In Dubious Battle Page #2

Better?

Trees dripping with apples

like red jewels.

You think you'd died

and found Eden.

You want one?

No, thank you.

All right.

What made you want to join

a bunch of radicals?

Did you know the industrial

workers of the world

are violent anarchists

and dirty communists?

According to most folk.

Had a lot to do with my old man.

Seeing that poor old bastard joy

reminded me of my old man.

He took so many beatings

that he went punch drunk.

One time, I found him

walking in circles

in the middle of the street.

Got hit with a pair of brass

knuckles by a scab real good.

Never could steer straight

after that.

Where's he at now?

He's gone.

Finally took charge

a buckshot to the chest

from a cop's riot gun.

Say he was dead

before he even hit the ground.

Damn.

Yeah.

You know, I had

all this inside me.

I never had anywhere to put it.

I just fought.

But now I have a chance

to fight for something.

I want to fight for something.

I want that.

That's all I want.

I like the way you think,

Jim Nolan.

You and me's gonna make

a pretty good team.

You ever do anything

like this before?

Nope, never.

The key is,

they gotta think

we're like any other pickers.

Let's get to work.

- Where you boys from?

- Up north, sir.

You two pick before?

Yes, sir.

Well, why don't you find

an empty tree and get to work?

All right.

All right, I got a name.

London.

Find a tree, pick,

talk to some folks,

feel them out.

See you after.

Don't bruise them.

Rot sets in a bruise.

You hear me?

Yeah, hear.

You got a problem, kid?

No, sir.

Well, god, he's awful, huh?

- Yeah.

- It's not him, though.

It's this whole setup

that's rotten.

What are we gonna do about it?

I don't know

but something's gotta be done.

Yeah.

Yeah.

New guys, follow me.

I'll show you your bunks.

I seen his type before.

Ten to one he's

a training camp soldier.

Spent his time in the war

punching a bayonet

into a sack of sawdust

so he comes home without

ever seeing a trench.

Now he's Bolton's foreman.

His lackey.

He's always trying to prove

how tough he is.

Reminds me of a guy

I used to know back in the day.

Got his rocks off kicking dogs.

No time for sightseeing here.

Feel it down here.

Just a little bit right here.

I don't... right here.

Let's see.

Ooh, yeah.

It's okay.

Hey. That's the women's bunks.

Men's are over here.

Come on, come on.

Sheets are available

in the company store.

You two cause trouble here,

you're gone.

Hey, careful up there,

old-timer.

Careful?

Young punks like you

have heart failure

watching me work.

Is that so?

A dollar a day?

Pretty steep cut.

What do you think about that?

What do I think about it?

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