Гроздья гнева

           Oneofficerputdownthelicensenumberandraisedthehood.

           Tomasked,"What’sthishere?"

           "Agriculturalinspection.Wegottolookoveryourstuff.Gotanyvegetablesorseeds?"

           "No,"saidTom.

           "Well,wegottolookoveryourstuff.Yougottounload."

           NowMaclimbedheavilydownfromthetruck.Herfacewasswollenandhereyeswerehard."Look,mister.Wegotasickol’lady.Wegottogethertoadoctor.Wecan’twait."Sheseemedtofightwithhysteria."Youcan’tmakeuswait."

           "Yeah?Well,wegottolookyouover."

           "Iswearweain’tgotanything!"Macried."Iswearit.An’Granma’sawfulsick."

           "Youdon’tlooksogoodyourself,"theofficersaid.

           Mapulledherselfupthebackofthetruck,hoistedherselfwithhugestrength."Look,"shesaid.

           Theofficershotaflashlightbeamupontheoldshrunkenface.

           "ByGod,sheis,"hesaid."Youswearyougotnoseedsorfruitsorvegetables,nocorn,nooranges?"

           "No,no.Iswearit!"

           "Thengoahead.YoucangetadoctorinBarstow.That’sonlyeightmiles.Goonahead."

           Tomclimbedinanddroveon.

           Theofficerturnedtohiscompanion."Icouldn’holdem."

           "Maybeitwasabluff,"saidtheother.

           "Oh,Jesus,no!Youshouldofseenthatol’woman’sface.Thatwasn’tnobluff."

           TomincreasedhisspeedtoBarstow,andinthelittletownhestopped,gotout,andwalkedaroundthetruck.Maleanedout."It’sawright,"shesaid."Ididn’wantastopthere,fearwewouldn’getacrost."