“I got a wife,” said the young man. “I got no time for girls.”
“I always got time for girls,” said Al. “I got no time for nothin’ else.”
“You get a little hungry an’ you’ll change.”
Al laughed.
“Maybe.
But I ain’t never changed that notion yet.”
“Fella I talked to while ago, he’s with you, ain’t he?”
“Yeah!
My brother Tom.
Better not fool with him.
He killed a fella.”
“Did?
What for?”
“Fight.
Fella got a knife in Tom.
Tom busted ’im with a shovel.”
“Did, huh?
What’d the law do?”
“Let ’im off ’cause it was a fight,” said Al.
“He don’t look like a quarreler.”
“Oh, he ain’t.
But Tom don’t take nothin’ from nobody.” Al’s voice was very proud. “Tom, he’s quiet.
But—look out!”
“Well—I talked to ’im.
He didn’ soun’ mean.”
“He ain’t.
Jus’ as nice as pie till he’s roused, an’ then—look out.” The young man ground at the last valve. “Like me to he’p you get them valves set an’ the head on?”
“Sure, if you got nothin’ else to do.”
“Oughta get some sleep,” said Al. “But, hell, I can’t keep my han’s out of a tore-down car.
Jus’ got to git in.”
“Well, I’d admire to git a hand,” said the young man. “My name’s Floyd Knowles.”
“I’m Al Joad.”
“Proud to meet ya.”
“Me too,” said Al. “Gonna use the same gasket?”
“Got to,” said Floyd.
Al took out his pocket knife and scraped at the block.
“Jesus!” he said. “They ain’t nothin’ I love like the guts of a engine.”
“How ’bout girls?”
“Yeah, girls too!
Wisht I could tear down a Rolls an’ put her back.
I looked under the hood of a Cad’ 16 one time an’, God Awmighty, you never seen nothin’ so sweet in your life!
In Sallisaw—an’ here’s this 16 a-standin’ in front of a restaurant, so I lifts the hood. An’ a guy comes out an’ says,
‘What the hell you doin’?’
I says,
‘Jus’ lookin’.
Ain’t she swell?’
An’ he jus’ stands there.
I don’t think he ever looked in her before.
Jus’ stands there.
Rich fella in a straw hat.