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When a mill temporarily stops producing steel, the workers keep the furnaces going because it would take too long to heat them up again when production resumes. During that period, the mill is said to be in "hot idle." |
I guess it started when I noticed me and Joanie was wearin' the same shoes. 'Course mine had the tiny little rhinestones goin' across the toes and hers had 'em goin' along the sides, but they was the same shoes. They was the same blue velvet shoes, the same color blue like that blue hooded sweatshirt little Nathan liked to wear when he was littler.
Anyway, I was keepin' my eye on Nathan cause I saw him reachin' for people as they walked past him and I saw him reach for Joanie's skirt tail when she swished herself past him in his walker. That's when I saw her shoes.
That's when Joanie slapped Nathan. She just hit my son, I remember thinkin', she hit my son, that bitch, she hit my son. I guess that's when it happened. I guess that's when I got up. I don't really recall thinkin' anything but she hit my son. I don't really remember standin' up and walkin' cross the room. I remember lookin' at her shoes and thinkin' bitch that ain't your son to be slappin'.
Maybe I said that aloud, I don't really remember. I talked to Mama the next day and she said I said that aloud and a whole lot more. Mama said I fairly flew cross the steakhouse screamin' at Joanie. I guess I called her a bitch and a whore and told her she had skinny legs and a flat chest and no kinda sense. I told her she had no business hittin' my son just like she had no business sleepin' with my husband. Just cause they went out together a couple times back in high school and she give it up to him just like every other girl in the school give it up to Big Nate that didn't mean nothin' cause Nate didn't marry you you skinny-leg bitchin' whore and that's Nate's son you hit you bitchin' whore and you better remember that you ain't nothin' to him and never will be and you hit my son you bitch and as long as my heart keeps beatin' you ain't never gonna hit nobody's son ever again.
Nathan didn't even cry. I guess I picked him up outta his walker and went on home. A couple hours later Rollie come knockin' on the door and asked me what did think I was doin' and what did I want to go and beat up on Joanie like that for? Didn't I know I liked to break her jaw and black both her eyes? I told Rollie I didn't remember beatin' up on Joanie. I just called her a bitch cause she hit my son.
Rollie said I was just as calm as you please when he come over. I asked him to call Mama up down at the steakhouse to come watch Nathan while he took me to the county office. I don't really remember bein' calm or anything else. I just remember lookin' at Joanie's feet and noticin' we was wearin' the same shoes...
