clxxviii The Joads reach California. Grandma is dead
12. Ma
: Granma’s dead.
13. Tom :
When? 14.
Ma :
Since before they stopped us las’ 184D67MJGOWc
night. 15.
Tom : An’ that’s why you didn’t want ‘em to look?
16. Ma
: I was afraid they’d stop us
an’ wouldn’t let us cross. But I
tol’ her when she was dyin’. I tol’ her the fambly had ta 185D67MJGOWi get acrost. I tol’ her we couldn’t take no chances
on bein’ be stopped.
17. Ma
: So it’s all right. At
leas’ she’ll get buried in a nice green place. Trees and flowers
aroun’ 186D67MJGOWc. She got to lay her head down in California after all.
Dialogue 68
In a town street. Tom is speaking to a policeman and the others stand listening solemnly in the background
Tom : Where’s the bes’ 187D68TJGOWc place to get some work
aroun’ here? Don’t matter what kin’ 188D68TJGOWc
either. Policeman
: If I seen one a them things I must a seen ten thousan’.
Pa : Ain’t no good?
Policeman : Not here – not now. Month ago there was some pickin’ but it’s
all moved south now. Whereabout in Oklahoma you from? Tom
: Sallisaw. Policeman
: I come out from Cherokee County – two years ago. Rosasharn
: Why, Connie’s folks from Cherokee County. Policeman
: Okay, ma’am, let’s don’t go into it. I already met about a
hundred firs’ 189D68ONGOWc cousins an’ it mus’ 190D68ONGOWc
be five
hundred
secon’ 191D68ONGOWc
. But this is what I got to tell you, don’t try to park inn town tonight. Keep on out to that camp. If we
catch you in town after dark we got to lock you up. Don’t forget. Pa
: But what we gonna do?
Policeman : Pop, that just ain’t up to me. But I don’t min’
19268ONGOWc tellin’
you, the guy they ought to lock up is the guy that sent out them things.
Dialogue 69
Outside the Joads’ tent. The Ma is cooking surround by fifteen barefooted children in hunger
107. Ma
: Well, it’s a good thing some a you ain’t hungry, because
they ain’t enough to go all the way roun’.
108. Girl
: Aw, he was
braggin’ 193D69ONGOWf. Know what he done?
Las’ night, come out an’ say they got chicken to eat. Well, sir, I looked in
whilst 194D69ONGOWi they was a-eatin’ an’ it was fried dough
jus’ like ever’body else.
clxxix
109. Pa
: How
‘bout it? 110.
Ma :
Go get Tom an’ Al. I dunno what to do. I got to feed the
fambly. What’m I gonna do with these here? Dialogue 70
Inside the Joads’ tent. Uncle John gave the food to Tom for he sees the many hungry children surround him
111. John :
You take this. I ain’t hungry. 112.
Tom : Whatta
ya mean? You ain’t hungry. 113.
John : I know, but I got
stomickache 195D70UJGOWi. I ain’t hungry.
114. Tom :
You take that plate inside the tent an’ you eat it.
115. John :
Wouldn’t be no use. I’d still see ‘em inside the tent.
Dialogue 71 In the road. An agent offers a job to all of the men in the camp
116. Agent :
You men want to work? 117.
Pa :
Sure we wanta work. Where’s it at?
118. Agent :
Tulare County. Fruit’s opening up. Need a lot off pickers.
119. Floyd :
You doin’ the hirin’ 196D71ONGOWf?
120. Agent :
Well, I’m contracting the land. Dialogue 72
Outside the Joad Tent, in the road. Floyd and an agent are involved in serious argument
First man : Why
can’t you
tell? You
took the
contrac’ 197D72ONGOWc
, didn’ 198D72ONGOWc you?
Agent : That’s true. But it’s keyed to the price. Might be a little more,
might be a little less. Floyd
: All right, mister. I’ll go. You just show your license to contrack 199D72ONGOWi
, an’ then you make out a order – where an’ when an’ how much you gonna pay – an’ you sign it an’
we’ll go. Agent
: You trying to tell me how to run my own business? Floyd
: ‘F 200D72ONGOWb we’re workin’ for you, it’s our
business too. An’ how do we know – you ain’t one a the guys that sent these things out?
Agent : Listen, Smart Guy. I’ll run my business my own way. I got work.
If you want to take it, okay. If not, just sit here, that’s all. Floyd
: to other men Twicet now I’ve fell for that line. Maybe he needs a thousan’ men. So hee get’s fivee thousan’ there, an’ he’ll pay
fifteen cents a hour. An’ you guys’ll have to take it ‘cause 201D72ONGOWb
you’ll be hungry. ‘F he wants to hire men, let him write it out an’ say what he’s gonna pay. Ast to see
his license. He ain’t allowed by law to contrack men without a license.
Dialogue 73 On the street. The agent asks for help from the deputy to shut the Floyd’s mouth
up
clxxx
121. Floyd :