И проиграли бой

           Jimwassilentforamoment,andthenhelancedattheoldman’sprideashehadheardMacdotoothermen."Youdon’tknowenoughtokeepoutofatreewhenyou’reseventy.Idon’tknowenoughtowearwhitecordsandmakepencilmarksinalittlebook."

           Theoldmansnarled,"Wegotnopull,that’swhat.Yougottohavepulltogetaneasyjob.Wejustgetrodeoverbecausewegotnopull."

           "Well,whatyougoingtodoaboutit?"

           Thequestionseemedtoletairoutoftheoldman.Hisangerdisappeared.Hiseyesgrewpuzzledandalittlefrightened."Christonlyknows,"hesaid."Wejusttakeit,that’sall.Wemoveaboutthecountrylikeabunchofhogsandgetbeatontheassbyacollegeboy."

           "It’snothisfault,"saidJim."He’sjustgotajob.Ifhe’sgoingtokeepthejob,he’sgottodoit."

           Theoldmanreachedforanotherclusterofapples,pickedthemwithlittletwistingliftsandputeachonecarefullyintohisbucket."WhenIwasayoungman,Iusedtothinksomethin’couldbedone,"hesaid,"butI’mseventy-one."Hisvoicewastired.

           Atruckwentby,carryingoffthefilledboxes.Theoldmancontinued,"IwasinthenorthwoodswhentheWobblieswasraisinghell.I’matop-faller,adamngoodone.MaybeyounoticedhowItaketoatreeatmyage.Well,Ihadhopesthen.’CoursetheWobbliesdonesomegood,usedtobetherewasnocrappersbutaholeintheground,andnoplacetotakeabath.Themeatusedtospoil.Well,themWobbliesmade’emputintoiletsandshowers;but,hell,itallwenttopieces."Hishandwentupautomaticallyformoreapples."Ijoinedunions,"hesaid.