The Grapes of Wrath Page #24

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Casy sits with eyes front. AT THE WILLOWS, screened by trees

or brush, Tom looks off at the car taking Casy away. Starting

at a sound, he withdraws into the brush as the scene

dissolves.

IN FRONT OF THE JOAD TENT, at night, Ma stands facing Pa and

Al. Rosasharn lies on a pallet, her face in her arms, while

Ruthie and Winfield look on, wide-eyed at the family quarrel.

PA:

(to Ma)

Leave him alone, Ma--Al's just billy-

goatin' around--

AL:

Sure! I was just aimin' to meet up

with a couple girls I know.

MA:

You don't know *no* girls around

here. You're lyin', *You're runnin'

away*!

PA:

(a short flash of

momentary but ill

advised belligerence)

Cut it out, Ma, or I'll--

MA:

(softly, as she picks

up jack-handle)

You'll *what*?... Come on, Pa. Come

on an' whup me. Jus' try it.

PA:

(solemnly)

Now don't get sassy, Ma.

MA:

Al ain't a-goin' away, an' you gonna

*tell* him he ain't a-goin' away.

(Hefting the jack-

handle)

An' if you think diff'unt, you gotta

whup me first. So some on.

PA:

(helplessly)

I never *seen* her so sassy.

(With a touch of

bewildered pride)

An' she ain't so young, neither!

AL:

(sullenly)

I'd come back--

MA:

(eyes on Pa)

But ef you *do* whup me, I swear you

better not ever go to sleep again,

because the minute you go to sleep,

or you're settin' down, or your back's

turned, I'm gonna knock you belly-up

with a bucket.

They stand staring at each other in silence.

At the EDGE OF HOOVERVILLE, Tom is heading for the Joad tent

warily, glancing around constantly, but not running, for

that would draw attention to him.

IN FRONT OF THE JOAD TENT again:

PA:

(helplessly)

Jus' sassy, that's all.

MA:

(angrily)

Sassy my foot! I'm jus' sick and

tar'd a my folks tryin' to bust up.

All we got lef' in the *worl'* is

the fambly--an' right down at bottom

that's all we *got* to have! Ef some

of us dies, we can't he'p that--but

ain't nobody else runnin' away!

AL:

But it ain't runnin' away, Ma. All I

wanta do is go away with another

fella an' look aroun' for work by

ourself--

MA:

(blazing)

Well, you ain't a-goin'! Ain't

*nobody* else a-goin'! We *got* here

an' we gonna *stay* here, together!

As long as we got the fambly unbroke

I ain't scared, but it's a long bitter

road we got ahead of us--

(squaring off)

--an' I'm here to tell ya ef anybody

else tries to bust us up anymore I'm

a-goin' cat wild with this here piece

a bar-arn!

As she gets ready for whatever... IN THE SHADOWS, twenty

feet away from the tent, Tom whistles softly.

TOM:

Hey, Al!

IN FRONT OF THE JOAD TENT, all but Ma are looking off. Ma

still eyes Pa.

AL:

(peering into the

darkness)

Tom? You can come on. They gone.

TOM:

(entering quickly)

We got to get outa here right away.

Ever'body here? Where's Uncle John?

JOHN:

(from tent)

Here I am.

PA:

What's a matter now?

TOM:

Fella tells me some a them poolroom

boys figgerin' to burn the whole

camp out tonight. Got to get that

truck loaded--what you doin' with

the jack-handle, Ma?

MA, PA, AND AL

(together)

Al's tryin' to go away... She jus'

got sassy... All I aimed to do...

TOM:

(taking the jack-handle)

Awright, you can fight it out later.

Right now we got to hustle. Where's

Connie?

There is a silence that stops Tom in his rush of preparation.

MA:

(quietly)

Connie's gone.

(Indicating Rosasharn)

Lit out this e'enin'--said he didn't

know it was gonna be like this.

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