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Chapter 26
«Sure,"saidthenear-sightedclerk.«Thatkeepspeoplefromstealingthem.Allright—downinthatsection.Getgoing.»ThefourJoadstooktheirbucketsandwentintotheorchard.«Theydon’twastenotime,"Tomsaid.«ChristAwmighty,"Alsaid.«Irutherworkinagarage.»Pahadfolloweddocilelyintothefield.HeturnedsuddenlyonAl.
«Nowyoujus’quitit,"hesaid.«Youbeena-hankerin’an’a-complainin’an’a-bullblowin’.Yougettowork.Youain’tsobigIcan’tlickyouyet.»
Al’sfaceturnedredwithanger.Hestartedtobluster.Tommovedneartohim.«Comeon,Al,"hesaidquietly.«Breadan’meat.Wegottoget’em.»
Theyreachedforthefruitanddroppedtheminthebuckets.Tomranathiswork.Onebucketfull,twobuckets.Hedumpedtheminabox.Threebuckets.Theboxwasfull.«Ijus’madeanickel,"hecalled.Hepickeduptheboxandwalkedhurriedlytothestation.«Here’sanickel’sworth,"hesaidtothechecker.
Themanlookedintothebox,turnedoverapeachortwo.«Putitoverthere.That’sout,"hesaid.«Itoldyounottobruisethem.Dumped’emoutathebucket,didn’tyou?Well,everydamnpeachisbruised.Can’tcheckthatone.Put’emineasyoryou’reworkingfornothing.»
«Why—goddamnit—"
«Nowgoeasy.Iwarnedyoubeforeyoustarted.»
Tom’seyesdroopedsullenly.«O.K.»hesaid.«O.K.»Hewentquicklybacktotheothers.«Might’swelldumpwhatyougot,"hesaid.«Yoursisthesameasmine.Won’ttake’em.»
«Now,whatthehell!»Albegan.
