hobos, tramps and bums

[Bethany K. Dumas]

On Fri, 15 Feb 2002, James A. Landau wrote:

>"tranp" has several meanings, one of which is a migratory WORKER.  Older NY

Yes. An uncle and aunt of mine were "fruit tramps" in the 40s and
50s. They worked in fruit-packing sheds from the Rio Grande Valley in TX
to n. California. The summer after my first year in grad school, I worked
with them in northern Californa. My uncle was a "shed boss," my aunt a
packer. I was unskilled labor - I weighed boxes of apricots and pears
after they were packed to make sure they fell within the required
weight range.

Bethany