И проиграли бой

           Jimstaredupathim,aleanoldmanwithblackeyesandasparse,chewedbeard.Theveinsstoodoutheavyandblueonhishands.Hislegsseemedasthinandstraightassticks,toothinforthebigfeetwithgreatheavy-soledshoes.

           Jimsaid,"Idon’tgiveadamnaboutthetree.Aren’tyoutoooldtobeclimbingaroundlikeamonkey,Dad?"

           Theoldmanspatandwatchedthebigwhitedrophittheground.Hisbleakeyesgrewfierce."That’swhatyouthink,"hesaid."LotsofyoungpunksthinkI’mtooold.Icanout-workyouanydayintheweek,anddon’tyouforgetit,neither."Heputanartificialspringinessinhiskneesashespoke.Hereachedupandpickedthewholeclusterofapples,twigandall,skinnedtheapplesintohisbucketandcontemptuouslydroppedthetwigontheground.

           Thevoiceofthecheckercalled,"Carefulofthosetrees,overthere."

           Theoldmangrinnedmaliciously,showingtwoupperandtwoloweryellowteeth,longandslopedoutward,likeagopher’steeth."Busybastard,ain’the,"heremarkedtoJim.

           "Collegeboy,"saidJim."Everyplaceyougoyouruninto’em."

           Theoldmansquatteddownonhislimb."Andwhatdotheyknow?"hedemanded."Theygotothemcolleges,andtheydon’tlearnaGoddamnthing.Thatsmartguywiththelittlebookcouldn’tkeephisassdryinabarn."Hespatagain."Theygetprettysmart,allright,"Jimagreed.

           "Nowyouandme,"theoldmanwenton,"Weknow—notmuch,maybe,butwhatweknowweknowgood."