И проиграли бой

           Youwouldn’tbelieveit,Mac,buteversinceIstartedtogrowupIbeenscaredofgirls.IguessIwasscaredI’dgetcaught."

           "Tooattractive,huh?"

           "No,youseealltheguysIusedtorunaroundwithwentthroughthemill.Theyusedtotrytomakegirlsbehindbillboardsanddowninthelumberyard.Well,soonerorlatersomegirl’dgetknockedhigherthanakite,andthen—well,hell,Mac,IwasscaredI’dgetcaughtlikemymotherandmyoldman—tworoomflatandawoodstove.ChristknowsIdon’twantluxury,butIdon’twanttogetbattedaroundthewayallthekidsIknewgotit.Lunchpailinthemorningwithapieceofsoggypieandathermosbottleofstalecoffee."

           Macsaid,"You’vepickedahellofafinelifeifyoudon’twanttogetbattedaround.Waittillwefinishthisjob,you’llgetbattedplenty."

           "That’sdifferent,"Jimprotested."Idon’tmindgettingsmackedonthechin.Ijustdon’twanttogetnibbledtodeath.There’sadifference."

           Macyawned."It’snotadifferencethat’sgoingtokeepmeawake.Cat-housesaren’tmuchfun."Hegotupandwentbacktothepileofpapers,andhespreadthemoutandlaydownandwenttosleep.

           ForalongtimeJimsatinthedoorway,watchingthefarmsgoby.Therewerebigmarketvegetablegardenswithrowsofroundlettucesandrowsoffern-likecarrots,andredbeetleaves,withglisteningwaterrunningbetweentherows.Thetrainwentbyfieldsofalfalfa,andbygreatwhitedairybarnsfromwhichthewindbroughttherich,healthysmellofmanureandammonia.Andthenthefreightenteredapassinthehills,andthesunwascutoff.Fernsandgreenliveoaksgrewonthesteepsidesoftheright-of-way.