[...] My father turned to his brother. 'Do you feel your review. Got something to the contrary? "
" No, "said Uncle John," but it's like to do things in secret. My grandfather would not be happy. "
" Do not we asked about, "said Father." We must get to California before we run out of money. "
Tom interjected:" It seems that the government is interested in more dead than the living. Able to dig up a corpse, if it finds a tomb outside the cemetery, and performs an investigation to find out how he died. I propose to leave a written note in a bottle, close to his grandfather, to explain who he is, how he died, and because we have buried them. "
Father nodded approval to the proposal." Good idea. Written with beautiful calligraphy. There is also the advantage that you feel less alone, knowing that his name is there with him, and not a stranger any abandoned under land. There is no one else has to say something? "
Nobody said anything. My father looked at his mother." I'll make you my grandfather? "
" Yes, of course, "replied the mother," but who thinks about dinner? "
"I think," suggested Sairy Wilson, "do not worry, I think with the help of your big girl."
"Thank you, thank you," Mother said. "Noah takes the barrels and takes out a bit 'meat. It will not be completely still salty, but still good to eat. "
" And we still have half sack of potatoes, "said Sairy.
The mother told the father:" Give me two half dollars. "My father fumbled in his pocket and gave her two silver coins. She went to the truck, found the bowl, filled it with water and went under the tent. It was almost dark in there. Sairy reached her, lit a candle, stuck standing on the box-table and went out again. The mother stood a moment looking at the face of the dead. Then, seized with compassion, tore a strip from the edge of her apron and used them to shut the jaw of the corpse. The spread his legs and folded his arms crossed on his chest. The closed his eyes and rested on each one of the silver coins. The buttoned his shirt and washed his face.
Sairy returning wondered if she needed anything. The mother looked at her and said, "Come inside, I am pleased to speak with you."
Sairy said: "Much good little woman, your Ruth. Peel the potatoes which is a pleasure to see you. You need help?"
"I wanted to wash everything, but things did not clean parts. I'm sorry for your rug. Can not raise a pool away from the smell of death. I remember we had a dog that even two years after the death of my mother, did not want to make a nest on the mattress where he died. You should leave this blanket to wrap my grandfather, I'll give you another. n'ho a Ce to take. "
"Do not talk like that. We are pleased to have been able to help you. It 'been so long since I felt so good, s'ha constant need of help one another."
'It is true, "agreed his mother. He looked the dead, with his jaw bandaged and his eyes gleamed silver in the candlelight. "It does not seem natural," he said, "is why I want to wrap the blanket."
"My grandmother took it pretty well."
"Yes, it's so old, that maybe is not fully accountable. But it is also pride for who has shown courage. My father always said anyone who is good for collapse, only the strong standing in the shot. "
He was wrapping the blanket around his legs and shoulders of his grandfather and the folded edge of a corner on the face-to-mo 'hood. Sairy handed her a dozen pins, safety pins to secure the edges of the blanket carefully. At last he rose and said: "It will be a decent funeral, under the circumstances. We have a preacher, and the whole family together." He stumbled suddenly and had to lean on the shoulder of Sairy. "It is not weakness," he said, he felt almost ashamed of himself, "is sleep. He has not slept all night, because the preparations."
"Come out in the open."
"Yes, I'm done here."
Sairy blew out the candle and the two women came out.
From "Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck, Ed Bompiani The Great Pocket, 2000, pp. 155-157.
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