Yo-Yo is an interesting man, and not only because of his nickname. He is the rig safety rep and medic, and can be seen at various times with an actual yo-yo dropping from and rising to his hand as he walks around and talks to people. And He talks to many people. He will joke often about his name and his hobby. Yes, He likes Yo-yos, he says, but the real reason for the name is that his real equipment will also reach the floor and He likes to put it to good use. He says that in Singapore, where this rig was built, He had many different types of girls – Malaysian, Chinese, Australian, Thai, Russian and others. He is a man on a mission, starting up conversations at every opportunity with the only female employee of the company that does the cooking, cleaning and laundry on board. He is the kind of Hunter that must have all game in his sights, even if he cannot necessarily take the shot at the moment.
We are alone late one night and talking in the Drillers Cabin on the drill floor while work is being done high above in the derrick. He is there to monitor the safety actions, and he is talking a streak.
“Man, just three days till I go home. I can’t wait.” The rig crews work two weeks offshore, two weeks back home on land.
“Yeah, must be nice,” I said. We do not. We are here until the rig is ready. Which could be any day now. Really.
“But, it’s gonna be a busy week.” Says Yo-Yo. “On Monday I’ve got my DWI hearing, Tuesday my Gulf Clearance Card appointment, and Wednesday is my divorce hearing.”
“Wow. That’s a busy enough week for three men.” I answered.
“I know.” Then he went on to volunteer. “The DWI hearing should be interesting. The state police lost my urine test. I blew a zero, but they insisted on a piss test.”
“What happened?”
“I was driving, tired and on prescription medicine. I stopped to get a donut and coffee, and the next thing I know, the cops are there. I flunked the field sobriety test, so they gave me the breathalyzer, which I passed.”
“And they took you in anyway?”
“Yeah. It might not have helped matters that I threw a donut hole and said ‘fetch’. I don’t think they liked that.”
“I guess not,” I said, laughing. “But, if they lost the urinalysis, then you’re probably home free, just don’t do it again. But won’t that affect getting the background check for the card?”
“I’m hoping that it doesn’t. I like working out here.”
“Unless it gets dropped because of the mix up with the urine”
He gets a sheepish grin and shakes his head, running his hand through his spiky hair.
“Well, I’ve got some priors.”
“Oh”
“Assaults. I’m skinny, but when I get you down on the ground, I can do some damage.” He gets up and stretches, walks out of the door onto the drill floor, to observe safe operations in action. Yo-Yo is an interesting man.
We are alone late one night and talking in the Drillers Cabin on the drill floor while work is being done high above in the derrick. He is there to monitor the safety actions, and he is talking a streak.
“Man, just three days till I go home. I can’t wait.” The rig crews work two weeks offshore, two weeks back home on land.
“Yeah, must be nice,” I said. We do not. We are here until the rig is ready. Which could be any day now. Really.
“But, it’s gonna be a busy week.” Says Yo-Yo. “On Monday I’ve got my DWI hearing, Tuesday my Gulf Clearance Card appointment, and Wednesday is my divorce hearing.”
“Wow. That’s a busy enough week for three men.” I answered.
“I know.” Then he went on to volunteer. “The DWI hearing should be interesting. The state police lost my urine test. I blew a zero, but they insisted on a piss test.”
“What happened?”
“I was driving, tired and on prescription medicine. I stopped to get a donut and coffee, and the next thing I know, the cops are there. I flunked the field sobriety test, so they gave me the breathalyzer, which I passed.”
“And they took you in anyway?”
“Yeah. It might not have helped matters that I threw a donut hole and said ‘fetch’. I don’t think they liked that.”
“I guess not,” I said, laughing. “But, if they lost the urinalysis, then you’re probably home free, just don’t do it again. But won’t that affect getting the background check for the card?”
“I’m hoping that it doesn’t. I like working out here.”
“Unless it gets dropped because of the mix up with the urine”
He gets a sheepish grin and shakes his head, running his hand through his spiky hair.
“Well, I’ve got some priors.”
“Oh”
“Assaults. I’m skinny, but when I get you down on the ground, I can do some damage.” He gets up and stretches, walks out of the door onto the drill floor, to observe safe operations in action. Yo-Yo is an interesting man.
