Bookmark Project - Thirsk Match Cathedral (art) / The Shroud Line at IBP

Had trouble getting a sharp enough image of this one with the Bigger Cahoona, as my middling lens kept the shutter open for longer due to the dim light of the subject.  This is a copy of the cathedral in which it was sitting, made entirely of match sticks.

_______________

[continued from yesterday's post; series started 10/20]

By the time I arrived in Amarillo Bob had taken a job in Houston, but arrangements were made for the apartment and car.  I took a day or so to settle in, then at the first opportunity drove over to IBP and applied.  Pretty much anyone with a heartbeat was hired - legally here or not - but I still was a little nervous, having thrown my hat over the fence.  Naturally I made it in, after submitting the paperwork and a cursory interview with a foreman named Glenn, during which I mentioned Bob and the fact that he recommended the place.

I showed up at the appointed hour, got my clothes and equipment, then for the first time walked onto the kill floor.

My first duty was on the shroud line, which involved placing a large salt-water-soaked cloth, or shroud, over the sides of the beef as a preservative just before they went into cold storage.  The job involved working in one of two levels.  The first was high up and you had to climb a ladder to get to the platform, enabling access to the place where meat hooks suspended the sides of beef.  This was where I was stationed.  My job was to drape a shroud over the side so that it hung evenly, then secure it into place with a stainless steel shroud pin...all while the line was moving, so that I had to move along with it and keep up.

I must have looked weak or vulnerable, because there were three workers on that platform, and besides me the other two were girls.  Tough-looking, strong girls, but girls nonetheless.  Even so, I found it impossible to keep up because, as stated a couple of posts ago, the plant at the time was processing 225 head an hour and it was simply too fast for me.  One of my two companions often had to double up and do hers plus mine...not a good way to start.