Hi Folks, Thought I'd start a post on unusual jobs .................. I'm sure you all have some classic stories to tell. As a Builder, I've seen many a strange and funny thing over the years but one classic was doing almost weekly repair work at a local brothel ( legalised ). The place had all kind of themed rooms and the soap dispensers were kept being knock off the tiled walls in the open bath room section of the themed rooms. Too much activity! So, they had me waiting outside rooms until clients and the 'staff' would open the door after 'business'. Often, the 'staff' would stay in the room cleaning up, making the bed and tidying ones self up for the next customers. I can tell you I've seen all kind of things. There was one client, would have to been in his seventies, ( driven by his wife to the establishment and waited in the car ) till he came back out. He had a smile on his face going in and had an even bigger smile going out! I had to do some repairs in the 'clothing attire room' ................. don't worry, I didn't try on any outfits and I was paid in cash, nothing else! Ha!
Can't match that tale Aussie, however, when I lived in Waterford, Ireland in the 70s I was doing contract cleaning work and part of the contract was chimney sweeping. I got a call-out to a country house out in the wilds of Co. Wexford. It really was like a stately house about 65 feet high with those very ornate twisted brick chimney stacks. I set up in the 'state room' and used 22 of my 24 rods when I hit a crow's nest inside the top of the chimney. Try as I might from that distance the rods were too flexible to shift it and there was no alternative but to go up on the roof and try to budge it. The estate handyman led me up and we clambered through the trapdoor onto the apex which led to the extended chimney stack. The handyman, with a ladder on his shoulder simply walked across the apex like he was strolling down to the pub. I meekly followed across on my hands and knees bricking it all the way. When we got across he said "You hold the ladder and give me a rod", I hung on for dear life as he went up, poked it a few times without success and then he pulled a rag out of his pocket and a lighter, set the rag alight and dropped it onto the nest. Within five minutes it was cleared. The amazing thing is how well-built the nests are, made with mud as well as twigs etc and the heat that comes up dries them solid. I have to say I've never been so scared as I was half way across that roof knowing at some point I would have to turn round!...
Nice thread Aussie. In the early 80s I had a Uni vacation job as a porter in Northwick Park hospital. Used to shift stuff around, occasionally take corpses to the mortuary (all very tastefully done in trolleys adapted to look like small empty beds being wheeled about, body in a concealed box under a blanket, so as not to remind patients of the fate awaiting some of them.....), and using big Reckitt and Colman industrial cleaners to buff up miles of corridors. There was a fight for these cleaners every morning - the hospital had dozens of them, but only 3 or 4 worked properly. I was slow on the uptake and got stuck with one which was seriously knackered and uncontrollable. I brought this to the attention of 'Arry, our foreman, who had been there for decades and always denied that there were any problems with any machines. I invited him to try this one out, he did and it dragged him straight into a wall. "Well, mate" he said "the fcuking fcukers fcuked isn't it", a phrase which has stuck with me for life. One time he gathered some of the Uni holiday workers together, told us that we had to go in to the mortuary/post mortem area to give it a deep clean, a job which the full time domestic porters refused to do (so I assume it only happened in the summer). "I know you're sensitive types, but don't worry, all the bodies have been cleared away, nothing visible". He led us down, swung open the doors, and was greeted by the sight of at least four corpses on slabs in various states of dissection. He promptly fainted. That was a great job. We used to spend the last hour of every day playing cricket in the service corridors under the hospital.
Probably a Jackdaw nest Sooper........renowned for nesting in chimneys. Me and a mate once volunteered to try to get rid of a wasps nest from my late parents' garden. The nest was up in the corner of the outside wall of the garage and we both stood there looking at it for an age, deciding on the best course of action..........douse it with petrol, throw a match and run? NO! My Dad wouldn't let us. In the end my mate just said watch this.............he got a bin bag and a broom, knocked the nest onto the floor and guided it into the bin bag. He then grabbed the top of the bag and jumped onto the back of a pick up truck, yelling at me to get in and drive!! As we drove out into the countryside, I'll never forget the sight in the rear view mirror of my mate, clutching the bag at arm's length, panic in his eyes, as thousands of wasp stings and teeth started to rip bigger and bigger holes in the bin bag!! He just managed to fling it off into a field as the very, very angry wasps started to emerge!!
Dont start him off FFS..i stuck my neck out for you lot....I promise it wont happen again , I met a guy once when living in Kings Cross (Sydney) whose job it was to test out the new hookers being taken on in one of the brothels....English guy with the biggest grim on his face you could ever imagine... Thats job satisfaction right there !
