My dad worked at Anthes Imperial,
manufacturer of furnaces. He began in the foundry, and moved to a couple of
assembly line positions, until he was asked to fill in as an overhead crane
operator. He had been doing this for a few weeks when I asked him whether I
could come to watch. It meant that I would ride my bike several long blocks,
perhaps two miles, to his factory yard, hide my bike and peek through a chain
link fence at a distance. I could see Dad in the all glass crane cab one
hundred feet above the ground. He moved the crane along overhead beams picking
up and setting down large pieces of steel. As I watched him, to my surprise and delight, I noticed him
beckoning to me. I couldn't believe it. He was looking around to see if anyone
was watching and then he motioned for me to come. I quickly found a low spot
under the fence where I could crawl to the other side. I cautiously looked for
a clear moment and then I ran hard to the foot of the crane, climbed the
gigantic ladder all the way to the cab. Dad told
me to crouch on the floor. He continued to work. My entire crane experience lasted
perhaps twenty minutes and Dad told me to carefully, attentively climb down the
ladder, sneak back out of the yard and go home. I was ecstatic. It was like a
booster shot of bonding with my dad.
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