Chapter 16

           JoadsandWilsonscrawledwestwardasaunit:ElRenoandBridgeport,Clinton,ElkCity,Sayre,andTexola.There’stheborder,andOklahomawasbehind.Andthisdaythecarscrawledonandon,throughthePanhandleofTexas.ShamrockandAlanreed,GroomandYarnell.TheywentthroughAmarillointheevening,drovetoolong,andcampedwhenitwasdusk.Theyweretiredanddustyandhot.Granmahadconvulsionsfromtheheat,andshewasweakwhentheystopped.

           ThatnightAlstoleafencerailandmadearidgepoleonthetruck,bracedatbothends.Thatnighttheyatenothingbutpanbiscuits,coldandhard,heldoverfrombreakfast.Theyfloppeddownonthemattressesandsleptintheirclothes.TheWilsonsdidn’tevenputuptheirtent.

           JoadsandWilsonswereinflightacrossthePanhandle,therollinggraycountry,linedandcutwitholdfloodscars.TheywereinflightoutofOklahomaandacrossTexas.Thelandturtlescrawledthroughthedustandthesunwhippedtheearth,andintheeveningtheheatwentoutoftheskyandtheearthsentupawaveofheatfromitself.

           Twodaysthefamilieswereinflight,butonthethirdthelandwastoohugeforthemandtheysettledintoanewtechniqueofliving;thehighwaybecametheirhomeandmovementtheirmediumofexpression.

           Littlebylittletheysettledintothenewlife.RuthieandWinfieldfirst,thenAl,thenConnieandRoseofSharon,and,last,theolderones.Thelandrolledlikegreatstationarygroundswells.WildoradoandVegaandBoiseandGlenrio.That’stheendofTexas.NewMexicoandthemountains.