In this gripping first episode of the radio dramatization of John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," we are introduced to the Joad family as they face the harsh realities of the Great Depression in Oklahoma. The episode opens with the land parched and ruined, forcing the Joads and other families to consider leaving their homes in search of a better life in California. Tom Joad, recently released from prison, returns to find his family preparing for the arduous journey west. As they grapple with the decision to leave, tensions rise, and the family must confront the loss of their home and the death of Grandpa Joad, who cannot bear to leave the land he loves.
The episode vividly captures the struggles and resilience of the Joad family as they embark on their journey along Highway 66, the migrant road to California. The narrative is rich with the language and spirit of the time, reflecting the desperation and hope of those displaced by economic hardship. As the family sets out, they are joined by former preacher Jim Casey, who brings a philosophical perspective to their plight. This episode sets the stage for a powerful exploration of human endurance, community, and the search for dignity in the face of adversity.
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Now on BBC Radio four, we begin a new classic serial to commemorate the centenary in 02/2002 of the one of America's best loved writers. Set in the depression of the nineteen thirties, it won John Steinbeck the Pulitzer Prize and reflects the language of the migrant workers of the period.
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The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, dramatized for radio by Steve Chambers with John Schwab as Tom Joad. Episode one, Exodus.
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Drought came slowly to the red and gray country of Oklahoma. The last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred earth. The sun flared down on the growing corn until a line of browns spread along the edge of each green bayonet. In the roads where the mule teams moved, the rain crust broke and dust formed. Every moving thing lifted dust into the air. A wind got up, scattering dust plumes over the fields. It grew stronger, dug cunningly among the rootlets of the corn until each stalk settled rarely sideways and pointed in the direction of the blast.
Men looked at the ruined corn, surveyed their useless land, and shrugged. The women stood beside their men and asked, what do we do?
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I took this land in my own bare hands. I ain't giving enough. Stop him, Paul. It's it's Stop him. Shut out his headlights. Shoots eyes out too if you don't
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Give me the gun down, Paul.
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Go on me or I'll shoot you, sir. That ain't gonna stop no tractor. You Jones ought to know that. Look. It's Willie Freely. So Freely's boy, what you driving a tractor for against your own people? $3 a day. Got a wife, kids. We gotta eat. For your $3 a day, fifteen, twenty families can't eat at all. Can't think of that. Gotta think of my own kids. Times are changing. Can't make a living off the land unless you got 10,000 acres and a tractor. Grandpa made this place. Yeah. Our kids was born here. Cropland isn't for guys like us anymore. You don't kick up a highl because you can't make fords.
Well, crops is like that now. Some folks are striking out for California.
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They say there's work there and it never gets cold. I ain't leaving. Bad crops and bad harvests. We had to borrow from the bank to keep going, but we'll turn things around. Just give us some more time. You, Joe, have had your papers.
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You gotta get off. It better be quick too. I'll be going through your door yard this afternoon. I'll blow your head clean up before I let you knock down my place. Go ahead. They'll hang you. Pretty soon there'll be another tractor along. It ain't my fault. I'll get my orders from the Shawnee Land and Cattle Company. Who's they? Ain't nobody. It's a company. They bought off the title of your land. Who's in charge of the company? I'll go after him. He gets his orders from the bank, and I heard tell the bank gets his orders from back east. Who can I, suit? I don't aim to starve before I kill the man that's starving me. Maybe there's no one to shoot. I've got my orders.
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What are we gonna do, Maul?
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Drought, dust, misery. All across the plains, it was the same thing. Land parched and ruined. Families driven out with nothing. I didn't know about that. I just got out of jail. Going far, mister? What if I am?
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Could you give me a lift? Didn't you see the no riders sticker on a windshield.
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Sure. I see it. Well, you know, man.
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Sometimes a guy will be a good guy. Even if some rich bastard makes him carry a sticker. Oh, is that right?
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Well, how about it then?
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Scrunch down on the running board
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till we get around the bend. Keep out of sight of them restaurant folks.
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Yep.
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Thanks, buddy. Okay.
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My dogs was pooped out. New shoes, hot day. You ought to take no walk in new shoes. Well, didn't have no others. Aaron, looking for a job.
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Uh-uh.
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My old man's got a place. 40 acres. Cherry cropper, but we've been there a long time. There are not many croppers left here
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about. Most been dusted or tracked or downed. I ain't heard lately.
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I never was no hand to ride nor my old man neither. But the both of us can if we could mind to. Uh-huh.
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And been away?
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Yep.
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Thought so. I've seen your hands. They've been swinging a pick or a shovel.
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Makes them real shiny. Anything else you wanna know? You ain't got a guess. No. No. It's sore.
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I just like to notice things.
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Name's Joe. Alright. Tom Joe.
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Guy that drives a truck does screwy things. He's got two. He go nuts. Just sitting here. We'll have that a drink. Oh, no. My god. I don't ever drink till I'm through.
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Well, suit yourself. Well, I don't need no shot.
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I've been training my mind. Training your mind? Sure. Suppose I pass a guy on the road. I look at him, and after I'm passed, I try to remember everything about him.
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Any scars, the way he walks,
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his cologne Especially if he's all new like like mine. You sure took your time to get to it, buddy. Get to what? Well, you know where I come from, don't you? Why, it ain't nothing to me. I mind my own yard. I've been in McAllister Four Years.
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I don't give a damn who knows it. Oh, that ain't none of my business. I ain't a nosy guy. The hell you ain't. That big nose of yours been sticking out eight miles ahead of your face. You got me all wrong. I gave me a lift, didn't I? You've been a good guy.
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But you wanna know what I done time for, don't you? Ain't none of my fear. Nothing ain't none of your fear except skinning this here bull bitch along. And that's the least thing you work at.
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See that road up ahead? No.
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Pull over. Okay.
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Your dad's place near here? Sure thing.
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I know you're wetting your pants to know what I've done. I ain't a guy to let you down. I'm a sigh. Thank you. That's a big word. Means I killed a guy. Seven years sprung in for it for keeping my nose clean. I ain't gonna say nothing. You can tell about it in every joint from here to Texola. I'm going home
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so I don't have to lie to get a job. Thanks for the lift. Work.
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Sure thing.
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Yes, sir. That's my savior. Jesus
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is my savior. Howdy.
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Out in hell on the road.
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Hey. Ain't you Tom Joad? Old Tom's boy? Yeah. Going home now. Oh, well, you wouldn't remember me, I guess. Nah. He was he always too busy pulling little girls' pigtails when I give you the Holy Spirit. Why? You're the preacher. Yeah. I was. Reverend Jim Casey. Yeah. I used to howl out the name of Jesus to glory. Get an irrigation ditch so squirming full of repented sinners while I have them like to drown. I remember.
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Just Jim and Casey now. Ain't got the call no more.
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We got a lot of sinful ideas, but,
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you know, they seem kinda sense. Well, you're bound to get ideas if you go thinking about stuff. The spirit just ain't in people much no more. Worse than that, it ain't in me. You ain't too damn holy to take a drink, are you? Nope.
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Yes, sir.
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We don't nice drinking liquor. Ought to be. That's factory liquor. Cost a buck.
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Well, I ain't seen you for a while, Casey. Well, nobody's seen me. Me. Went off alone and figured. You see, I just wouldn't take the good old gospel that was laying there to my hand. When I gotta be up picking at it and working at it until I got her all tore down. I still get the call to lead the people. Just ain't got no place to lead them. What the hell you wanna lead them someplace for? Just lead them. Ah, I used to get the people a jumping and a glory shout until they fell down and passed out. And then you know what I did? I'd take one of them girls out in the grass, and I'd lay with her. Yep. And I'd done it every time. Ain't nothing like a good meeting for pushing them over. Well, I've done that myself. Yeah. But after I'd done, I and I'd feel bad. And I'd pray and pray, but didn't do no good. Come next time, them and me was full of the spirit. Why? I'd do it again. Now that got me to figuring. Ask me. You figured too hard. They they say laying up with a girl comes from the devil.
But the more grace the girl got in her, why, the quicker she wants to go out in the grass. Maybe it ain't a sin. Maybe it's just the way folks is. Well, you know, that's what I come to.
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Maybe there ain't no sin and no virtue. Maybe there's just stuff people do. You give her a good going over, Casey.
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You figured her out. Well, I asked myself, do you love Jesus? I don't know nobody named Jesus. Well, I know a bunch of stories, but, hey, I only love people. Well, that don't sound so wrong. Yeah, I'll tell you one more thing. If it hits you wrong, you don't take no offense at it. I don't take no offense except to busting the nose.
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So what'd you figure? Well, why do we gotta hang on to god or Jesus?
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And maybe it's all men and all women we love. Maybe that's the holy spirit, the human spirit, the whole shebang. You know, as I sat there thinking, I knew it was true. I still do. Well, I can't hold no church with ideas like that. Jumping and a yelling. That's what folks like.
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You know, like I said,
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I ain't a preacher no more.
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Well, guess I'll moozy along. Mhmm. Hate to hit the sun, but it ain't so bad now. I ain't seen old Tom in the Bug's Age.
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I
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was gonna look in on him, but Well, come along. Well, I'll be glad to see you.
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He always said you got too long a pecker for a preacher.
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So how is Old Tom?
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Don't know how he is. Ain't been home in four years. Didn't he write to you? Well, Pa wasn't no hand to write for pretty. Pretty. Reckon what he couldn't tell a fellow with his mouth wasn't worth leaning on no pencil about.
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You've been out traveling around?
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Didn't you hear about me? Nope. I've been in McAlester them four years. Killed a guy. I won't ask you no questions if you done something bad. I'd do what I done again. We was drunk at a dance. And he got a knife in me, and I killed him with the shovel that was laying there. Knocked his head plumbed squash. So you ain't ashamed of nothing then? No. I ain't. I got seven years the county had a knife in me. Got out in four parole.
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So how do they treat you up there? Alright.
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You eat regular and get clean clothes, and there's a place to take a bath? Hard not having no women. Yeah. I guess.
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Old Tom's place can't be far now. The house is over the rise. That's our line. Yeah. Your folks will be mighty pleased to see you.
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Hell, I could eat me some roast and pork. I had just four slices in four years. One slice every Christmas. Well, maybe they'll kill a fatted calf like for the prodigal and scriptures. Maybe. Be able to see it from the top of this here rise. Yeah.
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There it is.
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Something's happened. It ain't the same. Easy, Tom. Look at that house. Ain't nobody there.
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Ma? Dear lord. It's me, Tom.
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Paul.
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Paul must have popped here.
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House all busted up and empty, cotton over the dooryard.
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Jesus ain't nothing left. Nothing. Well, if I was still a preacher, let's say the arm of the lord is struck.
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Maybe they's all dead, but I'd have got a word some way. Maybe they left a letter or something around here. Did did they know you was coming there? I guess not. Didn't know myself till a week ago, but they're gone. Her mom's dead. See over yonder there?
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Hey. That's the ditch right down the,
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baptizing.
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How come nobody ripped some lumber off this house? Well, what's that figure for you? Seems like maybe there ain't any neighbors. If there was, would all them nice planks be here? Yeah. Hell, Casey. Look at this old wore out shoe. It was Ma's favor. Mhmm.
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Reckon they've win. Took most everything. Somebody's coming through the cotton there.
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There. Coming afoot? I I know him. It's Muley Graves. Hey, Muley. Hell yeah.
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Tommy, Joe. Well, when did you get out?
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Two days ago. Hey. You know reverend Casey?
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Sure. Really? Remember him well. Where's my folks, Milly? What's the house all smashed up for? My god. It's lucky I come by because old Tom worried himself about you when he was fixing to move. Your grandpa tried to shoot it out, but when they busted the house Where is they? They took a stove and a pump and a mails and three trees. Muhly. Well, they're all over at your Uncle John's piled in like gophers in a winter burrow. Now just stick to it for a second, Muhly.
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What they doing at Uncle John's?
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They've been chopping cotton. All of them even the kids and your grandpa getting money together so he can shove on west. Going west? Ain't nothing here. 50¢ a clean acre for chopping cotton and folks baking for the chance to chop. Oh, lord. And they ain't gone yet? Nothing. I know, Tommy. But John got his notice. He got get off and soon too. They kick everyone off the lane? Them sons of bitches.
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I tell you, I'm staying there. I ain't gonna get rid of this. Well, we ain't gonna walk no eight miles to uncle John's place tonight. No, sir.
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How's if we go to your place, mule? It won't do no good. My wife and kids and her brother all took and went to California.
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You shoulda went too. I mean, I shouldn't have broke up the family.
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I couldn't. Something just just wouldn't let me.
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I wonder Paul went so easy. Hell, my guts is young, blue murder. Four sommeliers I've been eating right on the minute. Well, I
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got a couple of cottontails and a
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jackrabbit if you're hungry. You sharing with us, Mulee Graves? Mhmm.
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I ain't got no choice, Reverend.
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If a fella's got somebody eating, another fella's hungry, first fella ain't got no choice.
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I reckon Mulee's got ahold of something there, John. Yeah. Yep. I reckon he's ahold of something big.
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Well, who's got an eye? Yeah. Right here. Get a fire going. Let's get at these here miserable rodents.
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Smell that, will you? Come on. Let's eat. Turn litter get good and done. Good and brown. I wanna talk. I ain't talk to nobody. We ain't stopping you, Mulee. Well, after my folks went way out west, I got to wandering around, tell myself I'm just looking after things till all the folks come back, but I know that wasn't true. Folks ain't never coming back.
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I've been wandering around like a damn old graveyard ghost. A fella gets used to a place that's hard to go. A fella gets used to a way of thinking.
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It's hard to leave. Jesus Christ. Let's eat this meat for it smaller than a cooked mouse. Okay. Here's for the preacher.
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I told you I ain't no preacher.
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Well, here's for the man then. But if you ain't too upset to eat, this here is Jackrabbit. Yeah. Tougher than a bow, bitch.
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Jesus Christ. Here's a crunch. I've been going around places where stuff happened. Yeah. What kind of places? Well, there's a place over by our 40. Mhmm. In the deli, there's a bush. First time I ever laid with a girl was there. Me, 14 and jerking and snorting like a buck deer. Randy is a billy goat.
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So I went there and I laid down on the ground, and I seen it all happen again. Yeah.
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And there's a place down by the barn where Pa got cored to death by a bull, and his blood is right in that ground.
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I put my hand on that ground where my own Pa's blood is part of it. You fellas think I'm touched. Nope. You're lonely, but you ain't touched. No. I ain't talked to nobody in a long time. Been sneaking around like an old graveyard ghost. All them folks gone to California? They're for fruit picking sons, a bitch. They're gonna need help no preacher can give them. Well,
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that was mighty fine victuals, Muhly. We'll sleep here, I guess. And come daylight, we'll get on to Uncle John's. Lease wise, I will. You coming along, Milly?
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I've seen them lights jerking up and down.
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Probably the superintendent of this stretch of cotton seen our fire.
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We ain't doing nothing. We're doing something just being here trespassing.
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Well, you go and hide. Leave me and Casey to tell these bastards a few things. Okay. If you get in any trouble, they'll send you back to McAlester to finish your time. Sitting here resting, that ain't getting in no trouble. You'll see. Now maybe it's Willie Freely,
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and Willie's a deputy now. Full of crap. That's Willie. Yeah. Before you know it, Willie's mad and scared and throwing his deputy's gun. All hell's broke loose. Hell, Tommy,
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it's a lot easier to lay out in the cotton and let him look. You're all these talking sense, Tom. You don't have to go far.
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I guess you're right. Ain't got a thing in the world to win no matter how it comes out. Come on, man. Yeah. Let's go.
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Here. Down here, I'll do.
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Know you there.
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I'll run you off. I'm gonna bust his nose. No, Tom. Don't. It ain't worth another four years. Shooting through the house. Kick out the fire too, but he won't stay.
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Ever thought I'd be hiding out my old man's place? You'll be hiding out lots of places. Come on. Hide an old cave where we can sleep. I ain't sleeping in no cave. Yeah. I don't reckon I'll sleep much.
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Got too much to puzzle with. Yes, siree.
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Tommy. Tommy, wake up. Mhmm. You too, preacher. Wake up now. Ugh. Help me, Ollie. I'm sleeping real good. Eric, what's going on? It ain't light yet. You better get going so you're off of this land when the light comes. Oh, ain't you coming with us, Mulee? Uh-uh, Tommy. I'm gonna stick around. You fellas pay heed to what it tells you.
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That crazy mule y. He's getting screwy as a gopher. You think Injuns is after him? Yeah. Well, there
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there's something pretty mean going on, Tom. And mewly creeping around like a coyote bound to make him crazy. We'll kill somebody pretty soon. We'll run them down with dogs. Yeah. I can see it like a prophecy. Come on, Casey. Let's get along. Yeah. I hope I was cooking something. My belly's caved. Like a little eating, Tabacchi? It keeps you getting too hungry. Here. Thanks.
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Damn if I know how they all sleep in an Uncle John's. He's only got one room and a cooking lean to. The longest goddamn man in the world. Had a young wife in the family weigh in. One night, she gets a pain in her stomach. Mhmm. She says you better go for a doctor. Well, John says you ate too much. Take it to us as a pain killer. Mhmm. Next day, she's out of her head and dies of four in the afternoon. Pendant bust dinner. That's too bad. John takes it hard. Took him two years to come out of it, and then he ate the same. Sorta wild.
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There's a silvery light coming in the sky.
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Sun'll be up and hot when we get there.
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There's another empty place, Tom. Oh, lord. Seems like there's all empty.
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That's mules all spread. Yeah. Reminds me of a story about Willie Freely. That deputy ran us off last night? When he was young, Willie was awful bashful. One day, he brings a heifer over to Graves' bull. Everybody was out but Elsie Graves, and she wasn't bashful at all. Well, they took the heifer out to the bull, and Willie and Elsie sat on the fence to watch her mate. Pretty soon, Willie got to feeling pretty fly. Elsie looks like she don't know what and says, what's the matter, Willie? Willie's so randy, he can hardly sit still. By God, he says, I wished I wasn't doing that.
Elsie says, go ahead, Willie. It's your heifer.
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Yeah. It's a nice thing not being a preacher no more, Tom. Couldn't laugh at stories, and I couldn't cuss. Now I cuss all the time and it does a fella good to cuss if he wants to. Damn me to hell of him don't. Well, that's it. Yeah. Uncle John's place. When are if they's all there? Well, there's smoke coming out of the chimney and somebody's there. It's Pa.
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Hammering the back of that truck. They're fixing to go. Let's creep up on them like it.
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Darnation. Where did I put that nail?
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This what you're looking for? Sure.
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It's Tommy. Tommy, come home. That's about it, Paul. We're going to California. We was gonna write you a letter and tell you, but you're back. You can go with us. Seems like.
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You ain't busted out, Tommy. You ain't gotta hide. No. I'm paroled.
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Free. Got my papers. Oh, your ma got
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bad feeling she ain't never gonna see you no more if she goes to California. Got that quiet look like when somebody died.
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Let's go in like you've never been away. See what your mom says. You remember the preacher, Paul? Jim Casey? He come along with me. He ain't been in prison too. No. I met him on the road. It is a thing to see when a boy comes home to his folks, mister Joe.
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Thing to see. Sure is.
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How we do her, Tom. I gotta see her face when she sees you. Don't let scare none, Pa. Come on.
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Ma?
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There's a couple of fellas just come along the road. Wonder if we can spare a bite? Well, sure.
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We got a plenty. Lucky I made a lot of bread this morning. Now don't stand in the doorway, mister. Come on in. Don't you know me, ma?
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Tommy?
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Oh, thank god. Oh, thank god my tummy's come home. You didn't bust us. No, ma. Parole. Got the papers here. Oh, won't we come mighty near to going without you?
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Fooled you, Ma.
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Just in there like a hammered sheep.
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Yes, sir. Oh, you got me, I'll rise.
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Wish grandpa been here to see would've whacked himself so hard he'd have thrown his hip off. Where is the old devil? All him and grandma's feet's in the barn. If they got to get up so much in the night, they're stumbling over the little fellas. I'll go tell them breakfast is ready.
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Have some coffee, Tom. Thanks, mom. Now I gotta ask you, Tom. You ain't mad. They didn't do nothing in that jail to rot you out with crazy mad, poisoned mad.
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I was for a little while, but I ain't proud like some fellas. I let stuff run off me. What's the matter?
[00:25:36] Unknown:
Why no pretty boy Floyd? He was full of hell, sure, like a good boy ought to be. He done a little bad thing, and they caught him and hurt him so he was mad. And the next bad thing he done was mad, And they heard him again. And pretty soon, he was mean mad. They shot at him like a varmint. And he shot back, and then they run him like a coyote. Him mean as a Lobo. Finally, they run him down and killed him. Now I got to know Tommy. Did they make you mad like that?
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No, ma. I ain't like that. Thank god. But when I saw what they done to our house Don't you go fighting them alone. They'll hunt you down. Don't seem right just taking it. They say there's a hundred thousand of us shoved out.
[00:26:25] Unknown:
If we was all mad the same way, they wouldn't hunt nobody down. You never was like this before, ma. I never had my house pushed over before. My family stuck out on the road. Praise god for victory.
[00:26:37] Unknown:
Praise god for victory. Grandma finally heard our home. There's goddamn it. Where is he? Praise god for victory. Look at him. That's a young bird. Ain't been no a toads until for a hell of a time. How are you, Tommy? Tommy? Okay, grandpa. How are you keeping yourself? I'm full of piss and vinegar. Please, god. Move your tree. Like I said, Tommy will come a bustin' out of that tail like a bull's locorel fence, and you'll turn it. I'll get out of my way. I'm hungry.
[00:27:07] Unknown:
Ain't he a heller grandma? A wicked or cussing or man ever lived. He's going to hell on a poker. Praise god.
[00:27:14] Unknown:
Say hello to your brother, Tom.
[00:27:16] Unknown:
Howdy, Noah. How are you? Fine, Tom.
[00:27:20] Unknown:
How are you? Just fine. Hey. Where's the preacher, Tom?
[00:27:24] Unknown:
Jim Casey.
[00:27:25] Unknown:
Preacher? You got a preacher? I'll go get him. We'll have a grace. What for?
[00:27:31] Unknown:
Too late for you. Sinful old goat. You hollering me, Tom. Come in and eat. Grandma wants a grace. Yeah. But I ain't a preacher no more. Have some breakfast then. Grace first. I ain't a preacher no more, but, me just being here and, being thankful for people that's kind and generous, why,
[00:27:49] Unknown:
I'll say that kind of grace. Say it and get a word about us going to California. In the hills thinking,
[00:27:55] Unknown:
almost, you might say like Jesus went into the wilderness to think his way out of a mess of trouble. Praise god. And he got to feeling what the hell good is it all. I I'm saying I'm like Jesus, but I got tired and got mixed up like him. Hallelujah. I got to thinking how mankind was holy when we was just one thing, and I'd only got unholy when one miserable little fella ran off on his own way kicking and fighting. He bust the holiness, but when they're all working together, that that's holy. And I got to thinking, I I don't even know what I mean by holy.
I can't say grace no more the way I used to. I'm glad of the holiness of breakfast. Glad there's love here. That's all. Then I got your breakfast, Cole.
[00:28:50] Unknown:
Oh, amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Don't stand on no ceremony. Let's eat.
[00:28:59] Unknown:
On the edges of towns, in fields and vacant lots and garages, he used cars for sale. Going to California? Here's just what you need. Look sharp, but there's thousands of miles in it. Cut down into a truck. Easy. Got a pair of mules to trade? Don't use mules for nothing but glue no more. Give you $5 a piece for the mules for dog feed. You got a real bargain here. A guarantee. We guarantee it to be an automobile. Don't guarantee to wet nurse it.
[00:29:33] Unknown:
Well, Tom, what do you think of our truck?
[00:29:36] Unknown:
Well,
[00:29:37] Unknown:
it's damn near 2,000 miles to California, Paul.
[00:29:41] Unknown:
You think she'll make it? Your brother Al looked her over before we bought her. What's he know? He's just a squirt. I worked for a company. Drove a truck last year. He can tinker an engine.
[00:29:51] Unknown:
How much you get for her? 75.
[00:29:53] Unknown:
Give us a hand. This will load her up. Al's taking the last upsell if he ever gets here. Sure thing, Paul.
[00:30:00] Unknown:
Where's Al? He's a billy doting around the country. Dick, Tomcatting
[00:30:07] Unknown:
himself to death. Ain't been in nights for a week.
[00:30:10] Unknown:
I was worse. I was much worse. I was a heller. You look like a heller grandpa. Well, I am kind of, but I ain't nowhere near the fella I was. No, sir.
[00:30:21] Unknown:
When do you think to start out west, Pa? Well, we gotta take the last of our stuff and sell it. Yeah. Yeah. You got any money, Tom?
[00:30:29] Unknown:
Couple of dollars is all, but I can drive if that's what you want. I drove a truck at McAllister. Good. Here comes Al, dragging his tail home. Tom catting around,
[00:30:40] Unknown:
but I was worse. 16 and thinks he's a big man. Got his brother killed a man.
[00:30:48] Unknown:
Hello, Al. Tom, what are you doing here? Tommy's going with us. Jesus. How you're growing like a bean?
[00:30:56] Unknown:
I wouldn't have knowed you.
[00:30:57] Unknown:
I've got your tongue out. Shake your brother's hand when it's offered. Tom, tell me you're a good hand with the truck, Al. I don't know nothing much. Too busy Billy Goating. You look wore out. I'm okay, Pa. Good. Because you gotta take a load of Sallisaw.
[00:31:12] Unknown:
Tom, did did did you bust out a jail? No. I got paroled.
[00:31:19] Unknown:
Oh. Let's get this here load and finish. Yeah. John and the others will be waiting in Sallisaw. We reckon we might get another $40 for what we got left.
[00:31:27] Unknown:
50 if we're lucky. In the little houses, the tenant people picked over their possessions for the journey west. The men were ruthless because the past had been spoiled, but the women knew how the past would cry to them in the coming days and try to keep some precious things by them. Didn't matter none. It was all junk to the buyer men. Lost possessions, junk lives, a packet of bitterness to grow into flower someday. We're taking both pigs with us, ma. We ain't leaving them behind, Tommy.
[00:32:06] Unknown:
Oh, I hope things is alright in California. What makes you think they ain't? Seems too nice, kinda.
[00:32:12] Unknown:
Don't rat your faith bird high, and you won't do no crawling with the worms.
[00:32:17] Unknown:
I know that's right, Tom. I see even the papers how they want folks to come and pick grapes and oranges and peaches. That'd be nice work. So what's eating you then? I'm scared of stuff so nice. I'm scared something ain't so nice about it.
[00:32:34] Unknown:
Ma, I'm gonna tell you something about being in the pen. You can't go thinking about when you're gonna be out. You go nuts. You gotta think about that day and the next day and the ballgame Saturday, and why don't you do that?
[00:32:46] Unknown:
Just take every day. That's a good way, Tom. But I like to think about how nice it's gonna be. Never cold and fruit every place. Little white houses in among the orange trees. I know the fella from California.
[00:33:01] Unknown:
Says there's too many folks looking for work right there now, and wages is low. Your father got a handbill telling how they need folks to work,
[00:33:08] Unknown:
what they want a life for. I don't know, ma.
[00:33:11] Unknown:
Maybe it's nice like you said. I hear you talking.
[00:33:14] Unknown:
Sons of bitches don't let a whole fella sneak. Here, grandpa. Let me button up your pants. Alright. Now stand still, will you?
[00:33:23] Unknown:
Fellas come to a nice to to a nice when somebody buttons them up for you. Well, you go around a site. They don't let people run around with their clothes unbuttoned in California. They don't, hey. I'll show them. I'll go around hanging out if I want. God, if he lives to be 200, you never will get grandpa house broke. Will you get out there? I'm gonna pick me old washt up full of grapes and sit in them. Let the juice run down my
[00:33:53] Unknown:
pants. Paul's back.
[00:33:55] Unknown:
And, Uncle John, don't look too happy.
[00:33:59] Unknown:
Uncle John, tell you. Tom, here's you was out.
[00:34:06] Unknown:
Where's the jailbird? You hush your mouth, Winfield. Don't you talk to your brother like that. Ruthie? Winfield, how are you kids doing? Alright. Alright.
[00:34:16] Unknown:
Tom. How are you? Rosa Sharon. I didn't know you was riding with Paul. A truck come by and picked us up. Me and my husband, Connie, was walking. Out of town?
[00:34:27] Unknown:
Connie Rivers and Rosa Sharon married. Well, you was just a little kid last time I seen you. Guess I growed up. So damn much happens in four years if you're away. In the family way too. You've been busy.
[00:34:42] Unknown:
When's it gonna be? Not for a long time. Not till next winter. You get her inside and sat down, Connie. Well, I'm alright, ma. Come on, Rosie Sharon. Take a weight off. Well,
[00:34:54] Unknown:
how'd you fellas get on? We got skinned off the stuff we sold. He knows they worth more, but what can we do? Fella note we couldn't wait. How much we got all added up, hundred and 54.
[00:35:06] Unknown:
We gotta get going. Sooner, the better. Preacher wants to come along. Some folks figure a preacher's poison luck. We gotta figure close.
[00:35:14] Unknown:
Let's see how many we got now. There's a grandpa, grandma, me, and John, and Ma. That's five. And knowing me now, that's eight. Rosa, Shannon, Connie is 10. Ruthie and Winfield is 12. And there's the two dogs. I'm wondering if we can all ride and the preacher
[00:35:30] Unknown:
too. Can we feed an extra mouth, Moe? Well, it ain't can we. It's will we. I never hear tell a no Joads ever refusing food and shelter to anybody that asks. I suppose it just ain't room. There ain't room now. Ain't room for more than six, and 12 is going sure. And a man, strong and healthy, ain't never no burden.
[00:35:52] Unknown:
Wanna call him over, Tommy? If he's gone, he ought to be here. Casey,
[00:35:56] Unknown:
come over here. Calling me?
[00:35:59] Unknown:
Tom says you wanna go west with us. Well, all the houses is empty, and the land is empty, and this whole country is empty. Can't stay here no more. Gotta go where the folks is going. A preacher is a nice thing to be with us. I ain't gonna preach no more. It's a fellas. A preacher. He's always a I ain't gonna work in the fields. Be near the folk. Ain't gonna teach them nothing.
[00:36:19] Unknown:
Gonna try and learn. When you're fixing to leave, Paul Well, you gotta get them pigs slaughtered and in salt before we go. Wrong time of the year for slaughtering.
[00:36:27] Unknown:
Why don't we stick them now? Salt them pack tonight.
[00:36:30] Unknown:
Yeah. Get ready by daylight and go. Grandpa and grandma and the little ones can sleep. The rest of us can work. Well, let's get to it then. Now you start loading the truck. Rosa Sharon can sort through and pack the clothes. Connie can give her a hand. What's your clothes. Connie can give her a hand. It's your thing, mister Joe. Ma put some water on to boil. Noah, get the butchering knife, wet it some, then bring it down the barn. You wanna take the water down there? Nah. We'll stick them in the barn and then run them up the house. We'll get them solidly.
[00:36:57] Unknown:
Killing pigs and going to California. Killing
[00:37:00] Unknown:
and going.
[00:37:16] Unknown:
Preacher. How long you been standing there? I didn't like to intrude, missus Joad. Just going through my old box of letters. Don't hardly know why I keep them.
[00:37:27] Unknown:
Seem kinda private.
[00:37:29] Unknown:
Just a pile of old junk. Few letters, an old ring, one gold cufflink, a watch chain of braided hair. Here's a photo of me and Paul when we got married. Ah. He was a good looking fella and a newspaper clipping at Tom's trial.
[00:37:49] Unknown:
Leave me to salt down this meat, missus Joad.
[00:37:52] Unknown:
Salt and pork's women's work. No. It's, it's all the work.
[00:37:56] Unknown:
And there's, there's just too much of it to split up to men or women's work.
[00:38:01] Unknown:
You got stuff to sort out. I I just gotta throw a few things on the fire.
[00:38:06] Unknown:
You've been here a long time. A lot of memories to leave behind.
[00:38:11] Unknown:
He's a strange one, preacher.
[00:38:14] Unknown:
Just leave me to salt a meat. God in a buckboard.
[00:38:18] Unknown:
Smell that meat and listen to her crackle. You come in early just to smell your breakfast, Tommy. Tools is all packed and itching to get going.
[00:38:25] Unknown:
How much stuff are we gonna take from the kitchen now? The bucket and all the stuff to eat with, the plates and the cups, the spoons, and knives, and forks. Put them in the drawer and take the drawer. The big fry pan? And the big stew kettle, the coffee pot, and, when it gets cool, take the rack out of the oven. That'd be good over a fire. What about the rest? No. Just take what I told you. Have to leave the small stuff.
[00:38:48] Unknown:
Sure thing. You alright, ma?
[00:38:52] Unknown:
Fine. I'll just, I'll I'll just check the bedroom one last time.
[00:39:00] Unknown:
Your ma looks tired, Tom. Women's always tired. That's just the way women is, Casey. Except at a meeting once and again. Tireder than that. Real tired.
[00:39:12] Unknown:
Like, she's sick tired.
[00:39:15] Unknown:
We's all tired. Gotta be tired again before we's done. How's the pork come along? Man, pretty near down. Good. Getting along toward daylight. Better get this stuff loaded. Now that should bring it. Are you sure you got everything loaded out? And I'm sure, Tom,
[00:39:37] Unknown:
Tools on the bottom, I quite sad. Clothes next, then stuff for cooking and eating. And the mattresses on top so folks can ride easy.
[00:39:45] Unknown:
Now go get grandma and grandpa. Sure, pal. Mom, what's all the hollering for? We're fixing to go. Connie, Rose, and Sharon, you get Ruthie and Winfield and get up on top of the mattresses. Okay, pal. Grandma and grandpa can ride on top too, and one more. Three in the cab and three sitting on the backboard with their legs hanging off. Go on me. There's
[00:40:05] Unknown:
something wrong with grandpa. I was twenty years younger. I'd hurt Spitfire. He wasn't sleeping. He was just sitting out at the back of the barn. Ain't nothing the matter with me. I just ain't a goin'. What do you mean we're all packed up ready? We gotta go. I ain't saying for you to stay. You go right along. But me, I'm a stayin'.
[00:40:24] Unknown:
This here is my country.
[00:40:26] Unknown:
I belong here. You was looking forward to them grapes in California. I don't give a damn if these oranges and grapes tried and fell out of bed even. How ain't it going? This here land is going under the truck. Who cooked for you? How are you gonna live? Goddamn it. I can get along as well as anyone. I tell you, I ain't going. What about grandma? Is she staying too? Hang on. Take her with you. It ain't taking me me, and that's the end of it. I declare
[00:40:50] Unknown:
he is the cussingest, wickedest man ever lived. Grandpa. Grandpa. Have some breakfast. Alright. Some spare ribs and coffee. First
[00:40:59] Unknown:
sensible thing I've heard you today.
[00:41:02] Unknown:
Hey, Bishop. Coffee
[00:41:05] Unknown:
tastes good. Well I'll just sit on the stoop, Tate.
[00:41:12] Unknown:
I'll hog tie him if I have to. He can't stay. You're liable to hurt him if you do.
[00:41:17] Unknown:
What are you up to, ma? I'd give you something to make him sleep. What you giving him? He ain't got no drop of whiskey in the house. Soothe and syrup.
[00:41:25] Unknown:
Used to put Winfield to sleep when his earache was bad.
[00:41:29] Unknown:
What the hell is that now? Morning, folks. Howdy, Mulee. Step inside and get some spare rings. Oh, I ain't hungry.
[00:41:37] Unknown:
I was walking around and I thought how you'd be going and I'd maybe come say goodbye. You'd have missed us if you'd come a half hour later all all packed up. See? All packed up. Sometimes I wished I'd go and find my folks. Dear Muhly, eat some spare ribs. We got plenty. Well, I didn't name to eat your food, but Oh, thank you. What I've come to say is if you come on any of my folks in California, don't let on I'm living this way. Tell them I'll come to them as soon as I get the money. And will you? No. I won't. Time back. I might have went, but not now.
Fella gets to thinking, and he gets to knowing.
[00:42:23] Unknown:
I ain't never going. It's work, ma. Grandpa's asleep. Oh, he's dog tired anyway. No. No. John. Give me your hands, grandpa. You going over the state line, Tom? You're gonna break your parole? I ain't got there yet, really. Mom, you and grandma sat in the cab with Al for a while. Everyone else get aboard. Can't believe it. Come on up, Peter.
[00:42:48] Unknown:
Holy Jesus. Them springs is flat as hell. Left you blocked under them.
[00:42:53] Unknown:
What about the dog?
[00:42:55] Unknown:
I forgot all about them, John. Muley. You look after the dog some. See See they don't starve? Yeah. I'd like to have a couple of dogs. Good boy.
[00:43:05] Unknown:
Take the chickens too. Yeah. Thank you. Congrats. What a load. We ain't making no time on this trip. Let's get going then. Sloan, Muley. Bye. Bye. Bye. It's a reason you are the slow folks.
[00:43:41] Unknown:
Highway 66 is the migrant road, the path of a people in flight. From the Mississippi through Arkansas, Oklahoma, across the Texas Panhandle into New Mexico, onto Arizona, and finally California. Two hundred and fifty thousand people on the road. 50,000 old cars wounded, steaming. All day long, they roll along. Where does the courage come from? Where does the terrible faith come from?
[00:44:17] Unknown:
I got it going. I got it going. Alright. Round my nose. I'm a stop it. I can't wait.
[00:44:25] Unknown:
Let me help you. Come away from the side of the road. I can't wait. Behind this bush.
[00:44:42] Unknown:
Raise the Lord. That's better.
[00:44:48] Unknown:
Wanna come down, grandpa? No. Santa bitches. I ain't a go in a trailer. Gonna stay like beauty. You want some water? No. Gotta drink some water, grandpa. Todder in blazes. You feel alright, Rosie Sharon? You ain't thirsty.
[00:45:05] Unknown:
No. I'm fine. Oh, look at that silver car, Connie.
[00:45:11] Unknown:
Ain't she fun?
[00:45:12] Unknown:
Lincoln Zephyr.
[00:45:14] Unknown:
Brand new too. How'd you like to be going along in that? Maybe.
[00:45:18] Unknown:
After we get to California, we'll get our own car. If there's plenty of work. But them kind of cars, they cost as much as a good size house.
[00:45:27] Unknown:
I'd rather have the house. I'd like to have the house and one of them.
[00:45:31] Unknown:
You sure you feel alright, Rosie Sharon? Yeah. I'm just tired riding in the sun, Connie. Oh, we gotta do that or we won't never get to California. I know.
[00:45:40] Unknown:
Oh,
[00:45:41] Unknown:
damnation.
[00:45:42] Unknown:
Oh, that hardly moved. It's so stiff riding up there. You got the water, boss? Ain't it with you?
[00:45:56] Unknown:
I set up that gallon jug before we left. That ain't here. Must've forgot it. Glory be, we're gonna die of thirst. We'll get water first at the service station we come to. We need to get some gas too. Oh, come on, everyone. Man up. We gotta get going. You want us to drive her? Peace out? I ain't tired, Tom. You didn't get no sleep last night. Yeah. I took a snooze this morning. Come on. Alright. But watch the oil gauge pretty close. Take her slow, Tom. She's overloaded.
[00:46:24] Unknown:
You can rest easy. I'll
[00:46:30] Unknown:
watch her.
[00:46:37] Unknown:
Maybe we better find a pace to stop before sunset. I gotta get some pork a boil and a bread made. Sure, ma.
[00:46:44] Unknown:
Might as well stretch ourselves. We ain't gonna make this trip in one jump.
[00:46:48] Unknown:
Tom, your pa told me about you crossing the state line. What about it? Well, I'm scared about it. Maybe they'll catch you.
[00:46:57] Unknown:
I figured her out, mom. There's lots of fellas out on parole. If I get caught for anything else out west, well, they'll send me back. But if I don't do no more crimes, they won't give a damn. Well, maybe they got crimes in California we don't even know about. It'd be just the same if I wasn't on parole. Only if I get caught, I get a bigger jolt than other folks.
[00:47:16] Unknown:
I can't help worrying about
[00:47:18] Unknown:
it. Minute you crossed the state line, you done a crime. Well, that's better than sticking around Sallisong starving to death. Now why don't we quit talking? Start looking for a place to stop.
[00:47:33] Unknown:
Howdy, mister. Howdy. Any law against folks stopping here for the night? We only stopped because we couldn't get no further. We don't own it. You suppose we can camp down alongside? Why sure. Come on off the road. Proud to have you. Terry, there's some folks gonna stay with us.
[00:47:53] Unknown:
Come on out and say how to do it.
[00:47:56] Unknown:
Oh, you ain't Oklahoma folks. Nah.
[00:47:59] Unknown:
No. Galena, Kansas.
[00:48:01] Unknown:
Name's Wilson. We're Joads. We come from right near Silasaw. Yeah. My wife, Sarah, is resting.
[00:48:07] Unknown:
She ain't been well. Uh-huh. Pa,
[00:48:10] Unknown:
give me a hand grandpa.
[00:48:11] Unknown:
Ain't moving.
[00:48:13] Unknown:
Gonna stay here. You gotta get down so we can unload the truck. Come on. Sounds delicious. Why do you have to keep him moving all the goddamn
[00:48:23] Unknown:
side? Easy there. I've I've got him, Tom. Sure, Paul? Yep. Can you stand, grandpa?
[00:48:30] Unknown:
No. I can't.
[00:48:33] Unknown:
You sick?
[00:48:34] Unknown:
Just goddamn right. Sicker than hell.
[00:48:38] Unknown:
What's wrong? I think his hip's bothering him some.
[00:48:42] Unknown:
We don't look too good. If the old man's sick, he can come in our tent.
[00:48:46] Unknown:
How'd you like to lay down on a mattress and rest, grandpa?
[00:48:50] Unknown:
Just a sick old man. Oh, come on now. Get some rest. Hey. We'll help you over. I'm sick. Come on, grandpa.
[00:48:59] Unknown:
Just into the tent and lie down. This this. Just for a walk. Silly old man.
[00:49:05] Unknown:
He must be good and sick. Never seen him blubbering in my life. Preacher. Yeah.
[00:49:10] Unknown:
You've been around sick people. Come and take a look at grandpa. Yeah. Sure.
[00:49:18] Unknown:
Feeling kinda tired, old timer.
[00:49:22] Unknown:
Good. Good.
[00:49:23] Unknown:
Looks like he's wanting to say something real hard. You know what's wrong, preacher?
[00:49:30] Unknown:
Do you?
[00:49:31] Unknown:
I think
[00:49:32] Unknown:
so. I might be wrong though.
[00:49:35] Unknown:
Would you say he's working up a stroke?
[00:49:38] Unknown:
I'd say that. Here you are. What's the matter with you? What you lying down for? No. He's just taking a little rest, grandma. He's a tricky devil. He he was gonna sneak away this morning so he wouldn't have to come.
[00:49:51] Unknown:
He he's sulking. He ain't sulking, grandma.
[00:49:53] Unknown:
He's sick.
[00:49:55] Unknown:
Sick bad, you think?
[00:49:57] Unknown:
Pretty bad, grandma.
[00:49:59] Unknown:
Why ain't you a praying? You're a preacher, ain't you? I told you. I ain't a preacher no more. Pray anyway. You know all the stuff by heart.
[00:50:08] Unknown:
But don't don't try to talk, grandpa. Save your breath. Grandpa? Grandpa? I think he's gone, grandma.
[00:50:32] Unknown:
Hallelujah. Go on, preacher. Pray. Pray, goddamn you.
[00:50:39] Unknown:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
[00:50:58] Unknown:
Y'all know by now that grandpa's passed away. Didn't suffer.
[00:51:02] Unknown:
It's a good quick stroke. Well, help grandma take it. Pretty good, Rosacea.
[00:51:07] Unknown:
But she's so old, maybe she don't rightly know what happened.
[00:51:10] Unknown:
Besides, us Jodes takes a pride holding in. Now we gotta figure what to do. There's laws. You gotta report a death, and when you do that, they either take $40 for the undertaker or they take it for a popper. We never did have no paupers. We never got booted off no land before neither, uncle John. We done it clean. We never took nothing. We couldn't pay, and we never suffered no man's charity. What do we do, Pa? Well, we only got a hundred and $50. It'll take 40 to bury grandpa, and we won't get to California.
[00:51:38] Unknown:
Or They'll bury him as a pauper.
[00:51:40] Unknown:
Grandpa buried his paw with his own hand, done it with dignity, and shaped the grave nice with his own shoulder. The law says different, man. Sometimes the law can't be followed, not in decency anyway. Sometimes a fellow got to sift the law. I'm saying I got the right to bury my own paw.
[00:51:57] Unknown:
Anybody got something to say? Yeah. Law changes, but got tos go on. John,
[00:52:02] Unknown:
you got any word against?
[00:52:04] Unknown:
No. Only it's like hiding him in the night.
[00:52:08] Unknown:
Grandpa's way was to come out of shoot. We can't do like grandpa done. We got to get to California where our money runs out. Sometimes fellas work and dig up a man, and they raise hell and figure he'd been killed.
[00:52:18] Unknown:
Government's got more interest in a dead man than a lab one. What you thinking, Tom? We put a note of writing in a bottle and lay it with grandpa, telling who he is and how he died and why he's buried here. That's good.
[00:52:31] Unknown:
Wrote out in a nice hand. Won't be so lonesome too knowing his name is there with him. Any more stuff to say? I'll lay him out. Me and Tom, Al, Noah, and John will dig the grave. Come on. Better get to it.
[00:52:52] Unknown:
How you doing, Paul? Oh, it's about done, Tom.
[00:52:57] Unknown:
Did you find some paper?
[00:52:59] Unknown:
Mat or a clear page from the front of the bible. Wanna hear what I wrote? Sure. This here is William James Joad. Died of a stroke. Old, old man. His folks buried him because they got no money to pay for funerals. Nobody killed him. Just a stroke and he died. That sounds nice. Can't you stick something from scripture so it'll be religious? Gotta be short. Ain't got much room left on the page. Well, how about
[00:53:31] Unknown:
you gotta have mercy on his soul. No. Sounds like he was hung. Look in Psalms. You can always get something out of Psalms. Psalms.
[00:53:40] Unknown:
Psalms. Okay. Well, here's one. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Well, that's blow full of religion. Put it in. Maybe the preacher ought to wrote it. No. The preacher wasn't no kin. Alright.
[00:54:01] Unknown:
Gather around, everyone. We're gonna lay grandpa on the ground.
[00:54:05] Unknown:
Well, that grandma's not sleeping. You got? Maybe she'd hold it against me. Need to gone away first. She's tarred out. Alright.
[00:54:16] Unknown:
Casey? Yeah?
[00:54:18] Unknown:
You gonna pray over him? Well, I'll help you, but
[00:54:22] Unknown:
I won't fool you.
[00:54:23] Unknown:
Ain't none of our folks ever been buried without a few words. And then I'll say them.
[00:54:32] Unknown:
This here old man just lived a life and just died out of it. It's alright. He's got a job to do, and there's only one way to do it. But us, we got a job to do and there's a thousand ways and we don't know which one to take. If I was to pray, it'd be for the folks that don't know which way to turn. Grandpa here, you got the easy straight. And now cover him up and let him get to his work. Amen.
[00:55:08] Unknown:
Amen.
[00:55:09] Unknown:
Amen. Rose and Sharon, you coming here. I wanna be with Connie. He got work to do now. You lean to it.
[00:55:15] Unknown:
Listen.
[00:55:17] Unknown:
We can't leave a grave. We gotta hide it. Level her off and strew dry grass. Ain't right to leave a grave unmounted. They dig them up, and we get it for breaking the law. You know what that
[00:55:30] Unknown:
means. Yeah. It's your sink come winter. Can't help that.
[00:55:35] Unknown:
Be a long ways off by then.
[00:55:37] Unknown:
I guess.
[00:55:40] Unknown:
It's a goddamn shame. Grandpa been talking how he's gonna squeeze grapes over his head and let the juice run-in his whiskers. Well, he was fooling you.
[00:55:50] Unknown:
He didn't die tonight. Died the minute you took him off that place. He was that place. And he noted.
[00:55:58] Unknown:
Did you know he was a dine? Yeah. I noted. You didn't tell nobody?
[00:56:04] Unknown:
What good? We might have did something. Yeah. You couldn't have done nothing. Your way was fixed. Grandpa didn't have no part in it. Now he's just staying with the land.
[00:56:15] Unknown:
He couldn't leave it.
[00:56:17] Unknown:
But we gotta go on. So long, grandpa.
[00:56:42] Unknown:
In the first of three episodes of The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, dramatized for radio by Steve Chambers, Tom Joad was played by John Schwab. Casey was Bob Sherman. Grandpa, Gary Kagan. Grandma, Liza Ross. Ma was Pat Starr. Pa, William Roberts. And Uncle John, Bill Bailey. Al was Ryan McCluskey, Rosa Sharon, Teresa Gallagher, and Noah, Eric Lauren. The truck driver was William Hope, Connie, Martin Sherman, and Wilson, John Gaurasio. The director was Marion Nankara.
Introduction to the Classic Serial
The Grapes of Wrath: Setting the Scene
Conflict with the Land and Machinery
Tom Joad's Return Home
Reunion and Family Dynamics
Preparing for the Journey West
Leaving Home: The Journey Begins
Highway 66: The Migrant Road
Grandpa's Passing and Burial