Best "Graft" you have received from Contractor

[underground quester]

Was just wondering about the best thank you or the best gift anyone has received from a contractor. (Other than they went broke of course!!:yahoo:)

Last Friday I received a really nice FR coat with gortex lining and a pull over from one of my favorite contractors. He had forgotten to request a locate and was really in a pickle, so I went to work 2 hrs early and did him the favor. He of course had called first call and gotten a ticket number.

[TheCableVine]

I've gotten a hat. I just happened to be around when the contractor was passing them out.

[yahoo]

100 dollars for me........ and my co-worker ....at christmas time got a 50 dollar gift card for him and his wife and 5-25 dollar gift cards for each of his kids.........again this was doing favors for contractors when they were in dire need........

[Goldenboy]

I've gotten a few hats over the years. Plenty of soda and donuts from the project crews. Never any money or gift cards.:mad:

[beyond help]

never accept cash (don't play favorites), but have received hats and pens

[frostypeters]

I had a contractor offer me a "special" gift once. He said it was in his truck & I should go with him...

I'll never be the same again...

(think of my happy place, think of my happy place, think of my happy place!):crying::crying::cry::scold::mad::censored: :icon_eek::icon_redface::stop::confused::eek:

[underground quester]

Holy Smokes (so to speak). I guess going to his truck would have been the "acid test" of your will power!!

[RoadMap]

I bet you still walk funny don't you?

[underground quester]

I bet you still walk funny don't you?


Its the fumes you know...from that cheap mexican water based stuff we use...gotta have sumthin else in er I figure...

[TBONE]

I was given a fiberglass probe rod and a bottle of wiskey one year by one of my project supers:yahoo:

[underground quester]

Oh man TBONE, I am almost afraid to ask, and the fibreglass probe rod is used for? :confused:

Was it at least a GOOD bottle of whiskey?

Not that cheap Ten. sippin stuff!! JUST KIDDING,

[yahoo]

probing rod..................what do you do with that????????hahahhahahahj/j

[Wingfoot]

Oh man TBONE, I am almost afraid to ask, and the fiberglass probe rod is used for? :confused:



probing rod..................what do you do with that????????hahahhahahahj/j

Hey you 2 - Are you kidding? - Have you ever helped a contractor find that fiber, cable or pipe in tight or sloppy conditions? Probes really speed up the process. Every locator needs a T-Handle (http://store.phonetx.com/3085-7500n.html) probe rod in their arsenal. I've had both the fiberglass and steel T-Handles. I prefer and now carry a steel probe. T-Bone's gift was much better than getting paid $20 for lunch for doing an excavator a favor.

[underground quester]

WHEW (wiping seat off my brow). When I drafted my initial reply, I thought TBONE was jerking my chain.

HOWEVER, I remembered overnight that the local gas utility uses probes when auditing our locates, so I realized I was wrong. I have never seen anyone else here use one. I am sure they do, I have just never seen it.

The gas utility uses a steel probe. I would guess the fibreglass rod would have to be used selectively to avoid damaging it (perhaps in really wet conditions, sandy soil, etc).

Have never personally used one though WING. I would have to check but I do not believe anyone in our company including auditors ever uses a probe.

Once again WING, thank you for your valued input.:good:

[Ainsquest]

I have received a nice box of assorted Angus steaks a couple of times, along with some cash, free rounds of golf, access to fishing and/or hunting spots...
Those are tops for me over my 16 year locate career.

[Wingfoot]

I have 3 excavators that give me a Christmas gift every year. They are not big ticket items (+/- $20.00) but always a nice gratuity for a job well done.

Once, on a Saturday, I marked a backyard for an in-ground swimming pool. The homeowner asked me if I wanted to go to a Royals game. It was 10:00 A.M. and he couldn't go. I said, "Yes!" He gave me 4 tickets and a parking pass for a 1:10 P.M. first pitch Royals/Indians baseball game for that same Saturday. My wife, 2 kids and I made it to the game on time. The parking pass was to the closest parking lot to the front gate: we only had to walk about a 100' to get inside the Stadium. The seats were on the first row behind the visitor's dugout between 3rd base & Home plate. The Royals' team mascot, Sluggerrr, did a dance on top of the visitor's dugout at the beginning of the 7th inning stretch in front of my family. The TV cameras focused on my kids and was televised on the Big Screen in the Park.

http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff124/wingfootsmp/Sluggerrr-1024x768.jpg

The Royals lost to Cleveland in the 9th inning when the Indians Left Fielder Geronimo Berroa caught a pop fly for the 3rd out. Geronimo tossed the ball he caught to my 12 year old son underhanded as he entered the visitor's dugout on his way off the field.

That was the best free "graft" I ever received. Even though our team lost, my family still reminisce that as our best Royals game visited.

[underground quester]

Reply to Wingfoot:

SWEEEETTT and you were able to include the entire family in the gift as well.
Assume that is busy season for you so that must have made it even better!

"Good on ya" as the AUSSIES say!

It really is nice to be recognized for good effort once in a while because gosh knows there's enough of the opposite around to "fill anyones boots".