The Grapes of Wrath Page #57

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TOM:

She ain't our river. But we'll len'

you a little piece of her.

They start to shuck off their clothes. THE MAN, excluding

those undressing, form another scene.

PA:

Goin' west?

MAN'S VOICE

Nope. We come from there. Goin' back

home.

TOM:

Where's home?

MAN'S VOICE

Panhandle, come from near Pampa.

PA:

(in surprise)

Can you make a livin' there?

MAN'S VOICE

Nope.

The man and his son sit down in the water.

MAN:

(continuing)

But at leas' we can starve to death

with folks we know.

There is a long silence among the Joads as the man and his

son splash water over their heads.

PA:

(slowly)

Ya know, you're the second fella

talked like that. I'd like to hear

some more about that.

TOM:

Me an' you both.

The man and his son exchange a glance, as though the Joads

had touched on the deadliest of subjects.

SON:

(finally)

He ain't gonna tell you nothin' about

it.

PA:

If a fella's willin' to work hard,

can't he cut her?

MAN:

Listen, mister. I don't know

ever'thing. You might go out an'

fall into a steady job, an' I'd be a

liar. An' then, you might never get

no work, an' I didn't warn you. All

I can tell ya, most of the folks is

purty mis'able.

(Sullenly)

But a fella don't know ever'thing.

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.

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