sign of the times

High scalers at the Hoover Dam were a sign of the times. Hanging 700 feet above the ground, in tiny bosun chairs, knocking away loose rock, these men dared to demonstrate what it took to not only take a challenge but to become one. For who could top a feat such as this?

When the designers of the dam set to planning such feats did they realize they were molding men to forever be remembered for such a dangerous job? And though the pay for being a high scaler was about equal to the other dangerous job at the dam, those who walked into a tunnel to be sure the blasting had finished, it was nothing compared to a company man.

And how did one become a company man? The sign of the times offered only this: who would want to be when you could possess so much glory at a job that meant risking your life?