This happened a while back. Brought on a new green bean, fresh off mamma's tit, stocky and cocky type young buck. Well,,I just happen to have a 25,000' reel of armored 288, to place in duct. Perfect.
As we were riding out to the job site, with Hank Jr on the radio. Out of the blue, with a straight face and in a professional manner,, I asked the green bean, "if he was a reel man"? Thorton, my lead man, also a,,,, (catv linemen) and riding shot gun, busted out laughing, and spilling his coffee. The green bean looked at Thorton and then at me, and with a bit of bewilderment in his eyes, hesitated and replied, "yes,,why"? Good answer!!! I explained that he would be spinnin the reel all day, and that if he wasn't a reel man, by the end of the day, he would be... It took him a while to catch on.
At the end of the day, I told him he did a good job. Then I asked him, how it felt to be a reel man? His reply without hesitation was, "It Sucks". Good answer. Heh heh heh heh!!!!!!!!