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Writer's pictureKate Pepin

Dancing Around the Weld


I don't know what I was thinking when I signed up for that welding class. Now I wonder if I really need to learn to weld in order to build bigger, stronger armatures for my sculptures. They do need to be welded...


I light the torch and the acetylene flame


bursts forth. Adjust it until the red and orange


and yellow feathers dance like a bird in a wind


storm. Add a touch of oxygen and I create a


glowing blue fountain pen at the tip of the


torch and I craft a line of puddles in the steel


plate.


My thumb aches.


I tremble.


I wish this torch had an auto-off feature when I


invariable drop it.


After burning holes through the steel,


creating swaths of iridized blue, I keep


practicing.



I will learn something in this class, if only which


of my classmates will be willing to weld my


joints together in the future.

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