The Pit Bull

In my line of work I meet an interesting variety of people, well, mostly men. There are the buttoned up suit and tie types, the developers, engineers, architects, and owners. Then there are the blue collar guys. The ones that actually do all the work. These are the ones I usually find most entertaining and when I start a new job or project with crews I've never met before I enjoy getting to know them and their stories. Rarely have I encountered a crew that did not have at least one member that had done some time in jail or prison and often there is one still on probation. But, I am almost always reminded that sometimes a good person can do a bad thing and regret it after the fact. I don't usually encounter men that should still be in prison because they haven't learned their lesson but it has happened.

My most interesting crew at the new job is actually several crews. It's a large project with three crews on it right now and everyone is working a lot of hours. Being new I felt the need to get to know the men I'd be working with and started introducing myself. I quickly learned that these crews were different in their own way. Unique not by the misdeeds they had done or by how reformed they were but because they didn't know each other's names. Yet they've been working together - many of them - for four or five years or more. From what I could gather there are a number that have biblical names, several Marks and Johns, quite a few Joses and Juans. So, they decided nicknames would be best and that is how they call each other. I met "Chicken Bone", "Big Sexy", "Shorty", and "Tiny." I also had the pleasure of being introduced to "Traveling Salesman" - he can be found all over the job and never stays in one place, "Preacher Man" - he refuses to work Saturdays because he goes to church so he's required to pray for everyone else, and "Midget" - he's new but thought since he'd met Shorty and Tiny he'd like to be called Midget. Like I said it's a big crew but this is a good sample of what their names are like.

I told them I thought I'd have some trouble calling them these names and couldn't they just tell me their given names. Most all of them responded the same way, they wouldn't know I was talking to them if I didn't call them by their nickname. I agreed to keep up with the tradition and will keep my word even though it means an awkward meeting with HR for me next week. HR wants to meet all of the employees and I'm supposed to introduce them. I guess "Chicken Bone" can tell them his real name if he wants to but I have no idea what it is.

As the rest of my time at this project progressed it came up that a subcontractor, one I know well, was not performing. I merely asked for his phone number - I didn't have it on me - and proceeded to call him. Like I said I know this subcontractor well, we go way back and he's always done a good job for me. I reminded him of this during our conversation. I also joked with him but he knew I needed him to step up and he agreed that he would. When I got off the phone and turned to the field management I found I suddenly had a nickname myself. Apparently, my ability to take hold of the situation and address it so directly earned me the title, "The Pit Bull." Now, as things come up and we are discussing how to handle something I hear "what do you think, Pit Bull?" Or, I come upon them speaking to each other and I hear "we'll get the Pit Bull to take care of that." I have, over the years, been able to earn the respect of crews that have worked for me and have had a good relationship with them but never have I felt so much a part of the field crew as I do now.