Oil Be Home For Christmas
A few years back, I worked on a relief crew on a drilling rig. The rig ran 24 hours a day with three shifts. Crews worked six days and then had two days off. My crew would replace a working crew so they could have their two days off, so we worked mornings two days, then afternoons, and then nights.
It was common to find someone to take a shift if you wanted an extra day off, but the replacement had to have the same abilities.
A crew had a driller, derrickhand, motorman, chainhand, and floorhand. People started as floorhands, and as they learned, they would work their way up with more responsibility and more pay. Sometimes, when someone changed companies, they might take a lower position, so it was common to have someone with derrickhand capabilities working on a motor or chain.
In September, my wife asked about the chances of getting off for Christmas. I checked the calendar and my days off fell on December 24 and 25. Done deal! I have it scheduled off. Then I decided to sweeten the pot. I found a guy who would work December 22 and 23 for me. Also found one who would work the 26 and 27. I took this to my driller, who agreed they could work for me. With my six days off, I could drive 400 miles to visit family. Things looked pretty sweet. Too sweet.
The other guys on my crew were in the same position, so they all tried to find replacements, and two were successful. Unfortunately, the driller only had three other guys on the rig who could work for him, and none of them wanted to help. He got mad and said that since he couldn’t get the time off, none of us could have it off. I reminded him that he had already approved my time, and he said that it was canceled, and if I didn’t work on Dec 23, then I was a run-off MF (fired). I told him fine, I will work the 23rd, but that will be my last day of work. Consider this my three-month notice.
At work, nothing much was said for the next few weeks. Outside of work, I was networking and found another job I could start the first week of January. All was set. At the end of my shift on the 23rd, I emptied my work locker and said my goodbyes. The driller barely acknowledged me. Went home and drove to see family the next day. Spent a relaxing week there and then came back to start my new job.
About the end of January, I went to a friend’s birthday party. There I saw one of my old crew. He asked me when I was going to go back to work. The driller thought I was just sulking around and would come crawling back soon. He never hired a replacement, and they had been working short-handed for over a month. I said he’d better hire somebody. I wasn’t playing games, and when I said I quit, I meant it.
