引用:

原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-20 09:58 發表
1968 SID

Yeah, brother av8s, how do you know that?

Had you ever worked there? The full name of which was Subscribers Installation Department (SID), nickname大棚.

引用:

原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-20 19:15 發表

Yes! you are absolutely my big brother. I had been working there in 1974-1977 as a spotter....

Wow, I have to say I find it admirable with the chance you’d work at the 3rd Floor of Prince’s Building in Central.  

Being the Headquarters of the Telephone Company at that time, all senior staff worked there, and all those gorgeous ladies of the Telephone Service Department (TSD) also worked there as well.  

You know, at the later part of my service with the HKTC, I worked as a Works Order Control Clerk of SID at the newly built Lai Chi Kok Exchange Building. As a result, I’d got fairly good chance to chat with those gorgeous birds of TSD over the phone everyday, and of course got some social gatherings with them after the work from time to time.

I do believe that one of your girl friends must be from TSD, isn’t it?

I’d got my training course at the Tsim Sha Tsui Exchange Building.  


I needed to do the block wiring job in setting up the Distribution Point (DP), and erecting poles (種楝) in those rural areas as well.

I left the Telephone Company and joined the Hong Kong Government in 1971; otherwise we’d have a very good chance to know each other.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-20 22:57 發表

You should be carrying "Crabs" for your installation..20A was not in late 60's I think those "Crabs" were 9A

Marvellous, mate! You’ve got an excellent memory!

Yes, we used to call telephone set as crab (蟹). Due to the fact that we were seriously understaffed at that time, many of those newly built large estates, like美孚新村, as well as those public housing estates, like坪石村were pre-wired by contractors from the Distribution Point to the Terminal inside the house by means of contract-out while the buildings were under construction, whereas those telephone set installation could still be carried out by us only. Such a step was called笠蟹, which was quite an easy job, anyway.

You know, to be able to get a telephone installed at home was an exciting thing at that time. As a result, the subscribers were very generous and they used to give us tips ranging from $5 to $20 upon finishing the work. Good, isn’t it?

Yes, you’re right, the model 9A was widely used at the late 60’s but was quickly replaced by 20A at the early 70’s.

I tell you what? I was one of the persons who’d lucky enough to witness the installation of the first electronic telephone set in Hong Kong, i.e. the one with push button type. It was carried out at the SID office of the Lai Chi Kok Exchange Building in 1970 (or probably 1969?). Due to the fact that the first generation of which was not quite suitable for use in the extremely humid weather of Hong Kong, you’d only be able to see them in those offices with air-conditioning at that time.

引用:

原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 00:47 發表

Some senior colleagues told me that they did not use their monthly salary at that time due to tips could cover their daily expenses...

I really couldn’t be able to remember how my salary was paid. You’d probably be right, by means of a packet with cash inside of which could be a norm at that time while electronic banking system was not available.

But I can confirm that what you heard from your colleagues is true, in that we’d keep our salary intact, as the tips could well be able to cover our daily expenses, including breakfast and lunch.

I really don’t know why I was so lucky to be appointed to work in the SID, which was the place where colleagues of other departments could envy us our good luck.

At some stage of my service with HKTC, my drawer at home used to pop out of money due to the fact that it was a bit too small to keep that much.

The most glorious time was when people started moving in 坪石村around 1970-71. All a sudden that there were so many installation orders needed to be carried out, so much so that I even needed to call my younger brother, the one who’s now living in Miami, to give me a hand to carry those telephone sets for me in such a way that I’d concentrate myself in 笠蟹.

You’re damn right, my dear little brother av8s, the Lai Chi Kok Exchange was the most advanced one in Hong Kong in 1970. I don’t have a clue about those sophisticated relays sets in the Exchange, as I was only a very junior technician at that time.

If I’d stay in HKTC a little longer, say couple of years, I’m sure that we’d meet each other at the Staff Club situated at the Lai Chi Kok Exchange. I used to play table tennis from time to time with my colleagues over there next to the Canteen.

引用:

原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 13:49 發表

Did the project brought you a small fortune, what we can be here to chat and would be meeting in the future ...

My Dear Little Brother av8s, since you’re my dearest brother, I’d like to tell you a strictly confidential top secret for which I’d never told anybody before. So, don’t say nothing, it’s just between you and me, eh?

Since I was one of the four Works Order Control Clerks controlling the movements of all those installation orders for the whole area of Kowloon and New Territories in the SID Headquarters situated at the Lai Chi Kok Exchange, I’d easily sort out those orders received from the girls of the Telephone Service Department of the Prince’s Building, and save them for me in such a way that I’d do them on my overtime work after the normal office hours or during Sundays and Public Holidays.  

It’s quite legal to do that, and nothing to do with corruption or what, as there were actually too many orders but too little staff to do the jobs. The management didn’t bother who’d do them, they just wanted them to be done right away, because the telephone subscription fee, i.e. the phone bill could get to start counting as soon as the phone was up and running, therefore sooner rather than later.

In order to be more efficient, I’d screen those orders in advance to ensure that they were on the same floor of a building. I then asked my younger brother to bang the doors of those subscribers as soon as we arrived the scene, telling them to standby, as we’d be available for telephone installation within couple of hours. They’d be more than happy to wait for you at home the whole morning or afternoon as long as they learnt that we’d install a telephone for them.

I’d done it in this way remarkably at 坪石村, whereas美孚新村was not that efficient due to the layout of which was not that desirable and I needed to go up and down of the building.

My record high of a day was getting about 30 telephones installed. The tips ranging from $5 to $20 each, take the mid point, it’s $12.5. Get it multiplied by 30, it’s around $375 a day. Being a Works Order Control Clerk earning $472 a month, it’d be quite a considerable amount of money, isn’t it?

Yes, the world is getting smaller. It’d probably be quite a coincidence that on one day, when both of us sitting next table enjoying our lovely afternoon tea at Fortnum & Mason of Piccadilly in Central London, and suddenly realize that we’ve known each other long ago over this forum already! Great, isn't it?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 23:14 發表

I will keep it as a secret although many friends can see this forum. ...

Sorry mate, I ask you don’t say nothing, is just a joke, I’m just going to fool you, therefore don’t take it serious, all right?

In fact, what I was doing was an open secret at that time, just like smoking in a restaurant, it was totally legal and acceptable for so doing, and you can’t blame me at all, as it was the prevailing social culture during that specific time in Hong Kong.  

With regard to what you expecting me to tell you here about what I’d seen and done. I will, and I’d be more than happy to tell you everything I know, as an effort to contribute myself in saving a record of part of the early history of telephone services in Hong Kong.

I’ll tell you next of the queries you raised.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 23:14 發表
.. as a clerk he should be worked in the office, how came you could perform installation works...

Yes, you’re damn right, mate; being a Works Order Control Clerk, I was not supposed to be allowed to carry out those installation jobs outdoor. But nothing is considered impossible in this world.

It’s all accountable to Guanxi (關係). Quite a coincidence, there came a young British engineer from England who lived on the same street as me at月華街of Kwun Tong. His home was just around the corner of mine. As a result, it allowed us to start our conversation with some common topics.

Being an alien and the Head of SID, he was quite lonely and boring in the office. His subordinates were scared to speak to him because of language barrier, in addition to his senior status.

I’ve no intention to comment my colleagues’ ability in commanding spoken English, but I’d found that they all tried to avoid to have any contacts with this young British engineer as far as possible, actually just like seeing a White Ghost or a foreign devil, not to say speaking to him while waiting for the lift, in the corridor or in the toilet. On the contrary, I’d say hello to him whenever I met him and I’d treat it as a very good chance for me to practice my English.

I did speak broken English, and I knew how clumsy and funny of my spoken English was. But so what? As long as I understood what he was saying and he knew what I was talking about!

In order to kill the time or get relax, he used to come to my table to talk to me about those things like where to buy cheap and smart in the Kwun Tong area.

My dear brother av8s, it seems that you know SID quite well. Yes, I was under an ES (Engineering Supervisor), and my ES was under this young British engineer. Under such circumstances, what do you do if you were the ES? Do you think you’d be that stupid to upset your boss’s friend or you would do him a favour?

I’d of course not be able to do it during office hours, I therefore asked for overtime to do it only after office hours or on Sundays or Public Holidays. Don’t forget that I was initially a technician of SID, I knew all those techniques in handling the telephone installation on my own.  




You know, when I told him that I’d got a new job with the Hong Kong Government and would quit soon, he quickly invited me, as a celebration, to go sea bass（鱸魚）fishing at青龍頭with those British engineers and senior staff of the Prince’s Building.  

You may have got a question in asking me as to why I’d be that stupid to quit the job as a technician in that gold mine department, SID and took up the job of a Works Order Control Clerk in the office. Do give me a little time, I’d tell you the full story next time, okay?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 23:14 發表

I am sure you did not have any habits like majong, horse, wine and night clubbing etc.,

Although your office was at the Prince’s Building, I know you’d heard quite a lot about what was going on at various departments/depots outside the Headquarters. I can sense it from the fact that you’d ask me if I’d like those nasty hobbies like smoking, playing majong, gambling on dog/horse racing, wine drinking and night clubbing.

Being a school leaver some 40 odd years ago, I was as white as Snow White. I was only a stupid, too simple, sometimes naïve young lad, living in the small world of my own, knowing nothing about those aforementioned dirty and nasty hobbies, not to say ass licking, playing trick, doing dodgy & cunning things,… etc.

I’d not got those bad hobbies largely because I came from a beggar-like family, several grades down below the grass-roots class. Hence, I love money from day one, and I do love it persistently right now even after so many years. I can’t afford to see my hard earned money being thrown down the drain, and I believe that I’d got that DNA to save everything like a squirrel, particularly money.

My dear brother av8s, let me finish my story for you next time, as I’ve got to go now, okay?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-24 22:19 發表

please let me know and what post was that and you were in Vienna as a waiter in 1975???...

Before I go on the story with my job in the HKTC, I’d like to spare a little time in answering your questions you’ve asked.

I’m sorry, mate. It's so unfortunately that I’m not allowed to disclose any of my job natures with the then Hong Kong Government before 2047, as the disclosure of which to the public is governed by the British Empire Crown Colony (Hong Kong) Sensitive Data Act 1997, signed by China, UK, Prussia, Austro-Hungarian Empire, and North Korea as well, otherwise my pension with the then British Hong Kong Government would be forfeited instantly.

With regard to my job as a waiter in the Vienna Hilton in 1975, thanks to the windfall that I’d got from the HKTC, I’d saved enough funds to cover the tuition fee for my religious study, together with necessary travelling expenses, I then asked the then Hong Kong Government to grant me one year no pay study leave for my study in Vienna of Austria.  

It’s was another lucky experience I’d got in my life for getting a job in the newly built Vienna Hilton, for which I’d like to tell you another exciting story, of course if you don’t mind in listening to such kind of boring stories though.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-25 21:29 發表

sorry that I didn't know such regulations are bound on you. You do speak French and German,  

Oh, my dear little brother av8s, I’ve sufficient reasons to believe that you must be a very nice and straightforward person, what we called it in Chinese -担屎唔偷食, otherwise the British secret agent MI5 would not offer you a contract with them in England.   

They’d already carried out an extremely intensive security check on everything of you, including your 18th generation ancestors, just because you know nothing about it.

Anyway, please accept my apology for fooling you on the fictionalised Act I made. You’d easily find that it’s just a joke as it’s ridiculous for the Act to be signed by Prussia, Austro-Hungarian Empire and North Korea.

Go back to your question, yes, I do speak little German, but no French.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-23 13:49 發表

you didn't need to use the normal pay .. I think the outdoor jobs were free and flexible ...

I’ve once mentioned it here before, I really didn’t know how could I be that lucky to be able to work in such a gold mine department – SID.  

Being a technician, I might be placed in any departments, like Cable, Exchange or Maintenance. I thought it was Mr Chan Shiu Kee, the then Personnel Manager who’d done me a favour, and of course I’d appreciate it very much.

I first reported to the then SID Headquarters at Hunghom in 1968. It was an old cottage, situated somewhere near the青洲英泥.I believe that the nickname 大棚
might be come from it (Do correct me if I’m wrong) because of it’s funny appearance.

I was then redeployed to a SID depot at the Shamshuipo Exchange situated at 营盤街after receiving couple of days’ basic training over there.

I worked as an apprentice, following a ganger (師傅) in carrying out those telephone installation works around the Shamshuipo district. My job was fantastic and I enjoyed it very much, though the duties of which were fiddling little jobs like wiring, holding the tall wooden/bamboo ladder for him, etc.  

The most wonderful thing was that every morning, after getting orders from the inspector, and issuing necessary equipment for the jobs from the store, we’d take our breakfast at the nearby壇�辿B室 and the bill could normally be paid by the ganger who held a fund for which the money came from the tips.  

Nobody knew the balance of the fund or how did it operate except he himself. Our lunch would of course come from the fund and I’d get about $5 to $10 in the evening from time to time depending on how much tips we’d get during that period.

Unfortunately, such glorious days didn’t last too long. I’d tell you why next time, all right?


[ 本帖最後由 mtpen 於 2011-1-26 16:06 編輯 ]

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原帖由 suewong 於 2011-1-26 20:19 發表

perhaps someone, but not he, is the one being fooled...

That’s the sense of humour I learnt from the Britons. We can’t always live poker-faced, isn’t it, my dear little sister Sue?

Being the dearest little brother of mine, I strongly believe that he won’t mind for being fooled like that, am I right?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-26 21:02 發表

those seniors most expenses like lunch, tea payable by those seniors.  since we are family ma? ...

You’re really very lucky to have those lovely co-workers working with you in the same office. And that’s why you told me that you’d a glorious time while you worked there, isn’t it?  

But why you’d decide to quit that lovely job? You can ignore this silly question if it’s also governed by the Sensitive Act 1997 like me.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-24 22:19 發表

Did the Brit caught any fish by using traditional hand lining fishing method and what was the outcome....

My dear little brother av8s, are you an expert in fishing?

Guess what? I’d caught a two feet long wild sea bass（鱸魚）in that fishing event with those HKTC senior staff at青龍頭in 1970 during the Christmas time. Good, isn’t it?

Yes, we just used the traditional handline fishing method. The result was remarkable well as all of us had caught one at least.   

I’ve sufficient reasons to believe that our excellent result was largely due to the fishing bait we used - the tiger (king) prawn with a size of about half foot long but I really forgot if they’were live or not.  

To be honest, if I was not free for that fishing event, I really didn’t want to take part in such a luxury game. I really couldn’t afford for it as I’d only be able to take such kind of king prawn once in a year, i.e. during the dinner of the Chinese New Year’s Eve, not to say for fishing bait.

But it’s worthful, as the meat of the wild sea bass was so sweet and delicious that every part of which was lobster-like, and I’d never tasted such a nicely seafood before, and not even now so far.

I do really wonder if we’d catch that wild sea bass over there now, as the water around the Pearl River estuary is so badly polluted in the last 30 years or so. Sad, isn’t it?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-26 21:02 發表

SK Chan's office was next to my division at 3F PB. He really was a nice guy should address as gentleman ...

Absolutely, Mr Chan Shiu Kee, the then Personnel Manager of HKTC was a real good man, who played a key role in helping me to get the bright future of my life. Without his generous help, I couldn’t get that little fortune, which allowed me to pave the way for my study in Vienna, and in turn had changed my destiny as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t cherish the precious chance that I’d get for working in such a wonderful department whilst everybody was eager to join. I just took it for granted and didn’t know how to do it smartly in not only ‘take’ but should ‘give’ as well.

I do really blame myself for too simple, sometimes naïve. I always thought that my ganger (師傅), who was the sole in charge of our fund generated from tips, could look after me and do everything for me by taking money out of the fund in settling all those necessary expenses on the monkey business required for maintaining the win win relationship with our Inspector and the Engineering Supervisor.  

I’d only be able to realize that the game was not playing as what I thought on the day when I was redeployed to the Block Wiring Group of SID, where no more free breakfast, free lunch and of course no more tips as well.  

Another fatal mistake I made could probably be not getting along with them after work on those nasty hobbies like smoking, playing majong, gambling on dog/horse racing, wine drinking and night clubbing.

I’d let you know what I was doing in the Block Wiring Group next time, okay?

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-20 19:15 發表

I had been working there as a spotter. Job need go everywhere when no land line available ...

In fact, a little early prior to my redeployment to Block Wiring gang, my life was getting harder and harder, and my jobs were not that straightforward anymore. I needed to go erecting poles (種楝) in those rural areas like九華徑, and many other unknown small villages deep inside the hill around there.  

Setting up a 20 feet or 25 feet long metal pole was not an easy task at all. We needed to dig a big hole in the first instance, deep enough to hold the pole standing firmly. Once it was erected, we needed to climb up and down of the pole without the aid of ladders, like a monkey, in fixing the overhanging wires running along the hill and the valley.   

It was quite a dangerous job though, as we’d have a chance to fall down from the pole. The worst of all, those poles were used to be erected along the little footpath whereas one side of which could be a deep valley, hence casualty could be unavoidable if we’d fallen down literally.

My dear Brother av8s, since you were a spotter and worked in the Spotting and Statistics Office, you’d know it quite well how hard our job was. And I do believe that it was you who designed how the overhanging wires to be run and where the poles to be erected, isn’t it?

[ 本帖最後由 mtpen 於 2011-1-29 15:16 編輯 ]

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-29 18:33 發表

I had seen those guys climbing pole, you should be very fit in physical. ...

Thanks to the intensive exercise that I’d got from climbing up and down of the poles like a monkey some 40 odd years ago, I’d keep myself physically fit up to now. Good, isn’t it?

Although I worked under such an unfavourable condition, I’m so lucky for not being classified as disabled requiring a wheelchair at the end of the day. Otherwise I’d blame your colleagues for not taking into consideration of the health and safety requirements when approving the proposal.

Working under such a severe working condition didn’t last too long, it probably took couple of months only, as the Block Wiring job was ahead of me.

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原帖由 av8s 於 2011-1-29 23:27 發表

I was bitten by a dog,..Robbery happened on few colleagues .Potential dangers were anticipated.  ...

Based on the unhappy experience you suffered, and those happened to your colleagues as well, I now realize as to why you’d quit the so-called lovely job with the HKTC.

In fact, we all exposed to danger to certain extent while we worked with the HKTC at that time, we’d survive till now without losing part of our body and got handicapped largely by the grace of God.

As we’d all know it quite well of the funny layout on those七層大厦 at大坑東and石硤尾. On that narrow corridor, one side of which was the ‘Kitchen’ of the dweller with hot water and food being cooking by means of kerosene burner, whereas the other side was a low wall of couple of feet, just high enough to guard against the little child from falling down the street accidentally, but not designed for adult, and I'd prefer to call it concrete railing instead.  

In this connection, I think I need to express here first of what I’ve got in my mind about the evil rationale behind the designated low-wall design. I’ve sufficient reasons to believe that the then Hong Kong British Government deliberately adopted such a cost saving design with a view to facilitating those penniless guys to kill themselves by jumping out the corridor more easily, just in case.

The most stunning scene came when those little boys running under my feet playing along the corridor while I was fixing the overhead wires to the ceiling standing on a broken wooden ladder. You’d imagine how dangerous the situation was.  

My dear little brother av8s, I like the name Stunt Man you used to describe the life threatening nature of our job. And I do believe that you’d eventually agree that those little fortunes we’d got from tips were at the expense of our life or part of our body. You may also wish to call it as a sweat job literally.

引用:

原帖由 老何 於 2011-2-23 12:18 發表

轉貼 : ..................打工眾生相

失業半年返職場，湯雞還神燒炮仗，開工本應喜洋洋，誰知...

笑到肚痛，簡直令人噴飯。


絕世好詩詞，夠寫實，可以傳世！


作者乃高人中之高人，功力深厚，佩服！


將廣東話發揮得淋漓盡致，可作教材用。


我鍾意佢夠口語化。扮高深人士會笑之不能登大雅之堂，我持相反意見。


我記得70年代初，個個同事聽鬼佬歌，我鍾意聽Sam Hui啲歌（仲有鄧麗君），同事窒我話車房仔先至鍾意聽Sam Hui，曾幾何時，Sam Hui被封為歌神，真好笑！

引用:

原帖由 suewong 於 2011-2-27 20:58 發表

可以斷言, 賣出公屋後, 1 定有人豪花所得,  無地容身, 要求再分配公屋 (把政府當提款機); 跟住要政府埋單. ...

非常同意黃小妹高見。

老何兄乃星架坡通，應知李光耀唔再俾啲國民一筆過以lump sum攞哂份pension，有見好多老鬼晚年喊苦啼忽，又話啲錢俾仔做生意蝕清光，一陣又話俾人滾哂，到頭來一如黃小妹講法，又係要阿公包底埋尾？唔通由得佢死呀？

老何兄應知港人係乜人種，乜嘢質素，賊嘅多呀！

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原帖由 老何 於 2011-3-2 11:14 發表

治港理念全無, 倒米倒出粉, 嗚呼哀哉！

我係當奴就乘機劈炮唔撈!

我係嚟做凸手�謘I唔係嚟俾人出氣當沙包打�謘I橫惦都冇哂管治威信咯！  

[ 本帖最後由 mtpen 於 2011-3-2 17:52 編輯 ]

引用:

原帖由 suewong 於 2011-3-5 16:38 發表

陶才子話印度人偷到師, 何老大/筆兄點睇......

黃小妹冇講錯，阿差假假哋都俾紅毛鬼統治過一段長時期，唔學多都學少喇！  



我早前已有講過，阿差啲質地唔錯�瞴I

紅毛鬼曾打遍天下無敵手，其老牌帝國統治藝術則非我哋東方遠古民族學得來。

引用:

原帖由 suewong 於 2011-3-5 16:38 發表

睇番陶才子, 發覺他的思路有變. 初時 (80/90 年代) 似士大夫 他漸變祟歐美日..其實頗可悲......

至於黃小妹話陶才子乜乜物物，其實佢day one都戀英媚美反中�豲漶I

俾着妳都會咁喇，老豆係正宗老左，可惜太早愛國，變成有辱冇榮。

乜唔係回歸之後，論功行賞嘅咩？就算唔封官都入幕僚做資政呀！幾時輪到啲忽然愛國嘅國民黨商人老懵董或港英餘蘖當「奴」呀！

死鬼珠姐廖瑤珠咁�絕N係咁，乜唔係我哋呢亭政協、人大話哂事嘅咩？仲要我哋歸邊站，不許亂說亂動，簡直愛錯國，call你個now yeah吖！

引用:

原帖由 comm 於 2011-3-6 00:15 發表

何伯,老共幾時偷到師呀,呀爺依家對香港管治政策就係肥 ...

我哋堂堂數千年文化古老大國，曾經藩屬無數，使鬼去學你哋啲番邦嘅雕蟲小技呀？

更何况當今正值共和盛世，我唔使你教嘛？

[ 本帖最後由 mtpen 於 2011-3-6 09:43 編輯 ]

引用:

原帖由 Anti-air-gunner 於 2011-3-6 14:57 發表

忘記了當年大喊「以俄為師」、「史太林爺爺」不絕於耳的年代嗎？...

係吖，我認老翻俄國佬條屎橋呀！

跟天下文章一大抄同一道理，我�M家正係砌緊一種雞尾酒式政制，既符合中國國情，又有社會主義特色嘅資本主義，甚至乎覇權（對內）主義，得唔得先？