میری ماں ہمیشہ سے چاہتی تھی کہ میں خود کو بہتر بناؤں۔ اور میں بھی اسی کی خاطر خود کو بہتر بنانا چاہتا تھا۔ جب ہڑتالیں شروع ہوئیں، تو میں نے ماں سے کہا کہ میں یونین اور اس پوری تحریک میں شامل ہونے جا رہا ہوں۔ میں نے اسے بتایا کہ میں بغیر تنخواہ کے کام کروں گا۔ اس نے کہا کہ اسے مجھ پر فخر ہے۔ (اس کی آنکھیں چھلک آتی ہیں۔ ایک طویل، بہت طویل خاموشی۔) دیکھو، میں نے اس سے کہا تھا کہ میں اپنے لوگوں کے ساتھ رہنا چاہتا ہوں۔ اگر میں کسی کمپنی کا آدمی بن جاتا، تو کوئی مجھے پسند نہ کرتا۔ مجھے کسی نہ کسی کا تو ہو کر رہنا تھا، اور بس یہی وہ جگہ تھی۔
My mom had always wanted me to better myself. I wanted to better myself because of her. Now when the strikes started, I told her I was going to join the union and the whole movement. I told her I was going to work without pay. She said she was proud of me. (His eyes glisten. A long, long pause.) See, I told her I wanted to be with my people. If I were a company man, nobody would like me anymore. I had to belong to somebody and this was it right here.
My mom had always wanted me to better myself. I wanted to better myself because of her. Now when the strikes started, I told her I was going to join the union and the whole movement. I told her I was going to work without pay. She said she was proud of me. (His eyes glisten. A long, long pause.) See, I told her I wanted to be with my people. If I were a company man, nobody would like me anymore. I had to belong to somebody and this was it right here.