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+--- Thread: The Bricklayer (/showthread.php?tid=4952)
The Bricklayer - Xhiler8r - 24-06-2005
Australian Bricklayer Report.
Possibly the funniest story in a long while.
This is a bricklayer's accident report, which was printed in the
newsletter of the Australian equivalent to the Workers Compensation
board and is a true story.
Had this guy died, he'd have received a Darwin Award for sure.......
Dear Sir,
I am writing in response to your request for additional information in
Block 3 of the accident report form. I put poor planning as the cause of my accident.You asked for a fuller explanation and I trust the following details will be sufficient. I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a new six-story building. When I completed my work, I found that I had some bricks left over which, when weighed later were found to be slightly in excess of 500 lbs. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley, which was attached
to the side of the building on the sixth floor. Securing the rope at ground I went up to the roof, swung the barrel out and loaded the bricks into it. Then I went down and untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow descent of the bricks. You will note in Block 11 of the accident report form that I weigh 135 lbs.
Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel, which was now proceeding downward at an equally impressive speed. This explained the fractured skull, minor abrasions and the broken collar bone, as listed in section 3 of the accident report form. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the Pulley.Fortunately by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope, in spite of beginning to experience pain.
At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Now devoid of the weight of the bricks, that barrel weighed approximately 50 lbs. I refer you again to my weight. As you can imagine, I began a rapid descent,down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles, broken
tooth and several lacerations of my legs and lower body.Here my luck began to change slightly. The encounter with the barrel seemed to slow me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks and fortunately only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, as I lay there on the pile of bricks, in pain, unable to move, I again lost my composure and presence of mind and let go of the rope and I lay there watching the empty barrel begin its journey back down onto me. This explains the two broken legs.
I hope this answers your inquiry. Regards Bill
Busa's Rule On The Rest
Re: The Bricklayer - SaNTa - 24-06-2005
Hiya, this is actualy an urban legend. I can't for the life of me find the details but only a couple of months ago I saw a whole discussion on this actual "story". If I remember correctly it dates what back to atleast the early 1900's.
Anyway from a very quick google search here is another version
urbanlegends.about.com/li...bricks.htm
Shane
Jimboomba QLD
Re: The Bricklayer - SaNTa - 24-06-2005
Quote from the link I posted...
.........This is quite an old story, reckoned by folklorists to date back at least 70 years. It's a comedy staple, in fact, having turned up in numerous recordings, radio shows, movies and novels since the 1930s.
It was published as a "True Fact" by National Lampoon in 1986, when it also happened to be circulating as office faxlore. More recently it has been sighted on email joke lists and Websites.......... Shane
Jimboomba QLD