--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ain't clean,\" Ma said. \"They shouldn't…" description: "\"“We ain't clean,\" Ma said. \"They shouldn't be comin' till we get cleaned up a little.\" \"But they know how it is,\" the manager said. \"They came in the s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/john-steinbeck-71_management_we-ain-t-clean-ma-said-they-shouldn-t-be_2681836.jpg" --- # We ain't clean," Ma said. "They shouldn't be comin' till… ![“We ain't clean," Ma said. "They shouldn't be comin' till we get cleaned up a little." "But they know how it is," the manager said. "They came in the same way. No, sir. The committees are good in this camp because they do know." He finished his coffee and stood up. "Well, I got to go on. Anything…” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/john-steinbeck-71_management_we-ain-t-clean-ma-said-they-shouldn-t-be_2681836.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/john-steinbeck-71_management_we-ain-t-clean-ma-said-they-shouldn-t-be_2681836.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1a6/john-steinbeck-71_management_we-ain-t-clean-ma-said-they-shouldn-t-be_2681836.jpg) > ““We ain't clean," Ma said. "They shouldn't be comin' till we get cleaned up a little." "But they know how it is," the manager said. "They came in the same way. No, sir. The committees are good in this camp because they do know." He finished his coffee and stood up. "Well, I got to go on. Anything you want, why, come over to the office. I'm there all the time. Grand coffee. Thank you." He put the cup on the box with the others, waved his hand, and walked down the line of tents. And Ma heard him speaking to the people as he went. Ma put down her head and she fought with a desire to cry.”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People cling to hope despite hardship, seeking small comforts while waiting for change. **In simple terms:** Hope persists amid struggle, seeking relief. Key Takeaway Seek small comforts while persisting. Themes hardship hope community Mood somber hopeful Type literary reflective When to use this quote - family gatherings - working conditions - community support Key Concepts resilience social dynamics waiting for relief Questions to Reflect On - What small comforts sustain you? - How do you balance hope with action? A Different Perspective Comfort may be fleeting and insufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Clean Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clean-ma-2587388/) [Coffee Stood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee-stood-2587386/) [Coffee Thank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee-thank-2587387/) [Finished Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finished-coffee-1475671/) [Management](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) [Manager Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manager-said-467460/) ## Related quotes > [Dear coffee, thank you for being there for me this morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-coffee-thank-you-for-being-there-for-me-this-morning/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The mercenary finished his coffee in a single gulp, It must have been piping hot, too. 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He said, 'Dude, dude, you're nominated!' Then I fell back asleep. I was out cold. LeBron James…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-got-a-call-from-my-manager-he-said-dude-dude-you-re-nominated-then/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [My manager said it would more effective against left-handed hitters. It seemed to me that was impossible to do without the high leg kick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-marichal/my-manager-said-it-would-more-effective-against-left-handed-hitters/) [Juan Marichal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-marichal/) > [My son became my manager, and he said to me, 'Mom, if you could do anything you wanted to do, what would it be?'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cloris-leachman/my-son-became-my-manager-and-he-said-to-me-mom-if-you-could-do/) [Cloris Leachman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cloris-leachman/) > [As players, we have the best job in the world and if the manager said, 'You haven't worked hard enough, you will only get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kolo-toure/as-players-we-have-the-best-job-in-the-world-and-if-the-manager-said/) [Kolo Toure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kolo-toure/) > [When a ladder was stolen from a store the manager said that further steps would be taken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-tosh/when-a-ladder-was-stolen-from-a-store-the-manager-said-that-further/) [Daniel Tosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-tosh/) > [When I did 'The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien,' Conan came to my dressing room after and was like, 'Man, that was great.' Then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-cole/when-i-did-the-tonight-show-with-conan-o-brien-conan-came-to-my/) [Deon Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-cole/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. 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Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Management quotes > [“Only careful political manoeuvring will be able to manage the situation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davan-yahya-khalil/only-careful-political-manoeuvring-will-be-able-to-manage-the/) [Davan Yahya Khalil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davan-yahya-khalil/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“Without time management, you lose control of your life and do what other people tell you to do. 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I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [If you want to serve in a Trump administration, you're going to serve this country, not yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/if-you-want-to-serve-in-a-trump-administration-you-re-going-to-serve/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [Football is a team sport. I'm proud of what I achieved in my career, but I also know that I wouldn't have achieved any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schmeichel/football-is-a-team-sport-i-m-proud-of-what-i-achieved-in-my-career/) [Peter Schmeichel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schmeichel/) > [If I told my wife I was going to become a manager she'd say 'sign this then. Don't worry it's only a divorce. 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Why was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/who-tricked-me-into-this-whole-thing-and-leaves-me-standing-here-who/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) [Browse all 8,379 Management quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/management/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We ain't clean,\" Ma said. \"They shouldn't be comin' till we get cleaned up a little.\" \"But they know how it is,\" the manager said. \"They came in the same way. No, sir. The committees are good in this camp because they do know.\" He finished his coffee and stood up. \"Well, I got to go on. Anything you want, why, come over to the office. I'm there all the time. Grand coffee. Thank you.\" He put the cup on the box with the others, waved his hand, and walked down the line of tents. And Ma heard him speaking to the people as he went. 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