Dig It

Since the old man is now on the road solo, we don't spend very much time together. Last month I saw him four days. I have no idea how long or when or if I'll get to see him this month at all.
Naturally I spend a lot of minutes on the phone with him. I only get to hear the road stories now, so I listen closely and pretend I'm with him...just like some mad, washed-up groupie.

The most interesting story of his most recent trip is the history behind the Susquehanna Nuclear Plant. When the old man arrived on the job, the company was behind on most of their projects and needed some strong welds in place so they could move on to the next assignment. He's been there going on three weeks, and they are still fighting the same problems they had since the day they arrived on site. Everyday they report to work to find their welds, roots, passes, tacks, and piping are all possessed. As if they sense that the men are trying desperately to finish the job to go home to wives they haven't seen in almost two months. It's a daily battle with the equipment, the camaraderie, and the sanity of the supervision. Finally, the old man brought up this frustrating point to his overseers, only to find out that there is in fact a reason why nothing seems to "work" or "fit up" (in welder terms) at this plant.

When the old man first arrived on site he took several photos of a very old cemetery literally in the shadow of the nuclear plant's cooling towers. Some graves were only marked by small stones, others had dates of 1812. So it's clear there's a method to the madness...angry spirits sparking trouble deep beneath the surface. Don't forget, there's a reactor sitting on top of these troubled souls.
I've heard of hotels being built on Indian burial grounds (think The Shining), but nuclear plants?