Story 8/1001

• hammer
• factory
• bark

Glenn looked at the greys in his hair and beard. His tall, muscular body with broad shoulders is also getting old. His arms are covered in veins and tiny scars, which he got from working at the factory. His back isn’t that straight and confident anymore.

He couldn’t see the strong and handsome man he once thought he was. He picked up the razor and gently pulled on his beard. He sighed, putting the razor down. After Marie died he saw no point in taking care of himself.

His strength couldn’t save her.

Glenn walked out of the house in his blue dungarees. His trusted hammer was waiting in his car, and he touched the inscription on it, smiling.

“It’s hammer time! Love, Marie”

The factory he worked at produced metal parts for small appliances, cars, trains, construction beams – and Glenn was there for forty years.

He went from a young, ambitious man; to a hard, grumpy old man. And the factory was there for it all.

The day of Marie’s funeral, he went to work afterwards. He couldn’t stand being in the house without her.

When he came in, the machines stopped, and the workers looked at him, with sadness in their eyes. They made a path for Glenn, so he can get to his post – and that whole day no one said a thing. They even shut the music down.

At the end of the day, Glenn stopped on his way out, turned to his colleagues and whispered “Thank you.” Even those at the back of the giant warehouse could swear they heard him.

But today was different. He has been thinking about it for a long time – it’s time to move. Marie always wanted to live by the sea. And today he bought a perfect cabin for them.

He got to his post and started straightening lumps in the metal beams.

A loud bang. Screaming. He turned his head and stopped.

“Help! Get the crane, now! “The manager of the floor barked orders at everyone.

“What happened?” Another worker ran to the scene. Glenn followed.

“The newbie, he – he wasn’t listening. Where the hell is the crane? We need to get the beams off of him!” Said an older worker.

Glenn looked in shock. The boy who got here yesterday was only twenty years old.

He took a beam, gathering his strength.

“Glenn, just one beam is more than 400 pounds, just wait for the -“

Glenn let out a growl, lifting the beam and pushing it out of the way. With every beam he lifted, he felt his strength returning.

His colleagues stood in awe, watching the Glenn they thought they knew, transform into a hero.

His strength will save that boy.

Then he will go to Marie’s cabin.