What Time Is It?

Working a gate in the oil fields will give you a quick lesson in their work schedule. The rig may have a schedule for the hands; but forget about the suppliers. If they need it, they will find someone to deliver it-no matter the time of day or the weather. Salesmen/women usually follow the 9-5 routine. Hotshots (the guys with a trailer and a pickup) and semis will deliver whenever. In fact, I've seen semis go places I've never seen one go, sometimes with the help of a bulldozer. Back to the rig hands. If you're working a gate you have to get used to them coming and going at all hours. Consumption of adult beverages is frowned upon, especially on site. So you'll get a few that go out for that. Then you'll have a dinner/breakfast crowd. Finally, all the different support personnel  and rig hands get relieved. And never at the same time. The people that have to conform to all those schedules are the gate guards. And as big a challenge is familiarizing yourself with most of them. Why, you ask?   Well it makes your job easier and its a vital part of security-knowing who does and doesn't belong there. Now you have an idea why two people come in handy and a gate's duty hours are characterized as being twenty four hours long.