38 Wairarapa Midweek Wai Write Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Wai Write
Stick forest takes shape Dear Grandchildren On this day, the three of them lifted my wall frames into place. The apprentice, referred to as The Boy arrived early and had the shed unlocked, the leads run out, before Jack, the foreman and The Boss arrived. This enthusiasm spilled over to infect the three of them. The complication of nailing the wall frames together had been sorted and it wasn’t long before the end walls were up. I was keen to see them make progress but was thwarted because I had to wait until after smoko. With nail bags replenished with framing nails and wearing determined looks, they strode purposefully out to the job and approached the long back wall. Please picture the wall framing lying over the joists. The bottom plate pushed up against the outside stand-up blocks, The Boss positioned at the inside end, Jack at the outside end and The Boy in the middle. How they do this, I do not know but, at the same moment, they collectively begin to lift the frame. It drooped between each lifter making the wall already unstable. The lift
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was going well until The Boss gave his end a slight flick so he could, in the moment of lighter load; reposition himself to go from lifting to pushing. When the load returned to his shoulders, it became too much for him and he let the frame fall out of his hands. At the same moment, Jack did his repositioning flick. For an instant, the wall was rising up at each end. The Boss’s end fell on to the joists and Jack’s end whipped upwards throwing him off balance. If he had hung on, it would have pitched him down between the floor joists, he promptly let it fall. No one
was supporting the ends and The Boy, stranded in the middle, was now carrying all the weight. The Boy being taller still had to reach the point where he would give his little repositioning flick. His long loud shriek and expletive heard all over the neighbourhood drew attention to his now overloaded backbone which was going into an unnatural shape and his legs buckling outwards. He was so skinny he must have been missing a few welldeveloped muscles and this sudden load a hell of a strain on the ones that were already working overtime.
I do not know how, but The Boy, all on his own, lifted that frame into position. There was a mad scramble from Jack and The Boss to get temporary braces up to support the wall. The Boy did not let the frame go. He stood in his position and bear-hugged the closest stud to stop the frame from toppling over. His normal upright state slowly returned as he took a few deep breaths. I couldn’t believe that The Boss blamed The Boy for the near collapse of that wall. I don’t think he wanted to admit to himself that there should have been four of them not three.
I often think of the wall framing and how they all went up. I am sure that as people went by, they would have seen a growing forest of sticks but the drama to get some of my walls up, plumb and straight, would astound them to the dedication and enthusiasm of The Boss, Jack and especially The Boy. I’m a completed house now and I have my first family within my walls. Thanks guys. Good job. Grandad Bevan June 2020 • Bevan is member of the Henley Men’s Shed writing group.
Wai Write is a reader-contributed section of Wairarapa Midweek containing creative ÿ ction and short stories. If you have a ° air for writing, send your short stories (up to 600 words) to midweek@age.co.nz to be considered for publication.
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