Chapter 5

           Theownersofthelandcameontotheland,ormoreoftenaspokesmanfortheownerscame.Theycameinclosedcars,andtheyfeltthedryearthwiththeirfingers,andsometimestheydrovebigearthaugersintothegroundforsoiltests.Thetenants,fromtheirsun-beatendooryards,watcheduneasilywhentheclosedcarsdrovealongthefields.Andatlasttheownermendroveintothedooryardsandsatintheircarstotalkoutofthewindows.Thetenantmenstoodbesidethecarsforawhile,andthensquattedontheirhamsandfoundstickswithwhichtomarkthedust.

           Intheopendoorsthewomenstoodlookingout,andbehindthemthechildren—corn-headedchildren,withwideeyes,onebarefootontopoftheotherbarefoot,andthetoesworking.Thewomenandthechildrenwatchedtheirmentalkingtotheownermen.Theyweresilent.

           Someoftheownermenwerekindbecausetheyhatedwhattheyhadtodo,andsomeofthemwereangrybecausetheyhatedtobecruel,andsomeofthemwerecoldbecausetheyhadlongagofoundthatonecouldnotbeanownerunlessonewerecold.Andallofthemwerecaughtinsomethinglargerthanthemselves.Someofthemhatedthemathematicsthatdrovethem,andsomewereafraid,andsomeworshipedthemathematicsbecauseitprovidedarefugefromthoughtandfromfeeling.Ifabankorafinancecompanyownedtheland,theownermansaid,TheBank—ortheCompany—needs—wants—insistsmusthave—asthoughtheBankortheCompanywereamonster,withthoughtandfeeling,whichhadensnaredthem.