Page 95 of Five Mountain Daddies

“Well, you know what I think.” I cock my head athim.

“It’s necessary,” he says, nodding tohimself.

I watch him for a second. “You’re not sosure?”

“Honestly? I don’t know. But if you say it’s the right move, I’ll backyou.”

I don’t say anything right away. I’ve never experienced this kind of loyalty before. I don’t know what I did to inspire it in these guys, but apparently I didsomething.

“Why?” I ask him finally. “Why’s everyone so keen on pissing the bosses off?” He laughs at that. “Everyone wants to piss off theirboss.”

“Not me. I just want a damnjob.”

He nods slowly. “Yeah, there’sthat.”

“You know we can get fired,right?”

“That won’t happen. It’s not so easy, finding real miners to replaceus.”

“That’s true. But it’s stillpossible.”

He sighs. “I just believe in this,okay?”

“I just want to know why the men are following me, isall.”

He shakes his head, a little smile on his face. “You really need to ask that,Samuel?”

“Guessso.”

“All right. I’ll tell you.” He pushes up off the wall and stands. “Down here in the mine, you never slack. If a job needs doing, you do it, no comment, no bitching. You offer to help when someone needs help, and you ask for help when you need it. You’re honest, Samuel. That’s why people followyou.”

He walks off and I sit there a bit longer, trying to digest what he’ssaying.

I guess I just don’t see it. I do my job and I do it as well as I can. It’s a damn dangerous job, and I know that I have to try every single day to make sure nobody ever gets hurt when I’m around. I know some guys slack a little bit, won’t take some of the tougher, dirtier jobs, but that’s just not my style. I do what needs doing, and I don’t worry about the rest ofit.

I never really thought that was a special trait, but maybe it is. I don’t know. I’ve never worried about any of this before, if I’m honest with myself. I’ve always just done my job and moved on, but now I’m in this position of power and I have to worry about more than just what’s in front ofme.

That’s why I took this union gig to begin with. I saw a job that needed doing, and so I stepped up to do it. I didn’t think about all the stress and difficulties that would come along with it, because the job needed doing, and I could doit.

So here I am, down in the fucking mine, worrying about all thisstuff.

I sigh and stand up. I rejoin the other guys, and we get back down in the hole together, machine running, doing our damn jobs. We pass the rest of the day like that, going back and forth, dropping off our loads and digging out another one. Eventually, the shift passes, and we get back on the trolley and ride it back to thesurface.

It always feels good, coming up out of the mine. I don’t know why. I guess humans are just built to be on the surface, and there’s this little nagging anxiety that’s always present when we’re down there in the darkness. It lifts as soon as we get outside, and everyone says that’s one of the best parts of thejob.

It’s no different today. We breach into the sunlight. I blink as the sun’s dipping down, and we nod at the shift change guys heading down into the hole. Our trolley stops and I climb off, and the guys are all talking about heading over to The Shaft for somedrinks.

“I’ll see you guys there,” I call out to them as they head over to the little warehouse we use to store our shit, use the bathroom, get changed, that sort ofstuff.

I head toward the offices, intending to check my mail, since I get fucking official mail now. But I don’t get far. Strolling toward me is Ingram, flanked by two of his flunkies, guys in suits that I don’trecognize.

At least they’re not ex-cops here to try and fight me. The injuries ache suddenly, and I can’t tell if it’s the memory of that night or just the post-work exhaustion catching up withme.

“Samuel,” Ingram says, smiling his snake smile. “Glad I caughtyou.”

“Ingram.” I stop and reluctantly shake his hand. He smiles the whole time. “What can I do foryou?”

“I just wanted to have a chat with our young star.” That smile never goes away as he starts to walk away from his two aides, who stayput.

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