The Sand Pebbles
prev.
play.
mark.
next.

:27:00
He knew.
:27:03
We don't never go in the bilges. And if
you want Chien's respect, stay out of 'em.

:27:07
- l don't care if that slopehead respects me.
- Well, you better!

:27:11
- We couldn't get along without him.
- Well, by God, l can get along without him.

:27:25
- Who works for who around here?
- Oh, it's a system they got.

:27:29
lf you want a bilge coolie, go through Chien.
For a deck coolie, go through Pappy Tung.

:27:36
The boss of all the coolies is Lop-eye Shing.
He's kind of captain.

:27:40
- Like Collins is with the crew.
- Yeah?

:27:42
- How the hell did they get this thing started?
- Oh, a long time ago, before l shipped on.

:27:49
The sampans'd gang around the slop chutes,
and the Chinese'd fight for the garbage.

:27:53
Well, that was no way, so finally the cook
gave one sampan the contract. Hey, come on.

:27:59
Relax, huh?
:28:01
Soon, they wasn't only collectin' it,
they was scrapin' and washin' dishes.

:28:05
ln a week, every mess cook had
a Chinese helper to do all the work.

:28:09
Next thing, they were sleeping
in the galley passageways.

:28:12
Then they was with the ship for good,
in all the departments.

:28:15
- Course, it ain't official.
- Hey, how do they get paid?

:28:19
Oh, squeeze. Little here, little there.
Uncle Sam don't miss it. You got a minute?

:28:24
- Yeah.
- Come on. l'll show you.

:28:27
They live in the old crew's quarters.
:28:36
We never come in here.
The Captain don't even inspect it.

:28:43
Oh, come on.
He's lost enough face for one day.

:28:51
lf you wanna hit one of them, kick him.
Never touch him with your hand.

:28:55
Don't get buddies with a coolie.
That's trouble.

:28:58
- And they do all the work?
- Sure.

:28:59
That leaves us free for standing
topside watches and our primary duty.


prev.
next.