When I graduated from High School, I did, in fact, work on construction before entering the Navy. One particular job I worked on was the expansion of the hospital now known as TAMC.
It was at about this time of the year, and we were installing sewer lines and manholes and all the other things that go with them.
My father-in-law was foreman for the Presque Isle Sewer District then and, of course, where sewer was involved he was involved as well. Now, back then, the manholes didn’t have fancy rubber collars to seal the pipes when they were installed so we had to mix a batch of mortar to cement them in place. To do this properly you had to insert the pipe in the hole in the side of the manhole, and then cram the mortar into the hole around the pipe until you couldn’t get any more in. Then you would have to go inside the manhole to do the same on the inside for a good complete seal.
This particular afternoon, just as we inserted the pipe, my father-in-law arrived and proceeded to help me. We filled the hole on the outside and he told me to get in the manhole and seal it there. I filled the gap and stood up to see if I could maybe smooth it a bit more. Just then I saw the mortar start to swell back inside the manhole so I restuffed it and once again stood only to see it start back in again.
At that point I looked out over the edge of the manhole and there was my father-in-law giggling like a waif who had just pulled one over on the king. When he saw me he just simply guffawed. My father-in-law loved to have fun and everyone who knew him knew it. He left this world at the ripe age of 90 in February of 2013.
Rest in peace Cliff. We miss you.
Guy Woodworth of Presque Isle is a 1973 graduate of Presque Isle High School and a four-year Navy veteran. He and his wife Theresa have two grown sons and five grandchildren. He may be contacted at lightning117_1999@yahoo.com.
