After traveling for two straight weeks with no sleep to get to his brother-in-law, Tom, a young man named Jesse feels frustrated and dejected when Tom doesn't even recognize him. When Jesse finally tells Tom who he is, Tom is wary. Jesse looks so malnourished, Tom only sees him as a shadow of his former self from five years prior. Jesse feels upset when he sees the pity in Tom's eyes. Tom notices Jesse's frustration and calls him into his office to chat. Jesse tells Tom about how he lost his job to the Great Depression but heard from one of Tom's workers that there were jobs hiring in Tom's city. Dumbstruck, Tom replies there is no work at all; Jesse walked for two weeks straight from Missouri to Oklahoma for nothing. Jesse cries out, insisting that Tom's worker, Egbert, told him that Tom was always hiring. Tom admits that he does have a job available but refuses to give it to Jesse due to its dangerous nature. The job involves transporting nitroglycerin, a highly reactive material, by truck. Any slight disturbance or movement can result in instant death. In fact, Egbert died the last night driving nitroglycerin for oil drilling. No matter how much Tom explains the dangers of working with nitroglycerin, Jesse holds fast. Jesse expresses that he feels ashamed of not being able to support his family and is desperate enough to do anything, no matter how dangerous, to feel like his life has value again. He has endured 6 years without a single job opening and he's off unemployment payments. After more begging, Tom finally gives in. Beaming, Jesse leaves to take a bath and nap at Tom's house, feeling like the happiest man in the world. Tom sits devastated, his head in his hands, unable to watch Jesse walk out.