G.M._NP1 ,_, Detroit_NP1 and_CC the_AT Fall_NN1 of_IO the_AT Black_JJ Middle_JJ Class_NN1 The_AT Pontiac_JJ Assembly_NN1 Center_NN1 in_II Pontiac_NP1 ,_, Mich._NP1 ,_, is_VBZ a_AT1 massive_JJ ,_, low-slung_JJ structure_NN1 of_IO concrete_NN1 and_CC corrugated_JJ green_JJ steel_NN1 that_CST squats_VVZ conspicuously_RR among_II the_AT many_DA2 strip_NN1 malls_NN2 that_CST line_NN1 one_MC1 of_IO the_AT city_NN1 's_GE main_JJ thoroughfares_NN2 ,_, South_NP1 Opdyke_NP1 Road_NNL1 ._. 
Locals_NN2 refer_VV0 to_II the_AT factory_NN1 ,_, which_DDQ makes_VVZ Chevrolet_NP1 Silverado_NP1 and_CC GMC_NP1 Sierra_NP1 pickup_NN1 trucks_NN2 ,_, as_CSA Plant_NN1 6_MC ,_, because_CS when_CS it_PPH1 opened_VVD in_II 1972_MC ,_, it_PPH1 was_VBDZ the_AT sixth_MD General_JJ Motors_NN2 manufacturing_NN1 facility_NN1 in_II this_DD1 city_NN1 ,_, 25_MC miles_NNU2 north_ND1 of_IO downtown_JJ Detroit_NP1 ._. 
At_II the_AT time_NNT1 ,_, General_JJ Motors_NN2 was_VBDZ the_AT world_NN1 's_GE largest_JJT automaker_NN1 ._. 
It_PPH1 dominated_VVD the_AT American_JJ market_NN1 ,_, manufacturing_VVG half_DB of_IO the_AT vehicles_NN2 sold_VVN in_II the_AT U.S._NP1 As_RG recently_RR as_CSA 2003_MC ,_, Plant_VV0 6_MC was_VBDZ running_VVG three_MC consecutive_JJ eight-hour_JJ shifts_NN2 ,_, employing_VVG 3,000_MC people_NN and_CC making_VVG 1,300_MC trucks_NN2 a_AT1 day_NNT1 ._. 
Today_RT ,_, Pontiac_NP1 Assembly_NN1 is_VBZ the_AT city_NN1 's_GE last_MD working_JJ auto-assembly_NN1 plant_NN1 ,_, and_CC like_II many_DA2 of_IO America_NP1 's_GE car_NN1 factories_NN2 ,_, it_PPH1 is_VBZ operating_VVG at_II a_AT1 greatly_RR diminished_VVN capacity_NN1 ._. 
By_II last_MD summer_NNT1 ,_, the_AT plant_NN1 was_VBDZ running_VVG just_RR one_MC1 shift_NN1 from_II 6_MC in_II the_AT morning_NNT1 to_II 2:30_MC in_II the_AT afternoon_NNT1 having_VHG shed_VVN nearly_RR two-thirds_MF of_IO its_APPGE workers_NN2 through_II a_AT1 combination_NN1 of_IO layoffs_NN2 ,_, buyouts_NN2 and_CC early_JJ retirements_NN2 ._. 
A_AT1 few_DA2 months_NNT2 ago_RA ,_, Plant_VV0 6_MC slowed_VVD down_RP its_APPGE assembly_NN1 line_NN1 and_CC laid_VVN off_II another_DD1 600_MC employees_NN2 ,_, bringing_VVG the_AT total_JJ number_NN1 of_IO remaining_JJ workers_NN2 to_II fewer_DAR than_CSN 600_MC ._. 
The_AT factory_NN1 now_RT produces_VVZ only_RR about_RG 230_MC vehicles_NN2 a_AT1 day_NNT1 ._. 
On_II a_AT1 clear_JJ ,_, mild_JJ Thursday_NPD1 afternoon_NNT1 in_II April_NPM1 ,_, I_PPIS1 stood_VVD among_II the_AT smattering_NN1 of_IO cars_NN2 ,_, mostly_RR American-made_JJ pickup_NN1 trucks_NN2 and_CC sport-utility_JJ vehicles_NN2 ,_, clustered_VVD together_RL in_II a_AT1 small_JJ section_NN1 of_IO Pontiac_NP1 Assembly_NN1 's_GE vast_JJ parking_NN1 lot_NN1 as_II the_AT plant_NN1 's_GE single_JJ shift_NN1 ended_VVN and_CC its_APPGE employees_NN2 trickled_VVD out_RP ._. 
Among_II them_PPHO2 was_VBDZ Marvin_NP1 Powell_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 tall_JJ ,_, heavyset_VV0 ,_, African-American_JJ man_NN1 in_II blue_JJ jeans_NN2 ,_, a_AT1 green_JJ sweatshirt_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 baseball_NN1 cap_NN1 that_CST read_VV0 "_" All-Star_JJ Dad_NN1 ._. "_" 
We_PPIS2 were_VBDR going_VVGK to_TO throw_VVI horseshoes_NN2 with_IW some_DD of_IO his_APPGE co-workers_NN2 in_II a_AT1 park_NN1 next_II21 to_II22 their_APPGE union_NN1 hall_NN1 ,_, Local_NN1 594_MC ,_, but_CCB as_CSA Powell_NP1 climbed_VVD into_II his_APPGE Chevy_JJ Equinox_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 told_VVD me_PPIO1 he_PPHS1 wanted_VVD to_TO grab_VVI something_PN1 to_TO eat_VVI first_MD ._. 
More_RRR to_II the_AT point_NN1 ,_, he_PPHS1 is_VBZ grateful_JJ for_IF the_AT life_NN1 the_AT job_NN1 has_VHZ afforded_VVN him_PPHO1 ._. 
There_EX are_VBR the_AT little_JJ things_NN2 the_AT Saturday-night_JJ takeout_NN1 ,_, the_AT flat-screen_JJ TV_NN1 ,_, the_AT Caribbean_JJ cruise_NN1 he_PPHS1 and_CC his_APPGE wife_NN1 took_VVD before_CS they_PPHS2 had_VHD kids_NN2 ,_, the_AT trip_NN1 to_II Disney_NP1 World_NN1 after_CS ,_, the_AT high-end_JJ educational_JJ toys_NN2 for_IF his_APPGE precocious_JJ 5-year-old_JJ son_NN1 ,_, Marvin_NP1 II_MC and_CC the_AT bigger_JJR ones_NN2 ._. 
Most_RGT notably_RR ,_, Powell_NP1 was_VBDZ able_JK to_TO leave_VVI the_AT city_NN1 of_IO Detroit_NP1 ,_, where_CS he_PPHS1 was_VBDZ born_VVN and_CC raised_VVN ,_, for_IF Kingsley_NP1 Estates_NN2 ,_, a_AT1 quiet_JJ subdivision_NN1 in_II Southfield_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 racially_RR integrated_JJ suburb_NN1 of_IO modest_JJ middle-class_JJ homes_NN2 just_RR north_ND1 of_IO the_AT city_NN1 ._. 
And_CC his_APPGE wife_NN1 ,_, Shirese_NN ,_, was_VBDZ able_JK to_TO quit_VVI her_APPGE job_NN1 to_TO spend_VVI more_DAR time_NNT1 with_IW their_APPGE children_NN2 and_CC start_VV0 a_AT1 small_JJ day-care_JJ center_NN1 in_II their_APPGE house_NN1 ._. 
When_CS Powell_NP1 and_CC I_PPIS1 met_VVD outside_II Pontiac_NP1 Assembly_NN1 ,_, the_AT mood_NN1 inside_II the_AT plant_NN1 was_VBDZ especially_RR tense_VV0 ._. 
Just_RR a_AT1 day_NNT1 before_RT ,_, the_AT line_NN1 was_VBDZ stopped_VVN early_RR for_IF a_AT1 plantwide_JJ meeting_NN1 on_II the_AT factory_NN1 floor_NN1 ._. 
A_ZZ1 G.M._NP1 executive_NN1 had_VHD recently_RR spent_VVN a_AT1 day_NNT1 touring_VVG the_AT plant_NN1 to_TO determine_VVI its_APPGE future_NN1 ,_, and_CC the_AT guys_NN2 wanted_VVD to_TO know_VVI if_CSW any_DD decisions_NN2 had_VHD been_VBN made_VVN ._. 
Would_VM they_PPHS2 be_VBI bringing_VVG back_RP any_DD of_IO the_AT laid-off_JJ workers_NN2 ?_? 
Were_VBDR there_RL going_VVGK to_TO be_VBI more_DAR layoffs_NN2 ?_? 
Was_VBDZ the_AT plant_NN1 going_VVGK to_TO close_VVI ?_? 
They_PPHS2 do_VD0 ,_, but_CCB G.M._NP1 also_RR needs_VVZ to_TO cut_VVI 20,000_MC jobs_NN2 before_II emerging_VVG from_II bankruptcy_NN1 ._. 
The_AT number_NN1 of_IO plants_NN2 in_II the_AT Detroit_NP1 area_NN1 is_VBZ dwindling_JJ ;_; Pontiac_NP1 Assembly_NN1 is_VBZ one_MC1 of_IO seven_MC factories_NN2 that_CST G.M._NP1 expects_VVZ to_TO close_VVI in_II Michigan_NP1 by_II the_AT end_NN1 of_IO next_MD year_NNT1 ._. 
Even_RR Hamtramck_VV0 is_VBZ down_RP to_II a_AT1 single_JJ shift_NN1 ._. 
There_RL and_CC elsewhere_RL ,_, there_EX will_VM be_VBI a_AT1 deluge_NN1 of_IO applicants_NN2 for_IF a_AT1 rapidly_RR shrinking_JJ pool_NN1 of_IO line_NN1 jobs_NN2 ._. 
Talking_VVG to_II Powell_NP1 ,_, I_PPIS1 was_VBDZ constantly_RR torn_VVN between_II marveling_VVG at_II his_APPGE faith_NN1 ,_, his_APPGE stubborn_JJ belief_NN1 that_CST everything_PN1 was_VBDZ going_VVG to_II work_NN1 out_RP ,_, and_CC the_AT urge_NN1 to_TO tell_VVI him_PPHO1 to_TO look_VVI around_RP ,_, to_TO read_VVI the_AT paper_NN1 on_II any_DD given_JJ day_NNT1 ,_, to_TO see_VVI the_AT train_NN1 that_CST 's_VBZ heading_VVG straight_RR for_IF him_PPHO1 and_CC so_RG many_DA2 others_NN2 and_CC try_VV0 to_TO make_VVI a_AT1 viable_JJ plan_NN1 for_IF his_APPGE future_NN1 before_CS it_PPH1 's_VBZ too_RG late_JJ ._. 
But_CCB what_DDQ would_VM that_DD1 plan_VVI be_VBI ?_? 
What_DDQ if_CS you_PPY were_VBDR 38_MC and_CC had_VHD spent_VVN the_AT last_MD 12_MC years_NNT2 doing_VDG one_MC1 thing_NN1 for_IF a_AT1 company_NN1 and_CC an_AT1 industry_NN1 that_CST allowed_VVD your_APPGE predecessors_NN2 to_TO escape_VVI the_AT Jim_NP1 Crow_NP1 South_ND1 ,_, that_CST gave_VVD generations_NN2 of_IO black_JJ workers_NN2 a_AT1 shot_NN1 at_II dignity_NN1 and_CC their_APPGE rightful_JJ place_NN1 in_II the_AT American_JJ middle_JJ class_NN1 ,_, that_CST allowed_VVD you_PPY to_TO buy_VVI a_AT1 decent_JJ home_NN1 in_II a_AT1 neighborhood_NN1 right_NN1 next_MD door_NN1 to_II white_JJ families_NN2 who_PNQS had_VHD fled_VVN your_APPGE city_NN1 years_NNT2 before_RT ?_? 
Maybe_RR it_PPH1 was_VBDZ n't_XX the_AT job_NN1 you_PPY dreamed_VVD of_IO when_RRQ you_PPY were_VBDR 20_MC ,_, but_CCB it_PPH1 was_VBDZ what_DDQ you_PPY did_VDD and_CC what_DDQ your_APPGE father_NN1 did_VDD and_CC what_DDQ you_PPY and_CC almost_RR everyone_PN1 around_II you_PPY knew_VVD ,_, and_CC it_PPH1 had_VHD never_RR failed_VVN you_PPY before_RT ._. 
