#603 Snake River Gorge- Alexander Maksik
This is from the 2013 Best American Non-Required Reading collection. Theo needs a job. He’s eighteen, his parents are struggling and his older sister is away with the Army. He answers an ad in the Penny Saver and the recruiter comes to his house. He is a fast talking salesman and convinces Theo and his parents that this is a great opportunity for someone willing to work hard.
What it turns out to be is a door-to-door canvassing gig selling magazine subscriptions. By itself, it’s a harmless job, no worries, right? Except the crew travels together, stays in sleazy motels by night and has a horrible caste system. Henry is at the top, with his own room, the top selling get the bed, everyone else gets the floor. The low man, called the bunker boy, is tied up all night to a chair. This doesn’t sit well with Theo, so he unties bunker boy. Retribution is harsh and swift for Theo, and just like that his “great opportunity” is done.
There is some stuff here about class and privilege, but it’s clumsy and forced. The story itself was interesting enough without that theme.
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