[SOC] Tower trouble

[bill at nt9k.com]

This one needs an introduction, so you won't be lost at the beginning.
This man was in an accident at home, so he filled out an insurance
claim. The insurance company contacted him and asked for more
information. This was his response:

"I am writing in response to your request for additional information,
for block number 3 of the accident reporting form. I put 'poor planning'
as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should
explain more fully and I trust the following detail will be sufficient.

I am an amateur radio operator and on the day of the accident, I was
working alone on the top section of my new 80-foot tower. When I had
completed my work, I discovered that I had, over the course of several
trips up the tower, brought up about 300 pounds of tools and spare
hardware. Rather than carry the now unneeded tools and material down by
hand, I decided to lower the items down in a small barrel by using the
pulley attached to the gin pole at the top of the tower. Securing the
rope at ground level, I went to the top of the tower and loaded the
tools and material into the barrel. Then I went back to the ground and
untied the rope, holding it tightly to ensure a slow decent of the 300
pounds of tools." "You will note in block number 11 of the accident
reporting form that I weigh only 155 pounds.

Due to my surprise of 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 rather rapid rate of speed up the side of the tower. In
the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming down. This
explains my fractured skull and broken collarbone. 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 onto the rope in
spite of my pain. At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of
tools hit the ground and the bottom fell out of the barrel." "Devoid of
the weight of the tools, the barrel now weighed approximately 20 pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in block number 11.

As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the
tower. In the vicinity of the 40-foot level, I met the barrel coming up.
This accounts for the two fractured ankles, and the lacerations of my
legs and lower body. The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to
lessen my injuries when I fell onto the pile of tools and, fortunately,
only three vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that
as I lay there on the tools, in pain, unable to stand and watching the
empty barrel 80 feet above me, I again lost my presence of mind. I let
go of the rope...

Note: That joke makes a great practice file for CW. You can find this
and other text files and mp3 versions in different cw speeds that you
can download and use to practice with. Look here: 
http://www.skccgroup.com/learn

73, Bill NT9K
http://www.nt9k.com
http://nt9k.radiotelegraphy.net
http://www.keyconcepts.us