Гроздья гнева

           Theysawtheoilderricksinthetown,ontheedgeofthetown;oilderricksblack,andthesmellofoilandgasintheair.Buttheydidn’texclaim.Itwassobigandsostrangeitfrightenedthem.

           InthestreetRoseofSharonsawamaninalightsuit.Heworewhiteshoesandaflatstrawhat.ShetouchedConnieandindicatedthemanwithhereyes,andthenConnieandRoseofSharongiggledsoftlytothemselves,andthegigglesgotthebestofthem.Theycoveredtheirmouths.Anditfeltsogoodthattheylookedforotherpeopletogiggleat.RuthieandWinfieldsawthemgigglinganditlookedsuchfunthattheytriedtodoittoo—buttheycouldn’t.Thegiggleswouldn’tcome.ButConnieandRoseofSharonwerebreathlessandredwithstiflinglaughterbeforetheycouldstop.Itgotsobadthattheyhadonlytolookateachothertostartoveragain.

           Theoutskirtswerewidespread.Tomdroveslowlyandcarefullyinthetraffic,andthentheywereon66—thegreatwesternroad,andthesunwassinkingonthelineoftheroad.Thewindshieldwasbrightwithdust.Tompulledhiscaploweroverhiseyes,solowthathehadtotilthisheadbacktoseeoutatall.Granmaslepton,thesunonherclosedeyelids,andtheveinsonhertempleswereblue,andthelittlebrightveinsonhercheekswerewine-colored,andtheoldbrownmarksonherfaceturneddarker.

           Tomsaid,"Westayonthisroadrightstraightthrough."

           Mahadbeensilentforalongtime."Maybewebetterfin’aplacetostop’foresunset,"shesaid.