"WHITFIELD"
OLD SCHOOL IN Memory of Wayne Blanchard
Member #: 695
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
2064
Name:
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Company:
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Occupation:
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Location:
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Personal:
mid 60s
Experience:
~45 years
The other day I read Doug Cohen's response to my post will work for food . It started me remembering Wayne Blanchard. Wayne was as hard a man , as I ever worked for, in this industry. I started in 1979 for American Spliceco Inc. out of my home town of Morehead City N.C. . Wayne was the project mgr. for Spliceco in Cinn. Ohio . Back in the old days you had to be hard , the industry didn't have winers , buckett babies , hacks or thieves . The last job I had before starting cable was a professional at Art Stocks Playpen South in Ft. Lauderdale Florida , needless to say I needed a harda.s.s to keep me in check ,and Wayne Blanchard was defeniatly that man. I was bigger than Wayne , but he never backed down. I must truely say if not for him , I would not be in this industry today. When I started cable you had to walk a line taught by Old school . If you couldn't cut it , you were gone . I began in this industry as a a splicer , at that time to keep a job for ASI you were required to hit a minimum of 16 sticks a day . That was 32 taps on a dual cube system . I remember wanting to quit in the first week and Wayne saying just give it 30 days . We didn't use bucket trucks back then , you had to start as a tapper ,(green bean) four of us loaded into a van ,our equipment already built , as it was all new build , we would ride down the street dropping your equipment at the bottom of the pole , 3 men dropped out and the fourth drove the van to a central location where everyone would meet at the completion of their run. Your westcoast , bashlins , belt and safety were your best friend . I recall when we'd stop for lunch . We would go some where like McDonalds , you never took off your hooks , I can still hear the sound they made as four of us walked on the tile floors. Everyone in the restaurant would stare as if you had on braces for polio , but when they found out we were the ones bringing cable to their town it was almost like being famous , the way people treated you . It was the norm when you were hanging on a stick to have someone bring you out a glass of tea, or offer you something to eat. The ladies use to drive by tute the horn , and stop to chit chat. It made you proud to be a cable man. You took pride in your work . We were all brothers an sisters that helped each other out back then. God how this industry has changed . I feel certain if Wayne was still alive he would be dissapointed in our industry today. Many people say our industry can't change. I can only say can't never did anything . The word for it is "won't" . I think of people like Martin Luther , he had a dream. How about the gentleman that did the faces of Mt. Rushmore , he died trying , his family followed through with his dream and completed the task. Nothing good ever came easy, if we turn our back on the Task we can't accomplish anything . I,m sure when Wayne Blanchard signed the contract for Texas , the largest ever signed in the USA at that time he had no negative thoughts . He was a man I am proud to call one of my mentors in this industry. God rest his soul. Thanks for your inspiration.
"WHITFIELD"
"WHITFIELD"
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