Better ways to make a living.

I don't wanna be a coal miner. That's for sure. I went down into the coal mines. In Carbonia. In Sardinia. And it was an interesting place. To visit. But not to work. I saw what it was like. In vivid terms. The coal mines are open to the public. As part of a museum. With all of the artifacts linked to the coal mines in Carbonia, a city of 30,000 inhabitants. Carbonia is one of Italy's newest cities. Built in two years. From 1936 to 1938. For the purpose of mining coal. The mines shut down in 1964. Just as well. Coal mining is unhealthy. Even today. But more so in the past. Anyone who worked in a coal mine for years most likely came down with various lung diseases. Many of 'em lethal. What possessed one to become a coal miner? Maybe it was the only practical way to make a living in some regions. It was dirty. And gruelling and dangerous work. Miners allowed themselves to be exploited. So that mining companies could make a fortune. Anyway, I gotta tell you. The tunnels in the mines are awesome. Another world. Underground. Makes one appreciate daylight. The outdoors. But unlike some people, I'm not bothered by being underground. No claustrophobia. I don't like being high up. Way above the ground. That makes me feel uneasy. Anyway, the museum in Carbonia does an objectivve job of presenting the perils of coal mining. And has graphic pictures of what life was like in the mines. I was fascinated by tbe grim and dirty faces of miners. All be it, some of 'em seemed to be enjoying life in the mines. But I can think of many better ways to make a living. --Jim Broede