Pop and Jake, along with the two Thomas boys, George and Clyde, endure the bumpy, dusty trip through the hot Texas summer of 1932 to Austin so that the boys can enroll in the University of Texas. By the time a semester’s rent and tuition are paid for, only $15 remains for books and, oh, yes, food. “If you can get a job, you can stay,” Pop tells his son.
Grain of salt: In the video retelling of the trip from Big Spring to Austin, you’ll notice that the number of travelers has grown to “five or six”, instead of the four persons referenced above, which is the more believable number indicated by Peggy in “Jake”. Four people and bags would have been an ample load for Pop Pickle’s Oldsmobile—but for Jake, adding to a crowd estimate was a lifelong talent that began early.