Chapter: Strike Talk

 

Ronald tosses and turns then awakes in a panic letting out a deep-rooted breath as if he was trapped under water for minutes. His wife is awakened by his outburst but not surprised; for this is not the first time. She attempts to comfort him by rubbing his back then she asks, “Did you have the same dream?”

Kenya looked at her man with great compassion wishing to enter his mind but not being able to surpass the guard himself; she felt helpless. Only if he could let down his guard for five minutes she might be able to shelter his soul, to herself she thought.

Ronald finally responded with a head nod and then he stated, “I’m alright now. I got to get up and go to work.” Inside Ronald was ashamed of his every now and then morning outbursts and he hated the fact that he had no control of them. The dreams were a message from his past; a reminder that his life has not always been this sweet.

As he walked into the bathroom wiping the cold out of his eyes he thought about the double shift he was scheduled to work. He looked in the mirror and mumbled to himself, “never-ending story”. After brushing his teeth and throwing on his coveralls he realized there was not enough time to eat breakfast.

“You want me to make you some breakfast,” Kenya asked with half way open eyes. “Nah baby, I wait ‘til lunch besides its four thirty already,” Ronald stated then bent down to kiss his wife on the forehead. A grin arose on Kenya’s face after feeling the lips of the man she loved.

“Love you baby,” Ronald whispered. “Love you too,” Kenya returned the whisper.

The sun was nowhere in sight as Ronald took flight to work, wearing a duffle bag stepping full speed in steel toe boots. As he looked at his neighborhood he couldn’t help but to think of the long road behind him and the longer road ahead. At the age of twenty-three he was a victim to his peers’ envy; he owned his own home and had a good paying job that some would call a career but not Ronald. He was torn by the thought of being a blue-collar worker his entire life; there were bigger plans in store. But now is now and only the step he is on can he step beyond.

Before he enters the turn cycle Ronald looks and sees flyers being handed out, a man shoves him one; the headline states, “Strike Preparation”. In awe he asks the distributor, “The contract ain’t go through yet my man?” The man glanced at Ronald briefly then answered, “The company playing hard ball.” Having nothing else to discuss Ronald turned and walked into the gate. The flyer really put a damper in his mood; to think of going on a strike at a time like this was madness. He was living check to check to have to miss a few checks or more meant no lights, no gas, or worst of all no home.

A strike was definitely the topic on everyone’s tongue when he arrived to his toolbox. “A, Ron you going on strike if they go; I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” a man asked with curiosity. “I’m not too sure yet myself,” Ronald answered. The two young men were suddenly interrupted by an elder, “what ya’ll young guys mean ya’ll don’t know if we don’t all go the strike don’t mean nothing!” Both of the young men kind of hung their heads in shame for a very brief moment until they remembered their point of view. “All I’m saying Hall is a strike would put me in the hole somethin’ serious, and the Union ain’t that righteous themselves,” Ronald explained. Hall realized that his situation would probably be less effected financially by a strike than Ronald’s. “Well you do have a point last strike ain’t go too well but this time we got a higher enrollment in the Union. We’re stronger,” Hall coerced.

 

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