From: 9999sc01@uhdvx3.dt.uh.edu (Alexandre Khalil)
Newsgroups: alt.best.of.internet,soc.culture.lebanon
Subject: Bricks
Followup-To: alt.best.of.internet
Date: 23 Jan 1993 00:16 CST
Organization: University of Houston-Downtown
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: uhdvx3.dt.uh.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41A   

  I found the following on the Egyption mailing list Egypt-Net

  Many thanks to Hani and to the anonymous original poster.

  I wish you all a warm and safe day.

alex khalil
alex@dt.uh.edu

  I love work: I can spend hours watching people work


-------- appended quote ------

From:	IN%"Egypt-net@das.harvard.edu" 20-NOV-1992 04:18:13.85

11. Hany_Bardissi.LOTUS@CRD.lotus.com (59 lines)
      Insurance..........................................................  486

From: Hany_Bardissi.LOTUS@CRD.lotus.com
Subject: Insurance

Salamat Dear netters and Egypt lovers,

I enjoyed this peice and I hope you do,  Credit should go to the anonymous 
author,


This is a copy of an alleged letter written to an insurance company that
wanted a complete explanation from an injured man who had explained what
happened with the words "lost presence of mind."


	"I'm a bricklayer by trade.  On the day of the accident, I was
working alone on the roof of a new six story building.  When I completed my
work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over.  Rather
than carry the bricks down by hand, I decided to lower them in a barrel by
using a pulley which fortunately was attached to the side of the building at
the sixth floor.
	
	Securing the rope at ground level, I went up on the roof, swung the
barrel out and loaded the bricks into it.  Then I went back to the ground
floor and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the
500 pounds if bricks.  You will note in block number 11 of the accident
reporting form I weigh 135 pounds.

	Due to my surprise at 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 up the side of the building.
	
	In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming down.
This explains the 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.  This explains the 
lacerations of my right hand.  Fortunately, by this time, I had regained my
presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my
pain.

	At approximately the same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit
the ground, and the bottom fell out of the barrel.  Devoid of the weight of
the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 50 pounds.  I refer you 
again to my weight of 135 pounds, in block number 11.  As you might imagine,
I began a rapid descent down the side of the building.

	In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming up. 
This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the lacerations on my legs 
and lower body.  The encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my
injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks, and fortunately, only three
vertebrae were cracked.

	I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks, in
pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty barrel six stories above me,
I again 'lost my presence of mind'; I let go of the rope.


Hany


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