[ominous, pensive music]
Coal mining's all
I've ever known.
My dad done it.
Just about every uncle I have.
Both my grandfathers,
my great-grandfather,
and my grandfather.
Makes you proud to see that
you're doing what your dad done.
[dog barks]
And once I realized I could
do it, it just gets me a buzz.
It's all you wanna do.
[many conversations, laughter]
The guys I work with,
I work with some of the men
that worked with my dad.
They always called
him Bone Crusher.
You ready, Corn Bread?
Everybody's got
nicknames underground.
People get nicknames underneath
there 'cause of what you do.
They catch you doing something
or just your personality.
-And that's why he's late?
-I got a buddy.
I call him Corn Bread.
-Hey, Corn Bread.
-Hi. Nice to meet you.
-I nicknamed him Corn
Bread 'cause the way he talks.
He's so hick, so I
named him Corn Bread.
Country as Corn Bread.
-Nah, he's running late.
His alarm didn't go
off, so he was late.
What time you say
you left your house?
He's gonna be the best man
at my wedding,
and I met him underground.
-...that you get us, and
God just ask you that you'd
watch over us
in this mines today.
God, just keep us from harm.
If it be thy will,
watch over our families
as we're absent from them.
God, just pray for....
-You really think about things,
especially when the men,
they sit down and pray.
It's when it hits you.
-...just ask you most of all,
if someone, God, that don't....
-You never know
if you'll make it back,
if it'll be your last day.
-...for forgiveness.
And we ask these things
in Jesus' name. Amen.
-Come on. Take care.
-All right.
-You just take a chance
every day, and you don't know
what's coming up.
When you go in,
that could be it.
You could have an explosion
within the first five minutes
you get in there.
It could be quitting time,
coming out, have an explosion.
You might come out
healthy as an ox.
You might come out
with your back broke.
You might be killed underground.
You don't know.
