They encounter a fellow Dust Bowl migrant at a roadside rest-stop who tells them to turn back, echoing the cautionary tone of the song. He cites his own loss and misfortune (he mentions the trials of his dead wife and his underfed children 'moaning like pups') as a warning to others to avoid the same fate.
The narrative intersects with another Dust Bowl migrant at a roadside stop who advises them to turn back, reflecting the song's cautionary tone. This character recounts his own personal struggles, including the loss of his wife and the suffering of his underfed children, as a warning to others to avoid similar hardships.