Cranking? You may be wondering what exactly this terminology means... The appropriate navy term is temporary duty assignment, also known as, TAD. The slang for this used by sailors, is "cranking." Going "cranking" is a tradition in the navy that has been upheld for many years. Basically you go to work for three months in a different division of the ship.
You could go to security and get OC sprayed or land tiger team and be covered in dust and paint from head to toe. Deck department, tile team, vent team and cable team aren't really better options. Yet, chief's galley, officer's wardroom and cleaning the estate rooms are the way to go. My lucky self landed the enlisted mess decks. Woot woot!! Oh no... When I say lucky... believe me, I'm being sarcastic. Don't let my humor fool you. I try to see the best in everything, but to be honest there are very few hidden gems when working the enlisted mess decks.
The schedule is on three days, get the next two off, but by two days, I really mean one and a half by the time we get off work... So everyday I have to be in the mess decks by 0400 or 0430 depending on the days schedule of events. 0430.... you know where I want to be at 0430? Still sleeping! Its really kind of funny. I don't have to be there until 0600 tomorrow morning and I'm excited because I get to sleep until 0530. Oh, military life and how my life has changed.
So some of the duties in the mess decks include washing dishes in the scullery, taking out trash, wiping down tables, etc, etc. I was put in charge of the first class mess decks. Its a small room with about 20 tables and I take care of all of the petty officers that eat in there. All the good cereal options rest in the first class mess decks. So pro #1: so far all the 1st class petty officers know me! Its good to have connections. I smile a lot! Not only when cranking but most often you'll always see me with a smile on my face. And honestly, I believe people remember that. If I have made even one person's shitty day a little better, my day will have been fulfilled. Whether its stealing the good cereal for sailors, finding ketchup for the restriction table when there is none or simply giving out paper cups after the mess decks are secured so sailors can have coffee. Its definitely worth it. I would want someone to do the same for me.
Pro #2: I get coffee whenever the hell I want. The espresso button and I have become very close friends these days. I live for that espresso button. I take it upon myself to make sure the coffee machine is always working. For if the coffee machine is not working, neither am I.
Pro #3 or could possibly be con #1: Everyone thinks they know me now because they see my face all the time. The con comes in when obnoxious males hit on me by the trash cans. I've had one male decide to ask me out four times. And you know what happened? He got denied four times. But honestly, everyone saying hello is nice even if I don't have a clue as to who they are.
But "cranking" does make me wonder. Who are all of these sailor's moms? And why weren't they raised like I was? If I spill something, I clean it up. I re cap the hot sauce after using it. If I spill noodles on the floor I pick them up. You'd be surprised how many individuals feel its OK TO ALLOW others to pick up after them. I know its my job, but come on! They leave trays, cups, and used napkins all over the place. If I ever left my tray out at home, I'd be in deep waters. I don't know how others live with themselves.
Normally the galley puts out packages of peanut butter, but they must have ran out this week because two days in a row there was peanut butter in a trey for sailors to ration out on their treys. Now, most wouldn't think anything of this but, if you work in the scullery....all hell just broke loose because of one simple condiment. Peanut butter.
I made it my job on Wednesday to kindly ask all sailors to scrape their treys really well so the boys in the scullery would have an easier time rinsing off the peanut butter before the treys go in the dragon (the dishwasher). Problem: not everyone was so kind to scrape. A lot of the treys had to go through the dragon a second time and that backed everything up. I found myself getting worked up over peanut butter. I even told a female sailor to stop bitching and scrape her trey. Umm, were probably not ever gonna be friends but really? How hard is it to abide by one tasked that was posed in a very nice way?
Clearly, some sailors need more lessons in manners.
No comments:
Post a Comment