The Shift Workers Lament (from my experience)

[multimopes]

A Poem For All Of Us Outcasts



“THE DARK SIDE”



Between the sunset and sunrise;

When real people are in bed;

Other poor ******** are working;

To keep their poor families fed.

It must be so nice to be normal;

But we never know what that’s like;

We have to eat dinner for breakfast

And sleep when the sun makes it light!

Our reward for all of this nonsense;

Is health issues few people have;

And miss out on most of life’s wonder;

And live like the vampire class!

On top of all of this bullshit;

We die sooner than most others do;

But most people just don’t realize;

Our lives suck so we just may want to!



-Author

-Multimopes

​

 

[haywire 440]

I hear ya.

I worked nights for two years a long time ago but I was young and it was fun.

Then I started a permanent job, days. But on call 24 hours every day. Nights, Weekends and Holidays. Plus all the family events. Missed a lot. Made it through and have no alarm clock now.

My Father did swing shifts his entire career and I don’t know how he did it but was always happy and lived a good long life.

I hope the same for you.

From a fellow outcast.

 

[moparedtn]

Well written, sir!
I had an older friend who, like me, had gone through some serious medical **** and wound up like
me, up in the wee hours of the night regularly.
He was one of the most intelligent people I've ever known and had a finely sharpened wit to boot...

He'd lament about not sleeping at night anymore "like normal people" and how he knew it wasn't healthy.
He'd go quiet for a bit, then I'd offer up:
"Well, of course it isn't normal, Harry - humans are not noctural by nature, you know."
Cracked him up, every time. He'd retort something like "mullet", his form of humorous insult...
Did my heart good to see him perk up a bit, as he was dying of cancer at the time.

He's been gone a dozen years ago. I miss him dearly.

 

[Runcharger]

Afternoons I could handle but I hated working graveyard shift, hated working weekends too missing boating, racing and car shows. 20 years of that stuff until I could hold dayshift finally.

 

[JJ383RR]

I sit here at work, 1 am...what a good read ...

 

[Islandkent]

So am I.
It’s not too bad. The longest stretch now is three nights. And always on the weekends
Two nights during the week.
All I know is that if I can catch four to five hours I’m good to go
When I drove semi I was up all the time catching a few here and there. Before all this e log crap. So all and all not too bad.
Geez I wish I were home in bed lol

 

[MarPar]

A Poem For All Of Us Outcasts



“THE DARK SIDE”



Between the sunset and sunrise;

When real people are in bed;

Other poor ******** are working;

To keep their poor families fed.

It must be so nice to be normal;

But we never know what that’s like;

We have to eat dinner for breakfast

And sleep when the sun makes it light!

Our reward for all of this nonsense;

Is health issues few people have;

And miss out on most of life’s wonder;

And live like the vampire class!

On top of all of this bullshit;

We die sooner than most others do;

But most people just don’t realize;

Our lives suck so we just may want to!



-Author

-Multimopes

​

 

[Cranky]

Worked straight graveyards for 2 years in my mid 20's with a 6 month stint of days when I bid out of the labor gang into the roll shop then bid out of that shop and back into the 'gang' and back on graveyards. Working in the gang on days meant working mostly on repairing damaged train tracks which really sucked. Could usually bid out of the gang for a few days or even for a week or more at a time doing temp work at other shops when someone was off on vacation. This was in a pretty large steel mill but wasn't long after that I bid out to the Wide Flange Mill where it wasn't long before getting laid off. Surprised me when I got a call telling me there was an overhead crane opening and to come in 2 weeks before the mill was to start running to get things in order for that. Worked a rotating days and evenings while wasn't bad.

Years later in the refinery I got the opportunity to work the off shift which consisted of working 8 hrs on evening shift on Friday then 16 hours Sat and 16 on Sunday then off until the following Friday and start all over again. The racetrack had test and tune on Wednesday evenings and also had a bracket racing program on that same day. That worked out ok....

 

[haywire 440]

Sunday night was always the worst with a start time of 11:42pm to 7:42am. The neighbor let me swim in their in-ground pool in the morning, that was sweet in the summer. Of course there were the bars that were open too and the good times rolled many mornings. Nothing like being in your bar seat before 8.

 

[Cranky]

Sunday night was always the worst with a start time of 11:42pm to 7:42am. The neighbor let me swim in their in-ground pool in the morning, that was sweet in the summer. Of course there were the bars that were open too and the good times rolled many mornings. Nothing like being in your bar seat before 8.

Worked 11a to 7a and one day on my 'Friday' I stopped at a convenience store for beer on my way home and the clerk said 'starting early eh' lol. Nope....this is my Friday and just got off work. I usually didn't go to bed on my Fridays and worked on one of my cars etc but when the 'weekend' was over, I was back on a dayshift sleep schedule and that first night back at work was a rough one.

 

[Hey-O]

A Poem For All Of Us Outcasts



“THE DARK SIDE”



Between the sunset and sunrise;

When real people are in bed;

Other poor ******** are working;

To keep their poor families fed.

It must be so nice to be normal;

But we never know what that’s like;

We have to eat dinner for breakfast

And sleep when the sun makes it light!

Our reward for all of this nonsense;

Is health issues few people have;

And miss out on most of life’s wonder;

And live like the vampire class!

On top of all of this bullshit;

We die sooner than most others do;

But most people just don’t realize;

Our lives suck so we just may want to!



-Author

-Multimopes

​

You're one of the best, so, I wish you nothing but the best!!!
I never worked nights, midnights or swing shift, I get it though. People don't always pull back the curtain and see what makes the real machine run, I do and it's not always fun.

My program was a 7 day a week thing, work 19 and get one off, "If it didn't adversely effect the efficiency of the operation", as stated in the contract. I worked all the time. The most I ever did was 7 days, 12 hours, for 4 months straight. In order to stay up to speed with the family and house flipping, I went to bed around 10:30 to 12:00 and got up at 4:20, most days of my life. I missed a lot that I said I would make up for, some I can't say I'm sorry too anymore, but, I took it for the team, as you well know. Great post and I truly loved the poem, well done........... Ulli.

 

[haywire 440]

Oh, and I had my first multi ticket morning after going through the McDonald’s drive-thru. A police officer was in the right turn exit and I quietly waited for him to make his right turn. And I waited and some more in my daily driver, a flat black ‘68 RR, 383 automatic. After an extended time the Cop rolled down his window and with his hand motioned my rumbling vehicle to come around him.

I’m not clear as to why my right foot’s reaction was to slowly, idling at 850 rpm’s, circle around the patrol car and on to the street and carefully line the car up straight towards the traffic light about 200’ ahead where I needed to make a right turn but it did.

And from a near stop my right foot, all on its own stomped that gas pedal and with 3:73 gears, it was like all hell broke loose.

At the red light the same thing, rounding the corner and zap I was moving down the 4 lane street about 1/2 mile to the right turn towards the home.

Well I was sitting at the family kitchen table taking my first bite of that juicy breakfast sandwich and calmly tell my Ma the a Police Officer may be knocking on the door soon.

The knock did happen and I politely told him he was out of his jurisdiction and to contact the local authorities. I was wrong. He politely told me he could cross the ocean if need be.“Failure to use do care while operating a motor vehicle” was the 1st ticket and then the “Fictitious Plates” was pulled out of his ticket book. Oooops. My right foot doesn’t have a good memory.

I miss that Roadrunner plus I had had to have a stern conversation with my right foot.

Now the right foot doesn’t condone that attitude anymore. Only on sanctioned race courses.

 

[68BabyBlue]

After living a normal person's schedule through college and her early career, my wife worked as a waitress on graveyard shift at a 24 hour restaurant for a semester when I started law school. She had a deep appreciation for those who do night work after she landed a 9-5 office job the following semester. Working 42 years in the trucking business, I experienced every combination of sleep deprivation possible. In the niche market where I competed, the early bird got the worm by avoiding daytime traffic, delivery had to be made before rush hour. That often meant a midnight start time. Sheer agony on a Monday morning after a weekend off.

Drivers sometimes think the trucking company office guys have it easier, but my experience proved otherwise. I was on call 24-7 the 16 years I worked in management. Nothing like a multiple vehicle fatality with environmental issues to ruin one's sleep for more than just a day.

In later years, I got into a steady run where I could leave as late as 4:00 am and still make a turnaround to be home for supper. That felt like retirement, compared to when I worked irregular schedules. Now that I actually am retired, my greatest satisfaction is leaving the phone and alarm clock off.

 

[cr8crshr]

I hated working graves when I was just a Reservist and I loathed it!!! At one time while driving home at 7 AM, I fell asleep while driving a Van Pool van, and if the passenger in the front seat next to me hadn't reacted when he did??? I might not be here today. I tried to get put on either days or swings and my super told me that either I stay on graves. or find another job elsewhere. He said to me you are a Veteran and used to working odd hours. After that exchange, I told him to take the job and shove it. I had to wait out the shift in the van before I could head back home, but I dozed right off and at least had some ZZZZZs before then. Personally, I prefer days or mids. To me working graves and at night are for other kinds of activities such as sleeping and??? Now I am retired so no worries about it ever again...cr8crshr/Bill

 

[Fran Blacker]

Where I worked first 7 years was 2nd shift, 3rd shift and CSW 7pm to 7am 4days on 4 off. 3rd shift sucked the royal banana. After that it was 7am to 3pm or CSW 7am to 7pm. CSW = Continuous Scheduled Work 4 guys to keep equipment running 24/7.

 

[Islandkent]

Back in tonight at 6pm for my final 12 hr shift. Back in Wed and Thur 6am-6pm . Long weekend off. Back in Mon 6pm. Kind of messed up but been working them for the 15 years. I'm 56 now. Wife has been doing shift work since 1984. Do what you have to do to pay the bills. And they are payed.
Should of stayed in school. lol

 

[Fran Blacker]

Back in tonight at 6pm for my final 12 hr shift. Back in Wed and Thur 6am-6pm . Long weekend off. Back in Mon 6pm. Kind of messed up but been working them for the 15 years. I'm 56 now. Wife has been doing shift work since 1984. Do what you have to do to pay the bills. And they are payed.
Should of stayed in school. lol

That's almost 6 days a week! That CSW I worked was great 8hr OT if you came in on an off day time and a half. Holidays 8 pay plus double time for hours worked. Suggest it. If your job is that work 365 days schedule is easy. We x'd out holidays what sucked having a holiday mid shift. Tht's great for the off shift he gets 5 days off. It evens out where your shift gets the 5 days off. Night guys have it rough when shift were split.

 

[YY1]

At age 18 I worked 8p to "whenever we finished", stocking shelves at a small, regional grocery.
It was pretty fun and the crew was mostly great.
Turned out we had 2 guitarists (one was me), a bass player, and a drummer (only the other guitar player and the bass player knew each other), and two folks who could sing (one was a female day shift cashier).
The night manager was pretty cool and sometimes we went to parties on "lunch hour".
If we did that, we had to bust *** to be done before anyone else got there in the morning.

Agree with @Cranky - waiting for 7-11 to open at 7 am to buy a case of beer because it's "7 PM" to you is an experience to be cherished.

Then at age 21 to 23, I worked 4:00p to 12:30 at a gigantic, sprawling resort golf course complex.
That had it's moments, too but upper management and even some departmental management were dicks.

 

[Islandkent]

Oh yes
I’ve had a few beers at 6:25am before
More than I care to admit
It’s 5 o’clock somewhere

 

[multimopes]