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“That’s happenin’ all over”

“I can’t believe people live this way,” Elsa said, and iretted her words when Jean looked away

“Where can we go that’s better? Okies, they call us Don’t matter where we’re from Nobody’ll rent to us, but who can afford rent anyway? Maybe after cotton season you’ll have enough h, not with four kids”

“Maybe in Los Angeles—”

“We say that all the time, but who knows if it’s better there? At least here there’s pickin’ jobs” She looked up “You got enoughsomewheres else?”

No

Elsa couldn’t listen anyo look for work Will you keep an eye out on my children?”

“Course And don’t forget to register with the state Tonight I’ll introduce you around to the other women Good luck to you, Elsa”

“Thank you”

After leaving Jean, Elsa carried two buckets full of fetid water froh cloth

She scrubbed her face and upper body as well as she could in the shadowy tent and washed her hair and put on a relatively clean cotton dress She coiled her wet hair into a coronet and covered it with a kerchief

This was the best she could do Her cotton stockings were sagging but clean and the holes in her shoes couldn’t be helped She was grateful not to have a mirror Oh, there was one somewhere, buried in one of the boxes in the back of the truck, but it wasn’t worth ru around for

She left a glass full of clean water inside the tent for the children and checked that they were still sleeping

She left Loreda a note—Looking for work/stay here/water in glass is safe to drink—and headed out to the truck

She drove out to the main road