"Did you hear about the accident at the metal fab plant?" The question came from Felipe, one of Juan's former employees. He'd also been laid off.
"No," there was genuine concern in Juan's question. "What happened?"
"A delivery truck backed into one of the support columns," Felipe explained. "When that went down, it tipped over a fork truck carrying quarter-inch angle iron. It was a mess!"
"How bad?" Juan asked.
"I heard the angle iron fell across the welding table, and the delivery truck ruptured a water line. There was water everywhere, and it took them a couple of hours to remove the debris," Felipe talked in the rapid, clipped phrases made familiar by long, shared association. "You know that big stack of corrugated tin we used to store up in the mezzanine?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that all slid down on top of the cab," Felipe shook his head ruefully. "Smashed up the windshield pretty good, but it didn't go through."
Juan gasped. "That stuff is like razors. It could have cut the driver's head off. Is he OK?"
"He got a mild concussion," Felipe said clinically. "They took him to the hospital, but he's gonna be OK."
"Good," Juan breathed a sigh of relief. "Who was it?"
"I don't know," Felipe shrugged, "new kid."
"Where was the regular driver?" Juan asked.
Felipe glanced sideways at Juan, "I was the regular driver until Richard laid me off to save money."
"Ah!" It was a guttural sound of pure frustration. I wish Richard would have held on to us a little bit longer. The economy has really turned around. He didn't have to lay us off."
“He's started hiring again for the PhoenixData Nexus job,” Felipe commented dryly. “With all the new contracts, he's short-handed. Maybe we should go to see him and ask for our jobs back?”
“So you think Bidenomics is working?” Juan asked.
Felipe glowered at him, "I don't care what they call it. I just need a job. What about you? You were always Richard's favorite. Do you want to go back with me?"
Juan grinned, “I got another business opportunity.”
“What kind of business opportunity?” Felipe eyed Juan suspiciously. “Hmm… You got something better than the metal fab? What kind of ‘business opportunity’ do you have, anyway?”
Juan chuckled, “Nothing much, just running some deliveries for my uncle Pablo.”