The Grapes of Wrath Page #18

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There is a disturbed silence as the Joads study the man, but

he obviously has no intention of saying anything more. Finally

Pa turns to his brother.

PA:

John, you never was a fella to say

much, but I'll be goldanged if you

opened your mouth twicet since we

lef' home. What you think about this?

JOHN:

(scowling)

I don't think *nothin'* about it.

We're a-goin' there, ain't we? When

we get there, we'll get there. When

we get a job, we'll work, an' when

we don't get a job we'll set on our

behin's. That's all they is to it,

ain't it?

TOM:

(laughing)

Uncle John don't talk much but when

he does he shore talks sense.

(He spurts water out

of his mouth)

The scene dissolves to a GAS STATION, at night. The Joad

truck, loaded with goods and people, is last gas and servicing

before the desert. Two white uniformed boys handle the

station. A sign reads: "LAST CHANCE FOR GAS AND WATER." Al

is filling the radiator. Tom is counting out the money for

the gas.

FIRST BOY:

You people got a lotta nerve.

TOM:

What you mean?

FIRST BOY:

Crossin' the desert in a jalopy like

this.

TOM:

You been acrost?

FIRST BOY:

Sure, plenty, but not in no wreck

like this.

TOM:

If we broke down maybe somebody'd

give us a han'.

FIRST BOY:

(doubtfully)

Well, maybe. But I'd hate to be doin'

it. Takes more nerve than I got.

TOM:

(laughing)

It don't take no nerve to do somep'n

when there ain't nothin' else you

can do.

(He climbs into the

driver's seat)

MA AND GRANMA are seen lying on a mattress in the TRUCK.

Granma's eyes are shut. Actually she is near death. Ma keeps

patting her.

MA:

(softly)

Don't you worry, Granma. It's gonna

be awright.

GRANMA:

(mumbling)

Grampa... Grampa... I want Grampa...

MA:

Don't you fret now.

The truck moves off.

We see the GAS STATION again with the truck pulling away.

The First Boy, a lad who knows everything, stands looking

after them, shaking his head. His assistant is cleaning up

the pumps.

FIRST BOY:

Holy Moses, what a hard-lookin'

outfit!

SECOND BOY:

All them Okies is hard-lookin'.

FIRST BOY:

Boy, but I'd hate to hit that desert

in a jalopy like that!

SECOND BOY:

(contentedly)

Well, you and me got sense. Them

Okies got no sense or no feeling.

They ain't human. A human being

wouldn't live like they do. A human

being couldn't stand it to be so

miserable.

FIRST BOY:

Just don't know any better, I guess.

NOAH is seen hiding behind a corner of the GAS STATION.

Peering out, he sees that the truck has gone. He turns to

walk away into the darkness.

The scene dissolves to a RIVER BANK at night, and Noah is

once more seated in the shallow water, splashing, looking up

at the mountains, content.

The TRUCK is rattling along U.S. Highway 66, across the

desert, in the night. In the DRIVER'S SEAT Tom is driving,

Al and Pa are by his side.

AL:

What a place! How'd you like to walk

acrost her?

TOM:

People done it. If they could, we

could.

AL:

Lots must a died, too.

TOM:

(after a pause)

Well, we ain't out a it yet.

RUTHIE AND WINFIELD huddle together in THE TRUCK, eyes wide

with excitement.

RUTHIE:

This here's the desert an' we're

right in it!

WINFIELD:

(trying to see)

I wisht it was day.

RUTHIE:

Tom says if it's day it'll cut you

gizzard smack out a you.

(Trying to see too)

I seen a pitcher once. They was bones

ever'place.

WINFIELD:

Man bones?

RUTHIE:

Some, I guess, but mos'ly cow bones.

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