THE BIG LIFE

"My first job was with Jersey Mikes, I was 14," Kale shared from the downtown skate park in Billings, Montana. "I'm 18 now. I'm working construction. I want to get a plumbing apprenticeship. I have a little experience in plumbing and carpentary, but not much. When I was in high school I was at the Billings Hall and the program was called ConstructReach and Local 30 came in and gave me an application. I filled it out, next month I'll take the tests. Safety and measurements - fractions, decimals, basic stuff. If I pass, I can interview: how and why I qualify, why I want to be a plumber. If I do good, I'll get on a waiting list. If I get a high ranking, I become a plumber with the union. If that doesn't work out then I'll try to get work at the refinery. It's not union, but it does pay pretty good. My grandpa would always tell me that you don't want a job for now, you want work forever. That's why I lean toward the union. He worked for US Foods, and he was with the Teamsters.

"My dad wasn't around. He left when I was 5 or 6. He was cheating on my mom. They set that aside and got married, but he kept cheating. They had split custody, but I never heard much from him. He's a deadbeat dad. I believe he's still in Cody, Wyoming. Last I heard he had joined a biker gang. I told him I didn't want anything to do with him anymore. Even his brother didn't know why he wouldn't be a better dad. His brother, my uncle, has been there for me, even when he didn't have to be. And as for my mom, I'm really proud of her. She was there for me, she was a great mom. She had her problems, but she overcame them.

"I knew I didn't want to be like my dad, and that gave me motivation to be unlike him. I used to have a lot of friends, but they're dropping like flies from my life. They're partying, some are thinking that they're gang bangin, flashin guns. I don't want anything to do with any of that. I have two good friends, Joseph and Zarrek. Joseph helped to get me the job I have now. He's like me, except he's brown. We motivate each other. We go to the gym together. We talk about life goals and push each other toward those goals. And Zarrek, he and I have been friends forever, and he's just a good dude.

"I'm hoping that I get good work, that my girlfriend and I can get an apartment to start out, and later we can get a big house, and have a couple kids, and have that big life together. That's my dream."