Гроздья гнева
Chapter 26
That’seightycents.Coffee?»
«Twentycentsthecheapest,ma’am.»
«An’that’sthedollar.Sevenofusworkin’,an’that’ssupper.»Shestudiedherhand.«Wrap’emup,"shesaidquickly.
«Yes,ma’am,"hesaid.«Thanks.»Heputthepotatoesinabagandfoldedthetopcarefullydown.HiseyesslippedtoMa,andthenhidinhisworkagain.Shewatchedhim,andshesmiledalittle.
«How’dyougetajoblikethis?»sheasked.«Afellagottoeat,"hebegan;andthen,belligerently,«Afellagotarighttoeat.»
«Whatfella?»Maasked.Heplacedthefourpackagesonthecounter.«Meat,"hesaid.
«Potatoes,bread,coffee.Onedollar,even.»Shehandedhimherslipofpaperandwatchedwhileheenteredthenameandtheamountinaledger.«There,"hesaid.«Nowwe’realleven.»
Mapickedupherbags.«Say,"shesaid.«Wegotnosugarforthecoffee.MyboyTom,hewantssugar.Look!»shesaid.«They’rea-workin’outthere.Youletmehavesomesugaran’I’llbringtheslipinlater.»
Thelittlemanlookedaway—tookhiseyesasfarfromMaashecould.«Ican’tdoit,"hesaidsoftly.«That’stherule.Ican’t.I’dgetintrouble.I’dgetcanned.»
«Butthey’rea-workin’outinthefieldnow.Theygotmore’nadimecomin’.Gimmetencentsofsugar.Tom,hewantedsugarinhiscoffee.Spokeaboutit.»
«Ican’tdoit,ma’am.That’stherule.Noslip,nogroceries.Themanager,hetalksaboutthatallthetime.No,Ican’tdoit.No,Ican’t.They’dcatchme.Theyalwayscatchfellas.Always.
