The Time of My Life
Hot summer afternoon
It’s ninety-seven in the shade
And more
Inside my gear
White paper dust mask
Padded rubber on my ears
To stop some of the noise
A pair of safety glasses
Dark blue coveralls on top my clothing
Heavy leather gloves
Thick socks and steel toe boots.
Holding this powerful electric drill
Eight pounds of heavy metal
Spinning wire-brush wheel
A blur of blue and gray
Against the rust that has accumulated
On eight tons of angle iron
My job.
Eight hours inside a cloud of dark red dust
Fire storm of sparks
Bristles fly off
Go though this fabric armor
Into sweating skin
Dust makes it hard to breath
My glasses fogged by body heat
I watch the slow shop clock
Selling the time of my life
Six-fifty an hour.
Published: Blue Collar Review 2011
Published: Blue Collar Review 2011
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