In the old days ya could leave yer bedroll in the jungle ‘n go inta town ‘n it’d still be there when ya got back. Nobody’d give a thought ta layin’ a hand on it. Not no more, no sir. Set yer stuff down fer ten minutes ‘n it’s gone. Don’t ever leave my bedroll where I cain’t keep an eye on it ‘less there’s some guys ‘roun’ I knows kin be trusted. Then mebbe I’ll leave it with one a them, but it’s gittin’ bad. Tramps stealin’ from tramps. Jus’ yesterdee, some son of a bitch walked off with my extra pair a jeans. I was washin’ ‘em, leavn’ ‘em ta set in a bucket a soapy water in the willa jungle. Them things was filthy ‘n needin’ a good soak, so I left ‘em there while I went inta town. Wasn’t gone more ‘n two hours ‘n got back ta the jungle ‘n they’s gone. Them pants was soakin’ wet when they’s took. I paid twelve bucks fer ‘em in Denver. Still had a summers worth a wear left in ‘em.

‘N California, California’s one place where ya gotta watch yer step. Plenty a guys out there up ta no good. They’ll steal yer pack right off yer back if ya ain’t careful. One time in Oroville I’d been drinkin’ a little ‘n fell asleep unner a tree in broad daylight. Had my head rested on my bedroll. That’s all I had then. My clothes ‘n ev’rythin’ was rolled up in there. I musta been out pretty good, ‘cause when I come to, my head was propped up on one a them big fruit cans, ‘n my bedroll was nowhere in sight.

There was this jungle not far from there. Colored guys, every one of ‘em. I could see their heads stickin’ up outta the weeds ‘cross the tracks. Had me the idea it musta been one a them took it. Weren’t no one else aroun’. I started over the tracks, all the time keepin’ an eye on ‘em ta see if mebbe one of ‘em was gonna try ‘n make a run fer it. Ain’t nothin’ I cain’t stand more ‘n a guy stealin’ from ya, ‘spesh’ly while yer sleepin’. Goddamn, I was mad.  They seen me comin’ ‘n stood up. Musta been five er six of ‘em. I was steamin’ ‘n still feelin’ the liquor when I tromped inta their jungle. I give it to ‘em straight. I sez, “Somebody run off with my stuff, ‘n I’m gonna give yas a good goin’ over, ‘n if yas ain’t got it, yas got nothin’ ta worry ‘bout.” Dunno what I was thinkin’ ‘bout, talkin’ like that ta five er six guys; musta been the liquor. But nobody sez nothin’. Jus’ stood there starin’ at me like I was crazy.

I went over ev’ryone’s stuff. All the while them coloreds watchin’ me ‘n not sayin’ a thing.  There’s this last one, a big guy. I went over to have a look at his stuff, ‘n he steps in front a me ‘n sez ta keep away from it. Well goddamn, I figgered he’s the one. He’s standin’ real close to me like he’s threatenin’ me. His face was mebbe a foot from mine. I could see he wasn’t ‘bout to let me past, so I knocked him down ‘n walked over ta where his stuff was. He got up ‘n come at me like a locomotive, ‘n we both went down ‘n started swingin’. He clobbered me a couple a times. My nose ‘n mouth was all bloody, but I give him two good ones in a row ‘n he stayed down. Fell face first in the dirt. None a them other guys did nothin’. They was standin’ off a-ways, watchin’. Mebbe they figgered he had it comin’. I searched his stuff ‘n didn’t find any part a my bedroll. Never found out who took it, neither.

102.