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   Pepijn (pepijn@mastodon.online)'s status on Friday, 19-Dec-2025 23:13:46 JST Pepijn

   Chatting about tools with @mk I was reminded of a curious interaction with a colleague, a technician.

   He complained about his fading eyesight, and having issues identifying tools. So I suggested color coded hex tools, already used by others in the shop.

   "I WILL NOT USE GAY TOOLS!" [and walked off angrily]

   It really threw me off how a well-educated, soft-spoken and otherwise likeable person turned into a demented hermit crab when confronted with small bits of colorful metal.

   #gay #tool

   • Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell: likes this.
   • Embed this notice
     Pepijn (pepijn@mastodon.online)'s status on Friday, 19-Dec-2025 23:14:09 JST Pepijn

     in reply to

     He stuck to this until the day he retired.

     Multiple colleagues had overheard. As one can expect from people who have been working together for, in some cases, two or three decades it became a thing of joy for all. It led to all-workshop-staff emails like:

     "HAS ANYONE SEEN THE GAY INBUS #20?"

     "I'M LOOKING FOR A NEW SET OF VDE SCREWDRIVERS. ANY RECOMMENDATION FOR A GOOD GAY VERSION?"

     The one gay technician in this workshop made a point of buying a non-colorful set for "more manly work".

     Haelwenn /элвэн/ :triskell: likes this.