CRANE DAY

Once the crane was on the property, things moved quickly. Mr. Adcocks, the crane operator, pulled right up into the yard, extended the leg-thingies to stabilize the crane, then hung the heavy canvas slings from the big hook.

In addition to Calvin and me, several friends had come over to lend support and, most importantly, help guide the container onto its concrete piers. We didn’t want nine thousand pounds of steel flying through the sky like a trapeze artist, after all. Calvin’s brother George drove in from Texas, and our friends Kendal, Kendra and Landon, all of whom live nearby, rounded out the party. Kendal and I climbed to the roof to affix shackles to the container’s corner posts. I had already tied lengths of rope to the four lower corners. 

Mr. Adcocks fired up the crane, which rumbled mightily, and commenced lifting. No part of the container had to travel more than 50 feet or so; the primary task was to place its four corners accurately on the piers. This took less than five minutes. When one end was set properly, two of us pulled down on the ropes to hold it in place while Mr. Adcocks lifted ever so slightly. Then the two of us at the other end guided it to the piers before giving the “set ‘er down” signal.

Although I had double- and triple-checked the measurements when laying out the pier placement, my stomach tightened until I saw that everything was exactly where it needed to be. What’s more, the container was level to within a half-inch over the 40 feet. I was pleased with myself, if I do say so.

• 

• 

I had called my friend Matt, the editor of the McComb Enterprise-Journal, to let him know about our project, suggesting that the crane-work might make for some good pictures. I was once a reporter at the E-J and had an idea of what makes for good pictures in a small-town newspaper, and Matt was, as they say, all over it. He was on hand all morning, snapping away.

There would be more piers to build and more containers to buy, but for now we could get to work on this one.