Dream Home Factory

They were the world’s largest manufacturer of pianos, Hinkwellms Piano Company, was their name. At the time, everyone knew a Hinkwellms piano when they saw one, beautifully crafted in every way. The president of Hinkwellms announced Indianapolis would house its largest factory ever, bringing a thousand new jobs to the region. The citizens where thrilled when they heard of this news, especially my mother, Ruth Spring, who was in need of money after my father, James, had left her. My mother was the sweetest woman in the world, always stopped to help anyone in need, the greatest. My father was a terrible man who had abused my mother for years. He would strike me out of anger daily because he was ashamed to have a child. He became obsessed with money when businesses started to boom in the area, so much so that he left my mother and me with no money to pursue the business life. Anyway, my mother was thrilled to hear of this grand factory moving in that would allow her to get a job and support me as a young girl. My mother stood in line for days to get a job opportunity. So many people wanted to work there that the employment lines were overwhelmed. Finally, after a few weeks, an older gentleman she was talking with in the market offered her a job there after she helped him to pick up some dropped preserves. It turns out that he was the floor manager for the fifth level of the factory, which made the keys for the pianos. A few months after the announcement, Indianapolis had begun building the massive concrete and brick structure near the downtown. We lived nearby in a small house, and I would watch the construction progress every day on my walk to the schoolhouse. Some days the teacher would get mad at me for staring out the window at the beautiful building going up instead of doing my math. They worked for months on the structure, wanting to get it perfect in every way. They had paid extra attention to the main conference hall, seeing as how many businessmen would be traveling in from all over the world to this flagship factory. I remember the day when it opened very well, even though I was so young. It was a Saturday morning in June; the weather was perfect, sunny with a light breeze from the South, and the whole town was filled with cheer. The opening of this single factory was so great, the president of the United States had come with the mayor of the city to tour the building and compliment Hinkwellms on helping America grow. They had re-paved the streets in front of the factory and installed beautiful black lampposts to ensure everything looked its best for the grand opening day. Finally, a large crowd of people cheered as the bands came stomping down the new streets, leading the CEO of Hinkwellms’ limousine up to the blue and gold sash. The sash stretched over the grand wrought-iron black gates leading to the main doors. Thousands of people where there on opening day: every employee who applied for a job, most of the city’s residents, and many famous people. It would seem to most people that a piano factory would not draw so much attention, but this factory had the highest technology and the best of design for its day. It truly was the wave of the future, and the amount that Hinkwellms spent on it showed that. As the CEO of Hinkwellms got out of the car and walked toward the ribbon with a pair of giant red scissors, the entire crowed went wild, shouting and jumping for joy! The CEO was Donny Hinkwellm, who had inherited the company from his father. Mr. Hinkwellm walked up to the ribbon atop of a large high riser, and the band and the entire crowd fell silent to hear him speak. It was a custom in the Hinkwellm family to break a bottle of champagne on the first cornerstone, kind of how they do with ships even to this day. Mr. Hinkwellm looked over the silent crowd from the podium and began to speak loudly, “Wow, never in my time have I seen a crowd and factory so grand as this! Today is the day I officially declare this factory open for business!” The crowd erupted in a sea of cheers. Mr. Hinkwellm, holding the bottle of champagne, turned toward the factory; the crowd was cheering so loud you could not hear, and he cut the ribbon. The second the scissors hit the ribbon, the factory let off a loud whistle, and all the bells and horns in the area went off! It was so loud it could have made you deaf. Mr. Hinkwellm smiled with great joy, as was everyone, and turned to the crowd to signal the traditional bottle breaking. The bottle was hung by a string from one of the second story windows and perfectly aligned to hit the cornerstone and break. Holding the bottle high, and the crowds still cheering, Mr. Hinkwellm yelled, “With this bottle, may you the people and this grand factory forever boost the American economy and the American dream!” With a sudden motion of the wrist, he released the bottle, and everyone was watching and waiting to see the bottle break. The bottle flew down, and smacked the solid concrete and brick wall; “Tink”… the bottle bounced off and did not break. The whole crowd fell silent in an instant, and Mr. Hinkwellm’s face went pale as the unbroken bottle dangled from the string. Everyone was in such shock that not one more word was spoken. Mr. Hinkwellm said nothing and got back into his car as the crowd diminished. The bottle was left hanging, scraping the side of the building, untouched and unbroken.