More Portmanteau Plays Part 51

HANK

Your pa died when you were four. So did mine.

JONATHAN

Did you ever have an uncle?

HANK

How many you got?

JONATHAN

I got two living and one dead.

HANK

All three of mine's dead.

[_He whistles a s.n.a.t.c.h of the strange air and takes a chew of tobacco._

Where's your ma?

JONATHAN (_Is about to become impatient, but an innate tolerance causes him to answer_)

She died when I was twelve.

HANK

So did mine. (_Whistles_) We're alike in lots of ways, ain't we?

JONATHAN

What did you do when your mother died?

HANK

I felt pretty sorry.

JONATHAN

Did your brothers and sisters help you any?

HANK

Have you any brothers and sisters?

JONATHAN

No--

HANK

Me neither. (_Whistles casually_) No one took no notice of me.

JONATHAN

What'd you do?

HANK

I went away.

JONATHAN

Why didn't you try to work?

HANK

Couldn't find nothing suitable. 'T first I felt sort o' worried an' then I kep' walkin' on and I seen so much trouble where I went I says to myself, "Hank, you're lucky," I says. "You ain't got no fam'ly to bother you an'

you ain't got nothing to worry you an' you don't have to get no place in partic'lar and you don't have to stay no place." A man wot's got a wife's all the time worrying about her health or her money spendin' or her gaddin'

or her naggin'. An' a man w'ots got a fam'ly's always wondering where they'll end. An' a man's wot's got a home's all time worrying about keepin'

it locked up. I bet the poor nut wot owns this place can't breathe easy for bein' scared things'll be took or burnt up. W'y you--look at you--(_Whistles_) You're wis.h.i.+n' I'd go 'cause you're 'fraid I'll take somethin'. I won't take nothin', young feller, 'cause I don't need nothin'

now and I won't need nothin' till it's cold again--and then I'll git an overcoat maybe. It's too much trouble takin' things--'cause you have to carry 'em. (_Whistles_) You goin' to let me sleep here some place?

JONATHAN

I can't. My uncle would drive you away. Maybe he'd have you arrested.

HANK

I ain't done nothin'. I ain't hurtin' n.o.body.

JONATHAN

Well, he doesn't allow strangers around.

HANK (_Whistles. At the window_)

That's where I went by jus' now.

JONATHAN

I heard you whistling.

HANK

That's a tune I made up once. (_Whistles_)