The Grapes of Wrath Page #31

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MIGRANT:

(angrily)

Two an' a half! Say, mister, a man

can't make his dinner on that.

BOOKKEEPER:

Take it or leave it. There's 200 men

coming from the South that'll be

glad to get it.

MIGRANT:

But--but how we gonna eat?

BOOKKEEPER:

Look, I didn't set the price. I'm

just working here. If you want it,

take it. If you don't, turn right

around and beat it.

MIGRANT:

(sullenly)

Which way is House 25?

TOM:

(slowly)

That Casy. He might a been a preacher,

but--he seen a lot a things clear.

He was like a lantern--he helped mw

see things too.

MA:

Comes night we'll get outa here.

At night, the TRUCK is backed up to the door of House 63; it

is already loaded. Ma is speaking in a low voice to Tom, who

is peering out from under a mattress in the truck.

MA:

It's jus' till we get some distance.

Then you can come out.

TOM:

I'd hate to get *trapped* in here.

GUARD'S VOICE

What's goin' on here?

Tom disappears. Ma turns, her back to the truck. The guard

plays his flashlight on the Joads, who stand watching him

ominously.

PA:

We're goin' out.

GUARD:

What for?

MA:

We got a job offered--good job.

GUARD:

Yeah? Let's have a look at you.

(He plays his

flashlight on the

truck)

Wasn't there another fella with you?

AL:

You mean that hitch-hiker? Little

short fella with a pale face?

GUARD:

I guess that's what he looked like.

AL:

We just picked him up on the way in.

He went away this mornin' when the

rate dropped.

GUARD:

(thinking hard)

What'd he look like again?

AL:

Short fella. Pale face.

GUARD:

Was he bruised up this mornin'? About

the face?

AL:

I didn't see nothin'.

GUARD:

(reluctantly)

Okay. Go on.

Quickly, Al is in the driver's seat, with Ma and Pa beside

him. The truck rattles into motion and moves down the street.

AT THE GATES TO THE RANCH another guard flashes a light as

Al stops the car.

SECOND GUARD:

Goin' out for good?

AL:

Yeah. Goin' north. Got a job.

SECOND GUARD:

Okay.

He opens the gate and the truck goes through. It turns from

the gravel road onto the paved highway.

IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE TRUCK:

MA:

You done good, Al. Just good.

Al shows his pleased pride in her quiet approval.

PA:

Know where we're a-goin'?

MA:

(shaking her head)

Don't matter. Just got to go--an'

keep a-goin', till we get plenty a

distance away from here.

The TRUCK is rattling along the highway.

Next, it is day, and the TRUCK is still churning along.

In the FRONT SEAT, Tom is driving, his cap pulled as far

down as possible over his wounded cheek. Rosasharn has taken

Pa's place and is leaning wearily against Ma's shoulder.

ROSASHARN:

Ma... you know, if Connie was here I

wouldn't min' any a this.

MA:

I know, honey, an' just as soon as

we get settled Al's gonna set out

an' look for him. How 'bout gas,

Tommy?

TOM:

Full up. Uncle John come through

with five bucks he been hol'in' out

on us since we lef' home.

The TRUCK keeps moving along.

Then it is night, and the TRUCK is still making distance.

On a COUNTRY ROAD, in grey dawn, with a deafening clank under

the hood, the Joad truck pulls to a stop off the side of the

road. Al is driving. Asleep in Tom's arm in the front seat,

Ma stirs awake as Al turns off the ignition and gets out. He

lifts the hood.

TOM:

She's hotter'n a heifer.

AL:

Fan-belt's shot.

He pulls out the pieces. Tom gets out and takes off the

radiator cap. There is a geyser of steam. In the back of the

truck the others stand looking on, sleepy-eyed.

TOM:

(looking around)

Picks a nice place for it, too, don't

she?

They all look around. At first they find nothing in sight.

Al and Tom look at each other in disgust.

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