"Forty years I was down there, Sammy. Forty years."

If only --

No.

Never mind.

"And for thirty of 'em I said no. Every day I said 'shove it up your ass' when he made the offer. Every day he laughed, and patted my head, and then it all started back up again."

He breathes.

His eyes are damp.

"Thirty years, and then I couldn't take it anymore. I tried, but I just -- there was nothin' left."