Ain’t had but a third grade education. Been married twice, ‘n both my wives a-learned me to read ‘n write. I have me some trouble a-spellin’ them big words, but if I kin soun’ ‘em out in my head, I kin come pretty damn close to how they’s s’pose ta be spelt. If I’m a-readin’ a book ‘n come ‘cross one a them ten dollar words, I’ll try ‘n git it’s meanin’, ‘n if I cain’t, there’s fellas in the jungles might know. Ya know, a guy might know a word I ain’t sure about, ‘n I might know one he don’t know. Jus’ ‘cause ya don’t know ev’ry word in the English language, don’t mean yer not smart. There’s so many  damn diff’rent words, I ‘spect there ain’t any one person kin tell ya what they all mean. Got plenty a time on my hands to read. Ain’t hardly never ‘thout a paperback er Readers Digest in my pack. The Readers Digest, read  mos’ a them stories  two-three times ‘fore passin’ it on. Give it to a guy, ‘n he’ll give it to ‘nother guy, ‘n it gits passed ‘roun’ that-a-way.

I git books from places like that bar in Portola. They gives ‘em to whoever it is wants ‘em, er some places’ll charge a dime fer ‘em. There’s a couple a them places where they recycles paper, got books free fer the takin’. They got these big bins a paperbacks that’s throwed away. Got ‘em out back a the warehouses by the tracks. All’s they do is make new paper out of ‘em. Ya git there on a Sundee when they’s closed, ‘n load up on books. They got ev’ry kind ya kin think a.  Mostly love stories ‘n shit, but ya spend some time a-diggin’ through them bins, ‘n ye’ll find a good one, a western er two. The covers is all tore off so ya gotta give ‘em a good goin’ over so’s ya know what yer gittin’. I don’t read them love stories, them romancin’ books. Westerns, read westerns mostly. I’ll give a look at them pussy books once in awhile. They got a slew of ‘em at the recyclin’ place. Scrounge through the magazine bins ‘n ye’ll run across ‘em. But I’ll take a Western any day.

50.