The people in flight streamed out on 66, sometimes a single car, sometimes a little caravan. All day they rolled slowly along the road, and at night they stopped near water. In the day ancient leaky radiators sent up columns of steam, loose connecting rods hammered and pounded. And the men driving the trucks and the overloaded cars listened apprehensively. How far between towns? It is a terror between towns. If something breaks-well, if something breaks we camp right here while Jim walks to town and gets a part and walks back and-how much food we got?

Listen to the motor. Listen to the wheels. Listen with your ears and with your hands on the steering wheel; listen with the palm of your hand on the gear-shift lever; listen with your feet on the floor boards. Listen to the pounding old jalopy with all your senses; for a change of tone., a variation of rhythm may mean-a week here? That rattle-that's tappets. Don't hurt a bit. Tappets can rattle till Jesus comes again without no harm. But that thudding as the car moves along-can't hear that-just kind of feel it. Maybe oil isn’t gettin' someplace. Maybe a bearing's startin' to go. Jesus, it's a bearing, what'll we do? Money’s goin’ fast.

And why's the son-of-a-bitch heat up so hot today? This ain't no climb. Le's look. God Almighty, the fan belt’s gone! Here, make a belt outa this little piece a rope. Le's see how long-there. I'll splice the ends. Now take her slow--slow till we can get to a town. That rope belt won’t last long.

'F we can on'y get to California where the oranges grow before this here ol' jug blows up. 'F we only can.

And the tires-two layers of fabric worn through. O’y a four-ply tire. Might get a hunderd miles outa her if we don't hit a rock an' blow her. Which'Il we take-- a hunderd maybe, miles, or maybe spoil the tubes. Which? A hunderd miles. We’ll that’s somepin you got to think about. We got tube patches. Maybe when she goes she'll only spring a leak. How about makin' a boot? Might get five hunderd more miles. Le's go on till she blows.

We got to get a tire, but, Jesus, they want a lot for a tire. They look a fella over. They know he got to go on. They know he can't wait. And the price goes up.

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