Come all the way from Arkansas.
They’s Arkansas people down that fourth tent.
That so?
And the great question. How’s the water?
Well, she don’t taste so good, but they’s plenty.
Well, thank ya.
No thanks to me.
But the courtesies had to be.
The car lumbered over the ground to the end tent, and stopped.
Then down from the car the weary people climbed, and stretched stiff bodies.
Then the new tent sprang up; the children went for water and the older boys cut brush or wood.
The fires started and supper was put on to boil or to fry.
Early comers moved over, and States were exchanged, and friends and sometimes relatives discovered.
Oklahoma, huh?
What county?
Cherokee.
Why, I got folks there.
Know the Allens?
They’s Allens all over Cherokee.
Know the Willises?
Why, sure.
And a new unit was formed.
The dusk came, but before the dark was down the new family was of the camp. A word had been passed with every family.
They were known people—good people.
I knowed the Allens all my life.
Simon Allen, ol’ Simon, had trouble with his first wife.
She was part Cherokee.
Purty as—as a black colt.
Sure, an’ young Simon, he married a Rudolph, didn’t he?
That’s what I thought.
They went to live in Enid an’ done well—real well.
Only Allen that ever done well.
Got a garage.
When the water was carried and the wood cut, the children walked shyly, cautiously among the tents.
And they made elaborate acquaintanceship gestures.
A boy stopped near another boy and studied a stone, picked it up, examined it closely, spat on it, and rubbed it clean and inspected it until he forced the other to demand, What you go there?
And casually, Nothin’.
Jus’ a rock.
Well, what you lookin’ at it like that for?
Thought I seen gold in it.
How’d you know?
Gold ain’t gold, it’s black in a rock.
Sure, ever’body knows that.
I bet it’s fool’s gold, an’ you figgered it was gold.
That ain’t so, ’cause Pa, he’s foun’ lots a gold an’ he tol’ me how to look.
How’d you like to pick up a big ol’ piece a gold?
Sa-a-ay!
I’d git the bigges’ old son-a-bitchin’ piece a candy you ever seen.
I ain’t let to swear, but I do, anyways.
Me too.