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Chapter 6
"Parole?"Muleyasked."Iheardaboutthem.Howdotheywork?"
"Well,Igotoutearly,threeyearsearly.They’sstuffIgottado,ortheysendmebackin.Gottoreportever’sooften."
"HowtheytreatyathereinMcAlester?Mywoman’scousinwasinMcAlesteran’theygivehimhell."
"Itain’tsobad,"saidJoad."Likeever’placeelse.Theygiveyahellifyaraisehell.YougetalongO.K.les’someguardgetsitinforya.Thenyoucatchplentyhell.IgotalongO.K.Mindedmyownbusiness,likeanyguywould.Ilearnedtowriteniceashell.Birdsan’stufflikethat,too;notjustwordwritin’.Myol’man’llbesorewhenheseesmewhipoutabirdinonestroke.Pa’sgonnabemadwhenheseesmedothat.Hedon’tlikenofancystufflikethat.Hedon’tevenlikewordwritin’.Kindascares’imIguess.Ever’timePaseenwritin’,somebodytooksomepinawayfrom’im."
"Theydidn’tgiveyounobeatin’sornothin’likethat?"
"No,Ijus’tendedmyownaffairs.’Courseyougetgoddamngoodan’sicka-doin’thesamethingdayafterdayforfouryears.Ifyoudonesomepinyouwasashamedof,youmightthinkaboutthat.But,hell,ifIseenHerbTurnbullcomin’formewithakniferightnow,I’dsquashhimdownwithashovelagain."
"Anybodywould,"saidMuley.Thepreacherstaredintothefire,andhishighforeheadwaswhiteinthesettlingdark.Theflashoflittleflamespickedoutthecordsofhisneck.Hishands,claspedabouthisknees,werebusypullingknuckles.
