all tired of tomatoes by now but they were grateful for them nonetheless That was good luck all right Maybe our luck’s changed I wouldn’t call a busted transmission good luck Hallie told her brother I guess you’re right about that Tom went back to the Ford I’d best unload this old Tin Lizzie You look after Benny Tom stood next to the open lid of the car’s rumble seat He began taking out boxes containing quilts and blankets a tarp a collection of pots and pans and a few dishes Where should I put these Hallie looked about Then she pointed to a secluded spot hidden by trees We don’t want anyone seeing us from the road she said Of course anybody driving by would notice the car Maybe they’d think it was abandoned The flivver was that old and dilapidated Tom had had to remove the leather bench in the rumble seat to make room for their belongings to Benny’s disappointment He had loved to ride in the back in the open air Now Tom spread the tarp on the ground Next he removed two thin mattresses tied to the roof of the car and laid them on top of the tarp 4 SOMEPLACE to CALL HOME
Chapter One Hallie watched him then turned back to Benny The six-year-old was sitting beside the stream Every now and then he stuck his foot into the water then pulled it back and laughed I’m wet he said Hallie went to the creek and tickled his toes She thought what a happy good-natured boy he was I like water Hallie he said again Hallie scooped up a handful of water and sprinkled it on Benny’s head He giggled That will cool you off she said She splashed water over her arms and legs too Despite the shade of the trees she was hot It seemed it was always hot in Kansas In Oklahoma too She couldn’t remember the last time it had rained I want my boat Benny said The boat was his favorite toy Hallie went to a box that Tom had set down She rummaged through it until she found a battered wooden boat Tom had carved it and painted it too The paint was mostly worn off now You play with it while I help Tom she told Benny She stretched to get the kinks out of her back Hallie wasn’t just hot She was tired from riding for days down 5
the dirt roads looking for work Tom had stopped at farms asking if anyone needed help No one did Crops were poor because of the drought Farmworkers were plentiful Many farmers couldn’t pay for hired help even if they needed it Those who could pay wanted grown men Me and my sister can do the work of two men and be paid half as much Tom would tell the farmers The Turners still couldn’t find employment A few of the farmers they had approached ran them off as if they’d been homeless dogs Most were sympathetic however I’d like to help but I don’t have the money to pay you You come around next year Maybe 1934 will be better one farmer had told them His wife had come outside with a dishpan of water She threw it on a flower bed then looked them over Why honey they ain’t nothing but kids she told her husband Where’s your folks at kids Tom and Hallie didn’t answer The woman shrugged You ain’t the first orphans that’s come around You sit down and have you a glass of cold buttermilk before you go on That’s the least we can do She turned to her husband Folks is one after another coming down that road looking 6 SOMEPLACE to CALL HOME
Chapter One for work Times is sure hard She went inside and returned with a pitcher of buttermilk and three glasses and handed them around She stared at Benny but didn’t say anything When the three had finished drinking Hallie rinsed off the glasses at the pump She set them beside the back porch steps The woman had gone inside so Hallie told the man We sure are obliged to you I wish I could hire you he said We understand Tom told him He and Hallie and Benny had climbed back into the car and headed for the next farm We’ll find something We always do Hallie said now as she helped Tom with the boxes She was right Just when things seemed hardest Tom got a half-day’s work for fifty cents Then they’d found those tomatoes Until then they’d been eating pancakes made from flour and water They’d paid a nickel for a half-dozen eggs to mix with the pancake batter but Benny had dropped the eggs on the ground and they’d broken Now she glanced at where Benny sat playing with the boat You stay there Benny Don’t go off They had to watch Benny all the time It wasn’t that 7
