The young man entered the construction site with heavy steps. The morning felt the same as any other day. Some workers had already gathered, their faces looking tired but accustomed to the grueling routine. The sound of heavy machinery clanged in the distance, and the laborers, like the young man, stood ready to begin the day. They wore work clothes stained with cement and dust, the inevitable grime of their job.
The young man looked around, seeing the other workers busy tidying up their tools. Among them, he felt no different—just another laborer among many, struggling under the scorching sun for a meager daily wage. As he walked to his usual spot, he saw from a distance a white car slowly approaching the project site. It was their foreman's car.
Moments after the car stopped, the young man watched as the foreman got out, wearing a clean shirt and neatly pressed pants, a stark contrast to the laborers who were already dirty before work even began. The foreman seemed like someone whose life was much easier than those standing here. Aryan sighed inwardly, his eyes staring at the car parked at the edge of the project.
"Isn't it interesting to go to work in a car?" the young man thought to himself. For a laborer like him, it seemed like a luxury beyond reach. A dream visible only from afar.
As the foreman walked out of the car, the young man and his companions quickly stood in line, ready to greet their boss. They knew well that even though this job was rough and full of sweat, discipline was something that couldn't be ignored. The foreman held the authority on the site, and the morning roll call was a ritual they had to go through every day.
The foreman stood before them, his face serious, holding a record book for attendance. He carefully opened the book while the workers waited for their names to be called. On each page was a list of names registered as workers on this project. The foreman looked at each of them, making sure everyone was present.
The foreman spoke in a firm tone, "Alright, I will start taking attendance for those working this morning."
The sound of paper flipping echoed clearly in the stillness. The foreman began calling out the names of his workers. One by one, the workers raised their hands or answered loudly, "Present, sir."
The young man stood with his hands at his sides, waiting for his turn. After a few names were called, finally, his name came up, "Aryan."
Without hesitation, Aryan immediately responded, "Present, sir."
The foreman nodded briefly, continuing the roll call without much expression. However, after all the names were called, the foreman paused for a moment, examining his records. His eyes narrowed as he noticed that one person was absent.
"I see there's one person who isn't here today. Do any of you know why?" the foreman asked, his voice low but filled with authority.
Aryan could only shake his head, not knowing what had happened to their colleague. He wasn't particularly close to the others, only working and going home without much interaction beyond work matters. One of the laborers at the back of the line answered, "He's sick, sir."
The foreman snorted softly, then stared sharply at the workers. "Remember," he said firmly, "if you don't show up for work, your wages will be docked." His voice wasn't loud, but clear enough to make anyone understand that he meant business.
Aryan sighed quietly, feeling smaller in that moment. "Being a laborer isn't easy," he muttered to himself, once again lamenting how his life had turned out this way. There was no room for sickness or rest, as their wages were calculated solely based on attendance. If they didn't show up, no money came in.
After finishing the attendance, the foreman closed his book and placed his pen back in his shirt pocket. With steady steps, he moved to the front of the line, ready to give instructions for the day. The foreman's eyes scanned the workers seriously, ensuring that everyone was listening attentively.
"We've got a lot of work today," said the foreman in a cold tone. "There are several points in the project that need to be finished quickly, especially in the main support pillar area. That's a priority. So, I need you all to work faster but stay careful. No mistakes."
He directed his gaze toward a few workers who were usually tasked with the concrete structure work. "You," he said, pointing at them, "your job today is to make sure all the support pillars are installed correctly, with no measurement errors. Make sure the levels match the plans, don't let anything be off."
Then, the foreman turned to Aryan and a few other workers who were typically assigned to lift and move heavy materials. "Aryan, you and your team will work in logistics. You need to move the stack of beams and steel to the marked location. It must all be done before noon because the crane will be used to lift them up."
Aryan listened closely, though he had mixed feelings. The task wasn't easy; the beams and steel they had to move were heavy and required good teamwork among them. However, this wasn't the first time Aryan had done such a task. As a laborer, he was already used to physically demanding work that required strength and stamina.
"Don't be late," the foreman continued, staring at Aryan sharply. "If that pile of materials doesn't get to its place on time, we'll be behind schedule for the next steps. So, get it done quickly and accurately."
Aryan nodded slowly, understanding the instructions. There was no other choice but to carry out his job properly. Delays would mean more problems, and in construction, even small mistakes could have significant consequences.
After giving instructions to each group, the foreman stepped back and shouted, "Alright, let's get to work!"
Aryan immediately joined his colleagues. They moved towards the pile of materials waiting to be shifted. The stack consisted of concrete beams and steel rods, materials that were not only heavy but also difficult to move without adequate equipment. Still, they knew this job had to be done, and they couldn't complain.
Aryan and his team began working quickly. They lifted one beam after another, moving them to the spot the foreman had marked earlier. Sweat began to drip down Aryan's forehead, even though the morning was still young. Under the increasingly hot sun, they worked at a steady pace, with no one speaking. Everyone was focused on their individual tasks.
As Aryan moved the beams, his mind wandered back to the life he was living. He wondered how his life had ended up like this—becoming a laborer with little hope for the future. He used to think his life would be much better. He once had big dreams, even dreaming of becoming a cultivator. But now, that dream felt like a joke, and the reality before him was harsh.
However, despite everything, Aryan couldn't stop. This job, as tough as it was, was his only source of income. And for now, he could only endure, lifting load after load while hoping that one day his life might change, even though that hope was fading with each passing day.