We ain’t got it so bad, now do we? Part 10.

Part 10.

After a fitful night’s sleep because of their excitement of moving on, Guy and Lester cranked up the old faithful pickup with it’s usual bellyaching, smoke puffing reluctance and crawled out of the river bottom they’d called home most of the summer, toward what they knew not but with a smile on their faces and a happy little tune of anticipation in their souls.

It turned out to be a little hard to leave a very disappointed Orange Farm owner with their decision to pass on his offer of a permanent job. He upped the pay he was offering enough to give them serious pause but it was too late. They’d already caught the “What’s over that next rise.” Bug and there was no looking back now.

Within just a couple of hours, they reached the beginnings of Bakersfield and what a place it seemed to the boys. When they’d first reached California, it was on the Southern outskirts of Las Angeles, so they never saw the whole immense layout of the big city life there. To them Bakersfield seemed a madhouse of activity.

During their trip across America on Highway 99, all they’d seen were little one-horse towns. Nothing near what they were now seeing. The closer to downtown they drove, the more the buildings grew, until they couldn’t see the tops from the side windows of the truck without sticking their heads out. And oh so many people in one place. All walking with such purpose, such determination. Having been born and raised as country bumpkins in small town America, they couldn’t for the life of themselves understand how so many folks could live so close together.

Soon after driving like the wide-eyed oakies they were clear through downtown Bakersfield, things started thankfully thinning out, with far less buildings and people along the way.

That’s when they noticed something going on in a field along side the road up ahead. As they got closer, they could see it was a fairly large group of folks with the same ragtag look as themselves playing a game of baseball in an open field there.

“Pull over.” Lester said as he gazed intently at now raucous crowd looking to be having a hell of a good time. “Lets stop and see what we can learn about the job situation here in Bakersfield.”

“You got it.” Guy said as he pulled over and parked next to the line of clunkers there.

 Just as they were getting out of the truck, they could tell someone apparently had just made a home run with bases loaded from the loud screams and yelling going on. With all the hats flying in the air, hugs and screaming, it must have been not only one hell of a welcome home run but also the end of the game because most folks were starting back toward their cars. There was a dozen or so people still holding back, so Guy and Lester headed over toward them. As they got close a couple of guys from the group looked over. “Howdy boys. Did you see that home run?”

“No sir, we just arrived as it happened but we sure heard it.” Guy laughed

“Well, John boy here.” The man said, slapping the young man next to him on the back, almost bowling him over. “Knocked it clear into the next county and won the damn game.”

That set off another round of yelling, back slapping, whistles, along with a few little dirt kicking dances, which started everyone laughing.

After that outburst slowed down, one of the group asked. “So boys. Where you all from?”

“We just arrived from the Orange fields down south. We heard there was work to be had here in Bakersfield.”

That got a few odd looks from some of the boys there so Lester asked. “Is there a problem finding work here?”

“Truth be told boys.” The man standing close said. “We’re all here for the same reason but so is a whole lot of others. We’re told we’re a might late, that most of the jobs have already been taken.”

“Really?” Guy asked with concern on his face.

“Lesin you have some kind of special skills other than pickin veggies or fruit.” Another man added.

“Well, we’re both a might handy at mechanicin and driving equipment.” Lester said.

“Well good luck to ya boys.” Another man stepped up to shake their hands. “You’re gonna need it.”

After most everyone slowly walked away, a young man who’d been standing back a little stepped up. “I heard you say you had some experience with equipment and stuff.”

“Yup. Lester here is a right fine mechanic.” Guy said. “And I’ve done my share of driving tractors and trucks.”

After another moment of kicking a dirt clod in silence the young man said. “I heard from some others there’s some sort of farm machinery repair facility over in Shafter that’s always looking for expericance people. I ain’t got none of that but you might look over there.”

“Shafter?” Lester said with a question in his voice. “Where’s that?”

“It’s about 20 miles Northwest of here.” The young man answered. “Just take 99 North, then West on Lerdo Highway for a few miles.”
”Thank ye young man. We do appreciate the help.”

After they got back in the car, Guy said. “Well, Shafter it is Lester. That sounds as good a place as any for us right about now. Maybe we can find ourselves a trailer park we can set up camp in somewhere’s around there and look around this here farm machinery repair place he told us about.”

To be continued: