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Chapter 20
Tomsaid,«Well,afellaeatsinjailanyways.»
«Hiskidsdon’t.How’dyouliketobeinan’yourkidsstarvin’todeath?»
«Yeah,"saidTomslowly.«Yeah.»
«An’here’sanotherthing.Everheara’theblacklist?»
«What’sthat?»
«Well,youjus’openyourtrapaboutusfolksgettin’together,an’you’llsee.Theytakeyourpitcheran’senditallover.Thenyoucan’tgetworknowhere.An’ifyougotkids—"
Tomtookoffhiscap,andtwisteditinhishands.«Sowetakewhatwecanget,huh,orwestarve;an’ifweyelpwestarve.»
Theyoungmanmadeasweepingcirclewithhishand,andhishandtookintheraggedtentsandtherustycars.
Tomlookeddownathismotheragain,whereshesatscrapingpotatoes.Andthechildrenhaddrawncloser.Hesaid,«Iain’tgonnatakeit.Goddamnit,Ian’myfolksain’tnosheep.I’llkickthehelloutasomebody.»
«Likeacop?»
«Likeanybody.»
«You’renuts,"saidtheyoungman.«They’llpickyourightoff.Yougotnoname,noproperty.They’llfindyouinaditch,withtheblooddriedonyourmouthan’yournose.Beonelittlelineinthepaper—knowwhatit’llsay?’Vagrantfoun’dead.’An’that’sall.You’llseealotofthemlittlelines,’Vagrantfoun’dead.’"
Tomsaid,«They’llbesomebodyelsefoun’deadright’longsideofthisherevagrant.»
«You’renuts,"saidtheyoungman.«Won’tbenogoodinthat.»
«Well,whatyoudoin’aboutit?»Helookedintothegrease-streakedface.
