Tom then says he does not mean to "sound off" at the man. What makes Tom a little kinder to the fat man?

The gas station man wants to know what the country is coming to, and Tom snaps at him for asking a question no one can really answer. Irritated, Tom tells off the fat man,"You ain't askin' nothin'; you're jus' singin' a kinda song." Tom feels badly because the fat man did not mean any offence, he was simply expressing his thoughts for good or for bad.