We rooted for Denzel; now we root for Artie. T.

Most would say that the public’s insatiable appetite for news on the life and death drama being played out at Market Basket is based on the “car wreck,” scenario, where passers-by rubberneck going by an accident scene.

You can’t help but turn to see the carnage.

But Market Basket hasn’t wrecked yet, however.

Instead, it’s a runaway train like in the hit movie “Unstoppable”, with Artie. T instead of Denzel Washington at the controls, barreling through a minefield of corporate greed amidst incredible acrimony between two cousins.

One Market Basket manager told me recently Arthur S. would rather see the grocery chain falter and fail rather than see Artie. T. and his band of brothers claim victory.

That’s what’s so incredibly emotional and vexing for employees who see the writing on the cash register tape that their excellent paying job and comfortable existence is in serious jeopardy.

Full-time, experienced Market Basket cashiers and other workers can make $40,000 a year, with good benefits, including generous profit sharing and bonuses.

Where else can a regular guy with no college education or vocational skill go and get that kind of money (other than a government job)?

Meanwhile, at the top of the ladder you have a few dozen Market Basket founding family members who are all disgustingly rich already, some who give a dam about the company, and probably more who couldn’t care less.

Now if Market Basket were some high-faluting, mucky muck grocery chain whose prices were sky high it’d be one thing.

But they aren’t. They’re generally lower than anywhere else making them a poor man’s hero.

Few believe that the store’s sale to anyone other than Artie T. will result in a continued business model of low prices to customers and high pay and benefits for workers.

Corporate greed in America just doesn’t work that way anymore.

That’s why we root for ‘em.

That’s why we watch.

The train is going faster and faster.

Will it derail, crash and burn amid growing family greed and hatred, or will Artie T. bring it to a safe stop, with low prices and good pay for employees intact?

We rooted for Denzel. Now we root for Artie T.

- HT