“California. Whole family. Gonna get work out there.”
“Well, ya think a fella like me could get work? Black patch on my eye?”
“Why not? You ain’t no cripple.”
“Well—could I catch a ride with you fellas?”
“Christ, no. We’re so goddamn full now we can’t move. You get out some other way. Fix up one a these here wrecks an’ go out by yaself.”
“Maybe I will, by God,” said the one-eyed man.
There was a clash of metal. “I got her,” Al called.
“Well, bring her out, let’s look at her.” Al handed him the piston and connecting-rod and the lower half of the bearing.
Tom wiped the babbitt surface and sighted along it sideways.
“Looks O.K. to me,” he said. “Say, by God, if we had a light we could get this here in tonight.”