Roadwork November 21, 1973 Review: Work Stress, Old Wounds, and Corporate Rot

Bart starts with routine laundry work, but his head keeps sliding into the past.

Book: Roadwork
Author: Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
ISBN: 978-1-101-13813-7

The plant is loud, worn down, and still running. Outside, highway machines keep moving closer. Bart drifts into memories of old neighborhoods and old city landmarks already erased. He even catches himself crying at his desk. Later, he confronts Vinnie Mason for leaking details to Steve Ordner. That talk grows into a long, emotional speech about how the Blue Ribbon used to be a real family operation before it was absorbed by corporate management. Bart finishes the day with another lie, telling Ordner Mary is sick while setting up a tense meeting.

I like this chapter because the work details feel real and physical. You can hear the machines and feel the daily pressure. That grounded setting makes Bart’s breakdown hit harder. His speech is messy and not cleanly argued, but that is why it works.

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