The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck [160]
Ma said, “I never heard about it. I sure could use a wash tub, I tell you.’’
The girl went on excitedly, “Why, God Awmighty, they got hot water right in pipes, an’ you get in under a shower bath an’ it’s warm. You never seen such a place.’’
Ma said, “All full now, ya say?’’
“Yeah. Las’ time we ast it was.’’
“Mus’ cost a lot,’’ said Ma.
“Well, it costs, but if you ain’t got the money, they let you work it out—couple hours a week, cleanin’ up, an’ garbage cans. Stuff like that. An’ nights they’s music an’ folks talks together an’ hot water right in the pipes. You never seen nothin’ so nice.’’
Ma said, “I sure wisht we could go there.’’
Ruthie had stood all she could. She blurted fiercely, “Granma died right on top a the truck.’’ The girl looked questioningly at her. “Well, she did,’’ Ruthie said. “An’ the cor’ner got her.’’ She closed her lips tightly and broke up a little pile of sticks.
Winfield blinked at the boldness of the attack. “Right on the truck,’’ he echoed. “Cor’ner stuck her in a big basket.’’
Ma said, “You shush now, both of you, or you got to go away.’’ And she fed twigs into the fire.
Down the line Al had strolled to watch the valve-grinding job. “Looks like you’re ’bout through,’’ he said.
“Two more.’’
“Is they any girls in this here camp?’’
“I got a wife,’’ said the young man. “I got no time for girls.’’
“I always got time for girls,’’ said Al. “I got no time for nothin’ else.’’
“You get a little hungry an’ you’ll change.’’
Al laughed. “Maybe. But I ain’t never changed that notion yet.’’
“Fella I talked to while ago, he’s with you, ain’t he?’’
“Yeah! My brother Tom. Better not fool with him. He killed a fella.’’
“Did? What for?’’
“Fight. Fella got a knife in Tom. Tom busted ’im with a shovel.’’
“Did, huh? What’d the law do?’’
“Let ’im off ’cause it was a fight,’’ said Al.
“He don’t look like a quarreler.’’
“Oh, he ain’t. But Tom don’t take nothin’ from nobody.’’ Al’s voice was very proud. “Tom, he’s quiet. But—look out!’’
“Well—I talked to ’im. He didn’ soun’ mean.’’
“He ain’t. Jus’ as nice as pie till he’s roused, an’ then—look out.’’ The young man ground at the last valve. “Like me to he’p you get them valves set an’ the head on?’’
“Sure, if you got nothin’ else to do.’’
“Oughta get some sleep,’’ said Al. “But, hell, I can’t keep my han’s out of a tore-down car. Jus’ got to git in.’’
“Well, I’d admire to git a hand,’’ said the young man. “My name’s Floyd Knowles.’’
“I’m Al Joad.’’
“Proud to meet ya.’’
“Me too,’’ said Al. “Gonna use the same gasket?’’
“Got to,’’ said Floyd.
Al took out his pocket knife and scraped at the block. “Jesus!’’ he said. “They ain’t nothin’ I love like the guts of a engine.’’
“How ’bout girls?’’
“Yeah, girls too! Wisht I could tear down a Rolls an’ put her back. I looked under the hood of a Cad’ 16 one time an’, God Awmighty, you never seen nothin’ so sweet in your life! In Sallisaw—an’ here’s this 16 a-standin’ in front of a restaurant, so I lifts the hood. An’ a guy comes out an’ says, ‘What the hell you doin’?’ I says, ‘Jus’ lookin’. Ain’t she swell?’ An’ he jus’ stands there. I don’ think he ever looked in her before. Jus’ stands there. Rich fella in a straw hat. Got a stripe’ shirt on, an’ eye glasses. We don’ say nothin’. Jus’ look. An’ purty soon he says, ‘How’d you like to drive her?’ ’’
Floyd said, “The hell!’’
“Sure—‘How’d you like to drive her?’ Well, hell, I got on jeans—all dirty. I says, ‘I’d get her dirty.’ ‘Come on!’ he says. ‘Jus’ take her roun’ the block.’ Well, sir, I set in that seat an’ I took her roun’ the block eight times, an’, oh, my God Almighty!’’
“Nice?’’ Floyd asked.
“Oh, Jesus!’’ said Al. “If I could of tore her down why—I’d a give— anythin’.’’
Floyd slowed his jerking arm. He lifted the last valve from its seat and looked at it. “You better git use’ ta a jalopy,’’ he said, “ ’cause you ain’t goin’ a drive no 16.’’ He put his brace down on the running board and took up a chisel to scrape the crust from the block. Two stocky women, bare-headed and bare-footed, went by carrying a bucket of milky water between them. They limped against the weight of the bucket, and neither one looked up from the ground. The sun was half down in afternoon.