The Grapes of Wrath Page #54

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SECOND MAN:

(after a pause)

How many you'all got them han'bills?

Come on, how many?

At least three-quarters of the men worriedly reach into their

pockets and draw out worn and folded handbills.

PA:

But what does *that* prove?

SECOND MAN:

Look at 'em! Same yella han'bill--

800 pickers wanted. Awright, this

man wants 800 men. So he prints up

5,000 a them han'bills an' maybe

20,000 people sees 'em. An' maybe

two-three thousan' starts movin,

wes' account a this han'bill. Two-

three thousan' folks that's crazy

with worry headin' out for 800 jobs!

Does that make sense?

There is a long worried silence. The proprietor leans forward

angrily.

PROPRIETOR:

What are you, a troublemaker? You

sure you ain't one a them labor fakes?

SECOND MAN:

I swear I ain't, mister!

PROPRIETOR:

Well, don't you go roun' here tryin'

to stir up trouble.

SECOND MAN:

(drawing himself up)

I tried to tell you folks sump'n it

took me a year to fin' out. Took two

kids dead, took my wife dead, to

show me. But nobody couldn't tell me

neither. I can't tell ya about them

little fellas layin' in the tent

with their bellies puffed out an'

jus' skin on their bones, an'

shiverin' an' whinin' like pups, an'

me runnin' aroun' tryin' to get work--

(shouting)

--not for money, not for wages--jus'

for a cup a flour an' a spoon a lard!

An' then the coroner came. "Them

children died a heart-failure," he

says, an' put it in his paper.

(With wild bitterness)

Heart-failure!--an' their little

bellies stuck out like a pig-bladder!

He looks around at the men, trying to control his emotions,

and then he walks away into the darkness. There is an uneasy

silence.

FIRST MAN:

Well--gettin' late. Got to get to

sleep.

They all rise as at a signal, all moved and worried by the

Second Man's outburst. TOM, PA AND CASY move away, worry on

their faces.

PA:

S'pose he's tellin' the truth--that

fella?

CASY:

He's tellin' the truth awright. The

truth for him. He wasn't makin'

nothin' up.

TOM:

How about us? Is that the truth for

us?

CASY:

I don't know.

PA:

(worriedly)

How can you tell?

The scene dissolves to a MONTAGE: superimposed on the shield

marker of U.S. Highway 66 and the rattling Joad truck the

signs of towns flash by: AMARILLO, VEGA, GLENRIO.

The TRUCK is seen on the HIGHWAY. It is now mountain country--

New Mexico. Then it is seen at a GAS STATION. It is a cheap

two-pump station, hand-painted, dreary, dusty. Huddled next

to it is a hamburger stand. In front of the hamburger stand

is a truck labeled: NEW MEXICO VAN AND STORAGE COMPANY. The

Joads are piling out of their truck. Directed by Ma, Noah

lifts Granma out. The two children scamper around shrieking

because their legs have gone to sleep. Al is preparing to

put water in the radiator. Pa takes out a deep leather pouch,

unties the strings, and begins calculating his money as the

fat proprietor advances.

FAT MAN:

(truculently)

You folks aim to buy anything?

AL:

Need some gas, mister.

FAT MAN:

Got any money?

AL:

Whatta you think:--we's beggin'?

FAT MAN:

I just ast, that's all.

TOM:

(evenly)

Well, ask right. You ain't talkin'

to bums, you know.

FAT MAN:

(appealing to heaven)

All in the worl' I done was ast!

INSIDE THE HAMBURGER STAND, a standard cheap eatery, Bert is

doing the short orders and Mae is handling the counter. A

nickel phonograph is playing a tune. Bill, a truck driver,

sits at the counter; his partner, Fred, is playing a slot

machine.

BILL:

Kinda pie y'got?

MAE:

Banana cream, pineapple cream,

chocolate cream--and apple.

BILL:

Cut me off a hunk a that banana cream,

and a cuppa java.

FRED:

Make it two.

MAE:

Two it is.

(Smirking)

Seen any new etchin's lately, Bill?

BILL:

(grinning)

Well, here's one ain't bad. Little

kid comes in late to school. Teacher

says--

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