CABL Forum - A Tribute to a Friend

The most talented man, I know. Is Jim Fling , although he would say the say the same about me. I met Jim in 1983, we were both working for American Spliceco, in Fairfax Virginia. Jim at that time was the underground guy, for asi, he was a fiber optic consultant before that. Jim is a genius , and he asked me not to write about him, but I'm going too anyway. Of every body I have known he is the most multi talented brother I have. He's an old school dog , lineman , splicer , sweeper , head end , you name it. Fling gets the job done. I remember back 17 years ago, an I 95 crossing in Ft.Lauderdale 90 ftr. I was working for D&G Communications, the pole needed a straight splice in the trunk crossing , 89ft. up, they said Whitfield you got to put that splice in, I said you better go rent a high ranger , I ain't climbing that stick. You see this was a salt treated stick, about five times the size of a normal pole. Fling says I'll hook the b.i.t.c.h for you. It took him two safetys clipped together to high jack that pole. He was so far up I had to squint to see him. His feet were sideways as the pole was some 5 ft. thick!. He also did a railroad crossing in Jacksonville N.C. that the areial contractor said f.u.c.k it I'll quit first. CableVision had run out of time to get the permit, to go underneath the railroad , push came to shove , so they had the power company add two hundred footers and a few more shorter to compensate the rise. That was the only time I have ever been asked by the mother co. what will he charge us to do this job?. I must say I'm proud to know Jim , as would also David Schadi of Quality Cable in Fl. and Terry Clark in N.C., Fling can build you anything you invision out of wood , metal or fiberglass, he is the best all round, cable man I know, he built his own sawmill, figure eight machine(should get it patented) turns opposite everybodys elses. He can do the finest wood work of anyone I know,(used to be a finish carpernter for Hatteras and Lang Yahts). He bought my fiberglass chopper gun a few years back and won't sell it back to me. (Oh Well , B.i.t.c.h) He has built and designed more cable trailers (Hydralic and other wise) than anyone I know! Fling is the most talented friend I have. He is one of the good guys , a hard a.s.s and hard to get to know. My personal opinion Jim take the five year fiber contract Verision has offered you, Old Dog. Its time for us Old Dogs to think about retiring.I know you and a few others like Gary Vest,The Duddings,James Edgnar, that can still hook the 90 ftrs. But Damm dogs were dinasouars. I hope you all know Fling now , he's one of my oldest living friends. When we see each other we punch fist instead of a hand shake. No scissys here! Thanks for reading.
"WHITFIELD"

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A Tribute to a Friend