Lessons in comedy & tragedy

I may be a cartoon character, but I have feelings too. When Foster Apple responded to my first blog about the cartoonish situations logistics folks get themselves into, I was glad someone out there in the blogosphere was paying attention to me. Unfortunately, what he told me wasn’t very funny. His dad was electrocuted in an occupational accident a long time ago. Losing someone like that would make me lose my sense of humor. Foster didn’t.

He recognizes that in all tragedy, as in all comedy, there’s a lesson to learn. The stuff that happens to me may be pretty funny to you, but let me tell you, me getting sandwiched into a pallet load ain’t fun. Mr. Apple once saw a fellow employee run an electric pallet jack off a dock while hanging on to it, thinking he could stop it. He lived to tell the tale. And because he’s alive to tell it, I’m sure he milks the story for laughs. But Foster told me the accident wouldn’t have happened if the guy had been better trained on how to use that pallet jack more safely.

Foster thinks I’m funny. He also thinks I’m performing a service for workers and management alike—teaching by example (Don’t do what I do!). You don’t know how happy I am to hear that. I just hope I survive my lessons.