Living 24/7 on the hill was probably a little different than the regular shifts that were worked when Mt. Hoherbogen was called Eckstein. For us S&M Company guys (some one sure had a sense of humor.. S and M??), snow came early and there was always plenty to shovel. One of the good things we had on the Hill was our site mascot Sam. A beast of a German Shepherd Dog, who some said weighed 110 pounds. All winter, Sam loved the cold, and would even sleep outside in the snow piles. At times you would call his name and a snow pile would jump up and shake off. He loved to chew rocks in the summer and he would pull icicles off the roof in the winter. New guys came and went, and Sam would always choose one as his mascot. He was his favorite until the FIGMO orders went up and then Sam would choose another. Yes, he was a big loveable fellow, big as a horse and could crap like one too! All winter he would do his business out in the snow heaps. Crap here and crap there, and more snow would cover the freshly laid poop. This was all well and good until spring came. As the snow melted, the poop popsicles would appear and begin their defrost cycle! Thus yearly, like spring cleaning, we would be out on the Poop Patrol, a shovel and a bucket in hand. It was a dirty job, one fitting of Mike Rowe, but some one had to do it. Sam was about the best dog friend a guy could have. Everyone loved him. I was fortunate to be his mascot for almost two years. It was there that I found my love for Shepherds, while walking inside the perimeter on Poop Patrol, looking for the defrosted gifts of another Bavarian winter and a friend who had no equal.
