have to. I told her I would be operating
boilers, not handling food. In the end, after some heated
"discussion" I told her I wanted talk to her boss. That was to keep
me from strangling her.
So she takes me to the doc, and I explained the situation to him, he
looked at the paperwork and said there's no reason for me to ****.
That damn nurse started arguing with him and he almost fired her
before she backed down! God damn I hate those bureaucrats
who won't use common sense.

--Vic