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prehistoric animals, were being levitated by pulley rigs, reminiscent of a macabre ceremony requiring witch's incense. Emmanuel arrived at his destination with his load of cement. Two men toting shovels greeted him with neither favor nor contempt. They dug their shovels into his load without waiting for an invitation and shoveled cement on a conveyor belt. Considering their enthusiasm, one could surmise a foreman. "Where you been, boy? We started to worry about you. Someone told us they saw you running away with our mud looking to sell it down the street," the younger one said. He also worked shirtless, displaying a California tan and sported a tattoo of a shamrock on his arm. Those at the worksite came to call him Irish. "Are you …show more content…

I think it is about time for the whistle to blow," Irish said. His words magically made the whistle screech across the compound. The acceptable conditioned response was to cease from all laboring, towel down, and find the nearest catering truck. Some younger men, those with energy to spare, would toss a ball around in front of the others who had a faint memory of what it was like to be invincible. Usually, they played baseball using a cement bag for home plate. Emmanuel and Irish sat beneath the shade of a crane's boom while the Mexican, being accustomed to the heat, sat on the topside of the crane, dangling his feet in the air. He would drop the inedible stems of chili peppers down on their heads for amusement. Mostly though, he aimed for Irish's coffee cup. "Mexican! Do that again, and I'm coming up there and busting you in the head!" said Irish. "Don't you like the chili peppers, Gringo?" He said it comically with a contrived, thick accent. Emmanuel folded his legs beneath him like an Indian. He looked at his sandwich disappearing in his hands. "How many days work they give you, Irish?" "I think two days; tomorrow is my last. I'll probably go to Santa Monica and search for new construction around there. Someone told me they are putting up an office building." "Tomorrow is my last day too," the Mexican said. "Where are they building in Santa Monica?" "Shut up, Mex! No one is talking to you. If you're not careful I'll call the immigration people on you," said

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