Атлант расправил плечи
The Sign of the Dollar
!"
"Ma’am?"
"No,nothing.Workedtherelong?"
"No,ma’am.Justtwoweeks."
"Howcome?"
"Well,I’dwaitedayearforit,hangingaroundColoradojusttogetthatjob.Theyhadawaitinglisttoo,theHammondCarCompany,onlytheydidn’tgobyfriendshipsandtheydidn’tgobyseniority,theywentbyaman’srecord.Ihadagoodrecord.ButitwasjusttwoweeksafterIgotthejobthatLawrenceHammondquit.Hequitanddisappeared.Theyclosedtheplant.Afterwards,therewasacitizens’committeethatreopenedit.Igotcalledback.Butfivedayswasallitlasted.Theystartedlayoffsjustaboutatonce.Byseniority.SoIhadtogo.Iheardtheylastedforaboutthreemonths,thecitizens’committee.Thentheyhadtoclosetheplantforgood."
"Wheredidyouworkbeforethat?"
"JustaboutineveryEasternstate,ma’am.Butitwasnevermorethanamonthortwo.Theplantskeptclosing."
"Didthathappenoneveryjobyou’veheld?"
Heglancedather,asifheunderstoodherquestion."No,ma’am,"heansweredand,forthefirsttime,shecaughtafaintechoofprideinhisvoice."ThefirstjobIhad,Ihelditfortwentyyears.Notthesamejob,butthesameplace,Imean—Igottobeshopforeman.Thatwastwelveyearsago.Thentheowneroftheplantdied,andtheheirswhotookitover,ranitintotheground.
