Peter Cook

I WORKED AT THE BUICK ENGINE plant in Flint, Michigan, for about three months in the fall of 1963. I had recently flunked out of college after my junior year, was paying my parents $15 per week for room and board, and was acutely missing my girlfriend who was far away at my former college.

After a short career as a moving man, I joined the UAW Local and the hordes who worked by night in Buicktown, USA. Guys who had seniority could pick their shift, but since I had none I reported to work at 6:00 p.m.

The factory