POWER May 2023 - 23

MARNIE SURFACEBLOW
An Engineer Never Sleeps, She
Waits (for the Next Problem)
Every power plant requires diligence for safe, efficient, reliable, and economic
operation-especially when you mix old and new technologies. Never neglect
showing care and respect toward even your " old tech " equipment.
Una Nowling, PE
I
t went against every iota of caution
and prudence that she possessed,
but Maya Sharma, lead field engineer
for Surfaceblow & Associates International,
had a job to do. Sitting in
the middle seat of row 27 on the Boeing
737 headed to a trade show, she turned
toward the window seat, said a short
prayer for courage, and gently tried to
shake her boss awake.
Slumped against the window, Marnie
Surfaceblow, vice president of Surfaceblow
& Associates International,
murmured in her sleep as Maya tried to
wake her. " Tohru ... please make omurice
tonight ... Violet Evergarden is visiting, "
she mumbled. After another minute
of increasing oscillation of her shoulder,
Marnie woke with a start, rubbed her
eyes, looked out the window, and said,
" Ye gods, Maya ... what's wrong? "
The Man in Seat 27C
" Nothing is immediately wrong, " responded
Maya, " but the gentleman
sitting in the aisle seat may need your
help. " Maya motioned toward the young
man sitting next to her, who eagerly
thrust out a large, calloused hand, breaking
into a smile.
" Mrs. Surfaceblow, by golly, it is you! "
he exclaimed. " I recognized you from
that article you wrote last year in POWER
magazine. You know, the one where you
had that great advice on keeping travelin'
water screens clear, and I sure did enjoy
that zebra mussel recipe you shared! "
Marnie, still lost in a bit of a daze after
having been awakened, stared at the
hand and gingerly took it. Hesitantly, she
replied, " Um, it's Miss Surfaceblow, not
Mrs., and that recipe was supposed to
be a joke. You really tried it? " The man
nodded his head eagerly (Figure 1). Marnie
shuddered slightly. " And ... what is it
you're selling again? "
" Ma'am, this gentleman is an engineer
at a solar thermal facility, and he
has doubts about how his power station
May 2023 | POWER
1. On a flight headed to a power-industry trade show, Willie introduces himself to Marnie while
Maya looks on. Source: POWER
is operating, " Maya said. " Mr. McCoy,
would you like to ... "
Still enthused, despite learning that
he probably shouldn't eat zebra mussel
linguine again, the man said, " The
name's McCoy, Willie Boy McCoy, Mrs.
Surfaceblow. I've been working at the
Desert Moon thermal solar plant out at
Silver Springs, just east of Reno, but before
that I was in charge of keeping the
condensers clean at the DeYoung plant
right there on the Ohio River. "
" Ma'am, I had warned strongly not to
tease with the 'culinary treasures of the
Ohio River,' that was the term you used,
yes? " Maya's face was serious, but a
slight smile wavered on her lips.
Marnie grimaced, then reached for
her cold coffee and pushed the call button
to request more. " Well, Mr. McCoy,
we're headed to a trade show in Seattle,
so if you'll call our office when the
plane lands, one of our engineers will
contact your boss and see about setting
up a contract ... "
" Well, um, ma'am, I told him we could
probably help him right here on the aeroplane, "
interrupted Maya. Marnie then noticed
that Willie had a laptop open on his
tray table, and her eyes narrowed toward
Maya. " I told you, while I always adore
a challenge, and grandpa always said to
www.powermag.com
help anyone out whether they could pay
or not, either of us giving advice about
his power plant without a contract could
put us at legal liability ... " Marnie trailed
off as she saw Maya holding out one
of their pre-printed short-form technical
services agreements, bearing the signature
of one Willie Boy McCoy, Engineering
Superintendent. Maya's other hand
held one of Marnie's Montblanc Marilyn
Monroe fountain pens.
Snatching her pricey pen from Maya
and applying her signature to the contract,
Marnie muttered, " Hmmm. Why not? This
thing is written so diabolically I've never
had anyone just sign one before. "
" That's OK, Mrs. Surfaceblow, I trust
you! You're like the grandma of power
plant engineers everywhere! " beamed
Willie. Marnie shuddered at the word
" grandma, " while Maya tried but failed to
hide a smirk.
After the flight attendant arrived with
fresh coffee, and, despite the offer of a
large bribe, refused to leave the entire
pot for Marnie, the weary vice president
pinched the bridge of her nose and said,
" Tell us your story. "
Problem-Solving on the Fly
" Well, Mrs. Surfaceblow, " Willie began,
ignoring Marnie as she mouthed " Miss "
23

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POWER May 2023

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