Sentence 1: Joe had worked for the same company for 23 years. 
 Sentence 3: He and a number of others had been laid off the previous week 
 Sentence 4:  He hoped he would find a new job soon 
 Sentence 5:  But in the meantime he would have to rely on unemployment checks 
 Option 1: He never expected to be waiting in the unemployment line. 
 Option 2: He was first in line at unemployment.