| "In the '60s, the Eastside of St. Paul, Minnesota | | | | They both ate in silence in the parking lot and |
| was a very industrious part of the city there | | | | watched the cars drive by; across the road was |
| were lots of smoke coming from the large and | | | | the riverfront. |
| big plants, and factories, foundries, and so forth. | | | | "Looks like a half moon tonight," he commented. |
| Then one day when I returned, after being gone | | | | "I think so," replied Zaneta, adding, "you know |
| for a long while, everything seemed shut down. | | | | everything dad." |
| The big buildings were all closed up, windows with | | | | "Oh, Zaneta, not really; please eat your |
| wood coverings over them, and doors with chains | | | | hamburgers, don't waist them." |
| on them, locked tight. Many I heard sold their | | | | "I can't help it," said her father." |
| machinery, and land and moved elsewhere. | | | | "What is it dad?" |
| "Iron that that once was used in the foundries | | | | "You're pregnant, and Mike is a lazy one!" |
| came from Northern Minnesota, and now they | | | | They sat there for a moment without talking. |
| used European Iron I guess, and that put a lot of | | | | "You don't have to marry him you know, I can |
| folks up there out of work, as well as down here, | | | | take care of you!" |
| and the foundries closed down also. And I worked | | | | "I don't know," she said. |
| for Whirlpool (he pointed his finger to his left side | | | | "Of course you do," he said. |
| across the bride, as they traveled down Arcade | | | | "No, I'm not sure." She replied. |
| Street), I made vacuums cleaners there, and ice | | | | "Well, what do you think is best?" |
| makers. And I worked at Malibu Iron, just north | | | | Chick Evens looked at the moon coming up over |
| of Whirlpool a few blocks. | | | | the River. |
| "The new available acres of land I see were | | | | "It isn't fun anymore is it?" he asked her. |
| bought up by large supermarkets. Of course, that | | | | She was afraid to look him in the eyes. He looked |
| was thirty-years ago, you weren't even born | | | | at her. |
| then. The only thing left I see from that period, is | | | | "Not much of it." She said. |
| a broken down hut that was used for a parking | | | | She looked on at him back, said, "I guess he'll |
| lot attendant near the bridge, Whirlpool owned | | | | never make much of himself, if you want to take |
| that too. All the other old foundations have | | | | me away, I'm ok with it, perhaps it is better, yes, |
| disappeared." Said, Chick Evens to his sixteen-year | | | | it is better I think?" |
| old daughter, sitting opposite him, as he drove his | | | | "No," said her father," his hands holding his head. |
| car down the street, she had been living with him | | | | He sat there for a long while thinking. He felt fire |
| for a year, by her own choice. | | | | approaching his face, he was hot, and it was |
| "I can't remember." His daughter said, "It seems | | | | lightly chilly in the car. |
| more like it's always been the way it is now!" | | | | "You don't need me, but if you do, you can come |
| Chick Evens said nothing, just kept driving down | | | | back and live with me, and your child, once you |
| the street, then out of sight of Whirlpool. Then | | | | move out, if you move out. Maybe I should be |
| Evens cut a sharp right hand turn onto East 7th | | | | telling you to try and make it a good marriage, I |
| Street, alongside the Mississippi River, and to the | | | | know you love him, but love doesn't pay the bills, |
| inner part of the city. | | | | and he's just plane lazy." |
| "What's the matter dad?" asked Zaneta. | | | | "Yes," said Zaneta, laying the back of her head on |
| "I don't quite know," he said, turning on the | | | | the top part of the car seat. |
| heater, it was November, 1991, and the cold | | | | "How do you feel Zaneta?" |
| weather was starting to kick in, in Minnesota. | | | | "Oh, far away, dad, I want to go far away, with |
| Zaneta leaned on the back of the seat, heavily, | | | | you, I know everything will be all right with you, I |
| waited for her father to say something more. It | | | | want to go away from him, but you're right, I do |
| was not quite sunset. They could both see the | | | | love him, yet he will never ever make anything of |
| river. | | | | himself, I'll always be poor." |
| "Are you hungry?" asked her father. | | | | Zaneta pulled out another hamburger from the |
| "I don't feel like eating," said Zaneta. | | | | bag next to her and her father, got out of the |
| "Come on, we'll stop at McDonald's, and eat!" he | | | | car, walked across the street, leaned on the |
| said. | | | | guard railing, and looked down into the river. |
| "All right," she said, trying to please him. | | | | |