"Welcome
to Detroit Kid"
My job was to run madly about opening and
closing gates to allow cooling coke to fall on a conveyor
belt. It was hot, dirty, toxic, loud and lonely.
The only reward was the spectacular light show created
when one of the huge coke ovens opened and disgorged tons
or red hot coke dramatically illuminating the steamy summer
night. Later it would give me the inspiration for this
painting.
A
week later I got a job at the Dearborn Engine plant and
fled Detroit's little hell on earth.
