Meeting Missoula, Oxford Edition part 326A - 5-5-16 - Night Shift Dave!

I stopped into the Oxford last Sunday about 4:30 for a little break and met this fella here.

I suppose I'm lucky to have met him at all.  Seems he works the night shift 12 am to 8 am, "swamping" the Ox.  He had only come out in the daylight because he "Just needed to see what people looked like.".  Hazzards of night shift work.

It's probably why he struck up a conversation with me.  Probably not to hear what I might have to say or to discuss whatever hot topic was in the news, but to see if his voice worked and if he could form sentences.  :)

So we talked.

Seems that DAve had lived in Southern California for about 30 years, too (a running theme?) and worked as a carpenter in the movie/TV industry.  He was hired as an assistant on the first season of "Tales From the Crypt", and by season 3 he was in charge.  "Every set you saw on that show from then on was built by me." he proudly says.  "I'd get these orders for these weird sets and would OK them without even knowing where I'd get the materials for them." he winked,  "But you can get anything in LA."

"Everybody loved me in LA.  Those plastic, fake people you hear about?  They're everywhere, and that's why people liked me.  I was the only 'real' person they knew."

He seemed just as proud of his job swamping the 60 year old saloon.  "Tonight's my big night.  11 hours.  And I'll WORK 11 hours, too.  No 1/2 hour breaks for lunch...I nibble a little and keep working.  I don't mind though, the owner's my friend and she needs help."

"11 hours is NOTHING!  I spent the last few years building bridges.  There's no LIGHT work when you're building bridges.  You work straight through and work hard."

He finished his beer and stepped out into the sunlight.  It was going to be daylight for another 3-4 hours and he'd sleep for another 3-4 hours past that before his 11 hour shift.

Naw, that ain't workin'.  THAT's the way you do it.  You play the guitar on the MTV.

THAT ain't workin'.  THAT's the way you do it.  Get your money for nothin' and your chicks for free.

"Money for Nothing"

Talk to you later.