Гроздья гнева
Chapter 2
«Well,itmakesyoumadtohearaguyusebigwords.’Coursewithapreacherit’sallrightbecausenobodywouldfoolaroundwithapreacheranyway.Butthisguywasfunny.Youdidn’tgiveadamnwhenhesaidabigword’causehejustdoneitforducks.Hewasn’tputtin’onnodog.»Thedriverwasreassured.HeknewatleastthatJoadwaslistening.Heswungthegreattruckviciouslyaroundabendandthetiresshrilled.«LikeIwassayin’,"hecontinued,«guythatdrivesatruckdoesscrewythings.Hegotto.He’dgonutsjustsettin’herean’theroadsneakin’underthewheels.Fellasaysoncethattruckskinnerseatsallthetime—allthetimeinhamburgerjointsalongtheroad.»
«Sureseemtolivethere,"Joadagreed.
«Suretheystop,butitain’ttoeat.Theyain’thardlyeverhungry.They’rejustgoddamnsickofgoin’—getsickofit.Jointsistheonlyplaceyoucanpullup,an’whenyoustopyougottobuysomepinsoyoucanslingthebullwiththebroadbehindthecounter.Soyougetacupofcoffeeandapiecepie.Kindofgivesaguyalittlerest.»Hechewedhisgumslowlyandturneditwithhistongue.
«Mustbetough,"saidJoadwithnoemphasis.
Thedriverglancedquicklyathim,lookingforsatire.«Well,itain’tnogoddamncinch,"hesaidtestily.«Lookseasy,jus’settin’heretillyouputinyoureightormaybeyourtenorfourteenhours.Buttheroadgetsintoaguy.He’sgottodosomepin.Somesingsan’somewhistles.Companywon’tletushavenoradio.Afewtakesapintalong,butthemkinddon’tsticklong.»Hesaidthelastsmugly.«Idon’tnevertakeadrinktillI’mthrough.»
«Yeah?»Joadasked.
