The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SNEAKY

THERE WAS A GUY WO RETIRED HERE AT FORD'S SOME YEARS AGO. FOR A
LONG TIME BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT, HE USED TO GO THROUGH THE PLANT
GATES WITH A WHEELBARROW FULL OF SAW DUST. THE GUARDS WOULD SIFT
THROUGH THE SAWDUST, BUT THEY NEVER FOUND ANYTHING, SO THEY WOULD
LET HIM GO. THIS WENT ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THEN THE DAY OF HIS
RETIREMENT CAME. AFTER THE TRADITIONAL DINNER AND HONORS AND
SPEECHES, THE MAN LEFT THE COMPANY.
BEFORE HE DID, HOWEVER, ONE OF HIS
FELLOW EMPLOYEES ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS TAKING OUT WITH ALL THOSE
WHEELBARROWS THAT HE HAD BEEN TAKING THROUGH THE GATES ALL THIS
TIME. HE ANSWERED VERY SERIOUSLY, "WHEELBARROWS."

Submitter comment: (I HEARD THIS STORY, TOLD AS BEING TRUE, FROM MAC MCLAIN AT
THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN DEARBORN WHEN I WORKED THERE IN 1955-569)

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Keyword(s): OCCUPATIONAL STORY

Date learned: 05-00-1965