The Grapes of Wrath Page #37

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AL:

(shaking his head)

Not like me!

A fat woman thrusts her head out of the tent.

WOMAN:

You git right along! This here girl's

spoke for. She's gonna be married,

an' her man's a-comin' for her.

Shrugging, Al winks at the girl and moves on, stepping and

moving his shoulders and snapping his fingers in time to the

music, a very gay fellow indeed. The blonde girl's eyes follow

him. Then she turns and glances cautiously toward the tent.

ON THE DANCE FLOOR, we see Ma and Rosasharn as Tom enters

and stands between them. This is during a pause between dances

and only a few couples stand on the floor waiting for the

music to begin again. We also see the three men very casually

looking around--but no more casual looking than Wilkie,

standing just behind them, idly whistling.

TOM:

(grinning)

She's gettin' prettier, Ma.

MA:

(as Rosasharn hides

her face)

Girl with a baby *always* gets

prettier.

The music starts again, once more the dancers move onto the

dance floor. The three men exchange a glance and step casually

to the edge of the dancing space, one in the lead. They survey

the scene, but for the moment make no further move. The

atmosphere is tense.

TOM:

(softly)

Excuse me, Ma.

(He moves quietly out

of the scene, toward

the three men)

AL, taking the blonde girl's hand, steps onto the dance floor.

Encircling her waist, they begin to dance. They are a smooth,

rhythmic couple who move as one being.

AL:

Well, you said anybody can waltz...

How'm *I* doin'?

BLONDE GIRL:

Don't hold me so tight.

AL:

(tongue-in-cheek)

Why, I ain't hardly touchin' you!

BLONDE GIRL:

(squirming)

You're *ticklin' me!*

AL:

(grabbing her still

closer)

That comes from not holdin' you tight

*enough.*

BLONDE GIRL:

(complaining but loving

it)

Now I can't breathe.

At this moment the leader of the three men (the other two

directly behind him) enters the scene.

LEADER:

I'll dance with this girl.

AL:

(angrily)

You an' who else?

Behind the three men a solid wall of migrants are closing in

quietly, Tom and Wilkie in the middle.

LEADER:

Don't gimme no argament--

(A shrill whistle

sounds in the distance)

--you little--

His fist goes back, his left hand reaches for Al's collar.

At the same instant Tom grabs him, Wilkie claps his hand

over the leader's mouth, at least fifteen other men have

similarly collard the other two invaders, and they are all

lifted bodily. There is not a sound as the three men, held

in iron grips, are whisked from the dance floor and into the

crowd.

Two touring cars have stopped in front of the closed GATE

and the deputies have drawn guns.

DRIVER:

Open up! We hear you got a riot.

CARETAKER:

Riot? I don't see no riot. Who're

you?

DRIVER:

Deputy sheriffs.

CARETAKER:

Got a warrant?

DRIVER:

We don't need a warrant if it's a

riot.

CARETAKER:

Well, I don't know what you gonna do

about it, because I don't hear no

riot an' I don't see no riot, an'

what's more I don't believe they

*is* no riot.

(Waving toward the

dance floor)

Look for yourself.

As the deputies, puzzled and uncertain, look toward the DANCE

FLOOR, we see the music, the dancing, the gaiety continuing

as if nothing had happened.

WITHIN THE JOAD TENT at night, several hours later: the tent

is black, Tom strikes a match. From a piece of wood on the

ground or floor he selects one from several cigarette butts

and lights it. While he is doing so, he lifts his head

suddenly, and listens.

In the CAMP STREET we catch sight of legs walking, the ground

lighted from a flashlight. Two pairs of the legs wear state

policemen's leather leggings. The third pair are the

caretaker's. They stop behind a car. The flashlight plays on

the license plate. One of the state cops leans down to copy

the license number in a booklet. Then they move on.

TOM has lifted the edge of the tent a trifle, enough to see

out by flattening his head on the floor. The LEGS are now

seen at the Joad jalopy. The light is on the license plate.

The cop leans over and copies the number. They move on.

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