We arrived on Saturday the 14th of May and I checked in with Taquan. They wanted me to start recurrent training right away so Sunday mourning I started a solo review of procedure and started doing all of the tests that are required. On Monday I went in for my pre-employment drug and alcohol test. I had forgotten just what that involved. I had “GONE” just before leaving for the testing facility. Well I realized just how dumb that was when the tech at the testing facility gave me a bottle to fill. Oh s***! The pressure was on and try as I might I failed to perform! That didn’t mean just wait and try again. No! I had to fill out paper work documenting the incomplete sample! And then wait in the lobby until I felt “ready” to try it again. No pressure right, just drink a lot of water and try again. Not quite. You are limited in the amount of water you can have in any given time period. They don’t want you to try and dilute the sample. Hum hum hum, “may I have some more water please.” “No it hasn’t been long enough yet.” Humm da humm humm, “can I have that water now.” “Just a few more minutes.”
As I was waiting for a retest, a young woman came in for the same test. I wished her good luck as the tech called her in. She looked at me quizzically as she went in. A few minutes later she came out and sat in the lobby a few chairs from me. I looked at her and said, “not enough huh.” She looked back and said, “yeah.”
Another woman walked in and we both watched as she filled out her paper work and then took a seat in the lobby. A few minutes later the tech walked out and called her in to give her sample. The young woman and I both looked at her and wished her good luck.
I wish I was a coffee drinker. I’m sure that would have made all of this unnecessary. The older woman came out and took a seat in the lobby. I looked at her and said, “not enough huh.” She looked at me with a flush of embarrassment and said, “yeah.” We all chuckled and entered into bathroom banter.
I would sure like to get out of here. I feel like I could go but I don’t want to under perform again. Besides being hard on the ego it could have legal ramifications for the drug test.
Could I have some more water now?
I asked the tech if it was common to have someone not fill the cup. He said it was quite unusual. In fact it had happened only once in the last few months.
Great, even more pressure! Humm da humm humm.
I feel like I could do it now but I want to make sure. Could I have another glass of water?
I can do it now, I’m sure, I think! I went up the window and told the tech I was ready. We went through the whole process again. “Everything out of your pockets, sign this form stating I showed you the rules, wash your hands, now DON’T FLUSH AFTER YOU’RE DONE.” He handed me the cup, it looked bigger than I remembered, and I started slowly at first, a drop or two at a time, then more, and more. I made it to the mark. I kept going past the mark. Where was this when I needed it? The cup was nearly full and I had just started. Do you remember the movie “A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN?” If you do, then you remember the scene I’m thinking about, uh-huh that much. When I finished I reached for the handle to flush (reflex). Luckily, it was taped as a reminder.
As I left I wished the girls good luck. Whew that ordeal was over. It would take about three days before the results would be back and I couldn’t fly until the company got the all clear on the drug test. I finished all the tests and went along on a couple of trips to get reacquainted with the area.
Two and a half days later the drug test results were back and Kevin, our Director of Operations, put me in the Beaver for recurrent training and a check ride. We did the required hour of training and the check ride and I was on the line. The next day I flew four Misty trips for a total of 5 hours. So far I have flown over 30 hours.
The weather is always the issue here in Ketchikan. A few days ago we had normal Ketchikan weather, ragged 500 foot ceiling and 3-4 miles visibility and light rain. It was too low to fly the usual route over land to get to the Misty’s so we had to stay over water all the way and go around Point Alva to the Behm Canal, then up to Rudyard Bay. This added about 10 minutes to the flight. Even with the low ceilings it was a beautiful trip. We were limited to where we could go in the Misty’s but the tour was great. Sometimes when the weather is low it is even more spectacular with the clouds hanging on the sides of the mountains.
More later.............
No comments:
Post a Comment