-
Helpless Stress
Sooner or later, every train engineer will have someone step in front of his or her train as a way to permanently solve a temporary problem. That must be a heartbreaking experience. You want to stop, but you know you can’t. I suspect that all you can really do is close your eyes, swallow really…
-
Do a Search of Women and Drawbridges
Not one word about the many amazing female bridge operators out there.
-
Uni the Crow
I have a healthy respect for crows, especially since I was once stalked by one. They are highly intelligent creatures. They’re survivors. They’re not afraid to speak up. I kind of admire the fact that they show absolutely no remorse when they’re in a foul (fowl?) mood. This past year I’ve been enjoying observing one…
-
Dedicated Drawbridge Openings
As a bridgetender, I have the privilege of operating one of the world’s biggest pieces of heavy equipment every single day. It never gets old. A friend of mine likes to say that with my index finger, I move hundreds of thousands of pounds of concrete and steel. I try not to let this power…
-
For All the Unsung Bridgetenders
For the first time in many, many years, I will not be ringing in the new year all alone at work. This is not because after 16 years as a bridgetender I’ve earned a certain level of seniority. No. It’s simply because this time around, the holiday just happened to fall on my regular day…
-
Bridgetender vs. Bridge Operator
I’ve been opening drawbridges since 2001. When I moved to the Seattle area three years ago, my official title became “Bridge Operator”. You will never hear me call myself that. I’m a bridgetender. Pure and simple. I have no idea how you’ve managed to overlook this controversy (Shame on you! Shame!), but this whole bridgetender…
-
Three Cheers for Stupidity?
Recently Katie Herzog, a writer for The Stranger, a favorite publication of mine, posted a photograph of a man climbing the wide open Ballard Drawbridge here in Seattle. Fortunately this is not something that happens every day, so yes, I agree it was noteworthy. But here’s where Ms. Herzog and I part company. She said,…
-
Opening My Bridge for the Zodiac
Every once in a while, I have the distinct pleasure of opening my drawbridge for a true work of art. Such was the case the other day when the Schooner Zodiac passed through the Ship Canal here in Seattle. According to her website, she is 127 feet tall, and 160 feet long. You can charter…