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over the four women standing in the aisle. The women slowly moved their eyes from his toes up to his head. Without saying a word he walked back up the aisle and sat in the aisle seat in the last row of the theater.
    Nolan motioned the women to join him as he slid down to the seat near the wall. “Now join me ladies. This is a big night for you’s. I’m John Michael Nolan. This is your lucky night. The three women moved into their seats and glared at Nolan.
    Hannah spoke to several of the other seated customers and attempted to make eye contact with Mikhail as she walked by. He ignored her and stared straight ahead. She thought, “My god, he’s the biggest man I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m glad he decided to move on his own. Not bad looking neither. And he’s clean shaved, Lifebuoy soap too. Interesting. I’ll have to find out his name.” She waved her hand to the man in the camera booth, and the lights in the theater went out.
    Two Tom and Jerry cartoons erased the tense memories of the seating discussion with the women. Mikhail laughed freely and set his empty popcorn box on the floor in front of him. His right leg stretched into the aisle, but his other knee pushed hard on the back of the seat in front of him. He relaxed and awaited the start of Abbott and Costello . The worrisome thoughts of his granddaughter, his son-in-law, and his ex-wife drifted away as the comical story of The Invisible Man flashed in front of him on the screen. He didn’t notice Hannah watching him as he laughed at the slapstick antics of his favorite actors, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello.

    The movie ended and Nolan walked and talked to the ladies who chased Mikhail out of his seat. They tried to ignore Nolan as he reviewed the funny part of the show. The tall, well-dressed woman was still unhappy with his comment to her and walked in front of him toward the lobby. Mikhail stretched as he waited for Nolan. Together they walked out into the lobby in the direction of the front door. Hannah chatted with each of the customers as they left the show house. As Mikhail walked by her, she spoke, “You seemed to like Abbott and Costello.”
    Mikhail stopped and looked in her direction before he answered, “Ya, I do.” Mikhail shrugged his huge shoulders and strolled out the door into the cool evening air. Nolan mocked him as they walked down the stairs to the boardwalk, “Ya, I do. That’s it. You thick-headed bohunk. She tried to strike up a conversation with you. Christ Almighty, I ain’t learned you nothing. She probably wants to get a look at that monster between your legs.”
    Mikhail forced a laugh and said, “See you tomorrow, Nolan. I’m going to bed.”
    “Well, I’m going to Whitey’s for a few before I go up to Mabels to share my short steel with one of those lily white little maidens.”
    As they crossed the dirt street, the three women and an older man wearing a blue suit approached them. The man stopped in front of Nolan and spoke, “My wife told me you swore at her in the theater.”
    Nolan shook his head and pointed toward Mikhail, “Not me. It was my friend here. He gots a terrible mouth on him. He just can’t control his tongue around flat-chested, big hipped, hawk-nosed witches like your wife. It’s just a problem he’s got.”
    Mikhail paused as the man stepped right in front of Nolan. “What’s your name, fella?”
    “I’m Mick Powers and I’m proud of it. What’s yours?
    “It doesn’t matter who I am. You can plan on having a pink slip on Monday. You’re done working at Hungry Horse Dam and that’s the way it’s going to be.”
    Nolan laughed in his face before talking, “I was lookin’ for a job when I found this one. Old Mikhail Powers will make out just fine.”
    The man stepped back, adjusted his suit coat, and left with the three women at his side. He strutted along after he set things straight in front of his wife and her friends.
    Nolan and Mikhail continued across the street stopped, and