Baker had been training for months, and was in top form. He might have made it to the top this year, but Edison won't be sending linemen to Kansas City in September. Seven months after his big win, Baker watches as pieces of Barstow go dark. Manufacturing lines stop cold. Root canals go unfinished.
Customers call, confused and angry.
Today I went into a grocery store. He wasn't joking. These days, people look at you funny, like it's all your fault. They were downsized. Their jobs were contracted out or given to temporary workers.