The Grapes of Wrath Page #63

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SECOND DEPUTY:

(to assistant)

Take a look at her.

(To deputy)

Mike, is this the fella that hit

you?

DEPUTY:

(dazedly)

Don't look like him.

CASY:

It was me, all right. You just got

smart with the wrong fella.

DEPUTY:

(shuddering)

Don't look like him, but... maybe it

was. I ain't sure.

SECOND DEPUTY:

Get in that car.

With a deputy on either side of him, Casy climbs in the back

seat. The sickish deputy is helped into the car. The other

man comes running back.

MAN:

(proudly)

Boy, what a mess a .45 does make!

They got a tourniquet on. We'll send

a doctor out.

The car starts. CASY and two deputies beside him are revealed

in the back seat. Casy sits proudly, head up, eyes front. On

his lips is a faint smile; on his face, a curious look of

conquest.

DEPUTY:

(angry at the whole

business)

But what you gonna do? Must be

*thousands* of 'em around here, sore

and hungry and living in them dumps.

What you gonna do about 'em?

SECOND DEPUTY:

You gotta hold 'em down. Hold 'em

down or they'll take over the whole

country. That's all you *can* do.

DEPUTY:

(grimly)

Well, they ain't gonna take over

*my* country. I been livin' here too

long for *that*. Maybe some a the

boys better drop around tonight and

give 'em something to think about.

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!

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