CFPL TV Chronicles: The Night Shift Show

The Night Shift Show

Gather 'round, dear listeners, for a tale from the annals of CFPL TV that will have you chuckling in your chairs. This one comes courtesy of Paul Estabrooks, who, as some of you might recall, was fondly known as "The Professor" around the station. It's a story about the things you see—and sometimes wish you hadn't—when you work the night shift.

It was the late 60s, and the night crew at CFPL TV had settled into the rhythms of their evening routine. They were a tight-knit group, working through the quiet hours to keep the station humming. And while the days could be hectic with live broadcasts and demanding schedules, the nights were a different beast altogether—quieter, slower, and sometimes, a little peculiar.

One such peculiarity came in the form of two rather showy ?sisters? who lived in one of the row houses across the field from the station. Now, these 'sisters' had a nightly ritual that became the talk of the CFPL night crew. You see, every night, like clockwork, these ladies would perform a mini striptease in their bedroom window, visible from out back of the transmitter room. It was quite the unexpected show.

Word quickly spread among the night crew, and soon enough, it became a sort of unofficial break-time tradition to sneak out back and catch a glimpse of the performance. It was like their own private, albeit slightly risqué, variety show.

Now, it wasn't entirely clear whether the ladies knew they had an audience or if they were just blissfully unaware. But for a few weeks, their routine continued unabated. And for those few weeks, you could bet that come break time, you'd find at least a few crew members out behind the transmitter room, enjoying the unexpected entertainment.

Of course, in true CFPL fashion, some took the viewing more seriously than others. One particularly keen observer —even brought binoculars for a closer look. It became a bit of a running joke around the station. "Hey, has anyone seen the binoculars?" they'd ask. "Check with the night shift boys!"

The whole situation was equal parts absurd and amusing. The night shift, which could be monotonous, suddenly had this strange and comical sideshow. And while the sisters might never have known about their unintended audience, they certainly provided a memorable distraction for the hardworking guys at CFPL TV.

Paul swears he never partook in the binocular escapades, preferring to keep his distance and his dignity. But he couldn't deny the humor in the whole situation. It was a story that, even years later, brought a twinkle to his eye and a chuckle to his voice.

So there you have it, folks—a slice of life from the night shift at CFPL TV, where sometimes the strangest things can bring people together, even if it's just for a laugh behind the transmitter room. And as Paul would say, sometimes the best stories are the ones that leave a bit to the imagination.

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