"You swear you got no seeds or fruits or vegetables, no corn, no oranges?"
"No, no. I swear it!"
"Then go ahead. You can get a doctor in Barstow. That’s only eight miles. Go on ahead."
– John Steinbeck
The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 18. As the Joads drive across the desert they reach an agricultural checkpoint. Ma Joad holds her nerve with officers who want to inspect the truck for produce. She pleads that they have a sick old lady on board, Granma Joad, who must get to a doctor urgently. Granma is actually dead at this point, but Ma won’t reveal this to the family until later when they are safely across the desert. The officers after glimpsing Granma’s face and believing her very ill relent and allow the Joads though without an inspection. Ma shows great fortitude, strength, and instinct for survival here.