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Chapter 5
Godknowshowmuchcottonnextyear.Andwithallthewars—Godknowswhatpricecottonwillbring.Don’ttheymakeexplosivesoutofcotton?Anduniforms?Getenoughwarsandcotton’llhittheceiling.Nextyear,maybe.Theylookedupquestioningly.
Wecan’tdependonit.Thebank—themonsterhastohaveprofitsallthetime.Itcan’twait.It’lldie.No,taxesgoon.Whenthemonsterstopsgrowing,itdies.Itcan’tstayonesize.
Softfingersbegantotapthesillofthecarwindow,andhardfingerstightenedontherestlessdrawingsticks.Inthedoorwaysofthesun-beatentenanthouses,womensighedandthenshiftedfeetsothattheonethathadbeendownwasnowontop,andthetoesworking.Dogscamesniffingneartheownercarsandwettedonallfourtiresoneafteranother.Andchickenslayinthesunnydustandfluffedtheirfeatherstogetthecleansingdustdowntotheskin.Inthelittlestiesthepigsgruntedinquiringlyoverthemuddyremnantsoftheslops.
Thesquattingmenlookeddownagain.Whatdoyouwantustodo?Wecan’ttakelessshareofthecrop—we’rehalfstarvednow.Thekidsarehungryallthetime.Wegotnoclothes,tornan’ragged.Ifalltheneighborsweren’tthesame,we’dbeashamedtogotomeeting.
Andatlasttheownermencametothepoint.Thetenantsystemwon’tworkanymore.Onemanonatractorcantaketheplaceoftwelveorfourteenfamilies.Payhimawageandtakeallthecrop.Wehavetodoit.Wedon’tliketodoit.Butthemonster’ssick.Something’shappenedtothemonster.
