British Columbia Hydro, Lineman

There was a celebration of John Paul’s life on the weekend.. I just couldn’t bear to go to see him. He had left something for me that I really didn’t want. He was a real great guy. He coached Little League ball. He worked for BC Hydro, that had such a community sense to it. But what I remember from BC Hydro and BC telephone lineman that would climb poles was that they were very much afraid of the people that put posters on telephone poles or hydro poles because one or two Staples would make their grip slip.

So, I took this picture of a power pole outside the post office in Merritt and it reminded me of him. Of course that admonition that he gave me was years and years ago when they only had Spurs and belts to go up the polls with.

I think their standards have changed. They had to have two vehicles and used buckets for the last few years. So that’s why all these Staples probably endured on the power pole outside the post office for so long.

Anyway, it’s a good remembrance of John Paul and anybody else that climbs poles.  Also we think of John Lynne, a utility company pole climber and lineman who died up a pole on his belt from a heart attack working alone in the 1960 / 70s. I Went to school with his son.

To both Rip…