"George" " What do you want?" "Where are we going?" "Forgot that already, did you?" "I forgot." "I tried not to forget." "Honest I did." "OK, OK, I'll tell you again" " I got nothin else to do." "Might as well spend my time tellin you things." "You forget em, and I'll tell you again." "I tried and I tried, but it didn't do no good." "I remember about the rabbits, George!" "Oh yeah ..." "Ya can remember a thing" " Rabbits." "Don't you remember us goin into Johnson and Beaties in Frisco, and they give us the bus tickets and the work cards?" "Oh, sure" " I remember that now." "George..." "What?" "I ain't got mine." "I must've lost it." "Ya never had none" " I got em both here." "Ya think I'd let ya carry your own work card?" "I thought I put it right here in my side pocket." "I think we're gettin to her ..." "I'm gonna ask the driver." "How far to No. 3 ranch, bud?" "Didn't I take you guys to Weed just a short time ago?" "Don't strain your memory, just answer my question!" "OK, OK" " Don't get sore." "It's just a little stretch down the road." "You'll do better if you get off here." "C'mon, Lennie." "Ranch No. 3:" "Ten" " Ten Miles!" "Soledad Land Company." "Ten miles!" ""It's just a little stretch up the road", he says!" "Ten miles and the hottest day we've had." "If I ever see that bus driver again, I'll bust his n.." "..." "Lennie!" "Hey, Lennie!" "Hey Lennie" " Don't drink so much water- you're gonna be sick!" "Lennie, do you hear me?" "You're gonna be sick!" "Lennie..." "That's good, George." "You drink some, too." "You take a good big drink." "I ain't sure its good water." "Looks kinda scummy" "Tastes alright." "It don't seem to be wrong" "Ya never oughtta drink water, when it ain't running, Lennie." "You'd drink out of a gutter, if you were thirsty." "What'd you take out of your pocket?" "I ain't got a thing in my pocket, George." "I know it" " Ya got it in your hand." "What have you got in your hand?" "I ain't got nothin in my hand, George, honest." "Come on" " Give it here." "I-its only a bird." "A bird?" "A live bird?" "No!" "Just a dead bird" " I didn't kill it, though" " I found it" " I found it dead." "Alright- give it here." "Ah" " Let me have it, George." " Give it to me!" "What do you want with a dead bird?" "Last week, it was a mouse." "I was just petting him with my thumb while we walked along." "You ain't petting no bird while you're walkin with me." "Oh" " Why ain't we going to the ranch to get some supper." "They got supper at the ranch." "No reason at all" " I just like it here." "Lennie, tomorrow we'll be goin to work." "Bustin our backs lifting up them barley bags." "For tonight" "I'm just gonna lay here and look up." "Not caring for about a grain bag or a boss in the world" " Ain't we gonna have no supper?" "Sure we are" "If you get us some dead willow sticks, me" " I got three cans of beans here in my binbo." "You get that fire ready, and I'll give ya a match and we'll get the sticks together." "We'll heat up these beans and have supper." "I like beans with ketchup." "We ain't got no ketchup" "Now go on- get them sticks." "Don't you fool around none, neither." "It'll be dark soon." "I guess they're about done." "Ya got enough beans there for 4 men." "I like 'em with ketchup." "I told you we ain't got none." "Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want." "If I was alone, I could live so easy." "At the end of the month, I could take my 50 bucks, go into town and get whatever I want." "Gallon of whisky, sit in a poolroom, playin cards, or shoot pool." "And what do I got?" "I got you." "You just keep me shoving, all over the country, all the time." "And that ain't the worst ... you do bad things." "You get in trouble all the time and I have to get you out." "Like what ya done up in Weed." "They'd have lynched you if they'd a caught you." "You just wanted touch that girl's dress." "Cause it looked so nice and soft." "Ya just wanted to pet it like it was a bird, or a rabbit." "And what did you hold on for, when she started yellin her head off." "Whyn't you let go?" "I" " I wasn't gonna hurt her." "I wish I could put ya in a cage with about a million rabbits and leave ya there." "And let them pet you." "You- want I should go away and leave ya alone?" "Where could you go?" "I could" " I could go right up in them hills and someplace find a cave." "Alright- and how'd you eat?" "You ain't got sense enough to find somethin to eat." "uh" " I'd find things." "I don't need no nice food with ketchup on it." "I could lay out in the sun, where nobody'd hurt me." "I've been mean, ain't I?" "..." "Ain't I?" "Well, if you don't want me" "You only just gotta say so." "Oh" " I could go right up in them hills and live by myself." "And I won't get no birds stole from me." "Someody'd shoot you for a coyote, if you was by yourself." "You better stay with me." "George..." "What?" "Tell me, like ya done before" " Tell you what?" " About the Rabbits" "Now you ain't putting nothing over on me." "No George, please." "Tell me like ya done before." "You get a kick outta that, don't ya?" " Uh huh." "Alright, I'll tell ya." "Go ahead and eat your beans." "Go on, George ..." "Well..." "Guys like us that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world." "They come to the ranch, they work up a stake, ..." "They go into town, they blow that stake," "And then the first thing you know," "They're pounding their tail in another ranch." "so they got nothin to look ahead to." "That's right" " But not us." "Now tell how it is with us." "Well, with us, it ain't like that." "We got a future." "We got somebody to talk to that gives a hoot about us." "We don't have to set in no bar room blowing away our jack cause we got no place to go," "If them other guys go to jail, they can rot for all anybody cares." "But not us.." "And why?" "Because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you." "And that's why." "Go on, George." "You can do it yourself" " You know it by heart." "Please." "I forget some of the stuff." "Go on, George ..." "Tell how it's gonna be." "Well..." "Someday we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna get a little house on a couple of acres" "A cow, chickens, pigs ..." "And rabbits!" "Go on, George." "Tell about the rabbits ... and cages, and the rain in the winter, and the stove, and the cream so thick that you can't even cut it with a knife." "Tell about that, George." "I don't know why you don't do it yourself, you know it all" "Oh, please- it ain't the same if I tell it." "Go on, George." "Tell about the rabbits and how I get to tan them." "Well, we're gonna have... a... a big vegetable patch." "Some chickens, and a rabbit hutch." "And we can live on the fat of the land." "And live on the fat of the land." "In the winter, when it rains ... we're gonna say" " Skip the work." "We're gonna light a big fire in the stove," "We're gonna sit around, and listen to the rain comin down on the roof." "And ..." "I ain't got time for no more." "Let's hit the hay." "Look, Lennie" " What are ya gonna say when the boss asks you questions?" "Huh?" "I- ain't gonna say a word." "Good boy" " Say, that's fine." "Look, Lennie ..." "I want for you to look around here." "Do you think that you can remember this place?" "Sure, George." "I can remember here." "Didn't I remember about not sayin a word?" "Yes, of course you did." "Now look" " Lennie" "Lennie!" "If you just happen to get in trouble, like you always done before" "I want for you to come back here ... and hide in the brush." "Hide in the brush." "Hide in the brush until I come for ya." "Can you remember that?" "Sure, George." "I can remember." "Hide in the brush until you come." "Until I come ..." "But ..." "You ain't gonna get in no trouble, cause if you do, I ain't gonna let you tend them rabbits." "I ain't gonna get in no trouble, George." "I ain't gonna say a word." "You got it" " At least I hope so." "Alright, let's hit the hay." "Alright." "It's gonna be nice sleeping here" "Lookin up ..." "With the leaves ..." "Boy, you sure feel free when you ain't got a job." "And if you ain't hungry." "Let's have different color rabbits, George." "Sure we will." "Red and blue and pink ones, Lennie." "Millions of em." "Furry ones" " Like I seen at the fair in Sacramento." "Furry ones ... of course" "I can just as well go up in them hills" "And find a cave if you don't want me." "Shut up" " George?" " What?" "I'm shuttin up, George." "Come in!" "Some new guys have come, boss." "Bring em in." "Got your work slips?" "Yes." "I see its not Johnson and Beattie's fault." "It says right here on your work slips, you should have been here last night." "Ready to go to work this morning." "The bus driver gave us a bum steer, and we had to walk 10 miles." "I had to send the barley wagon without two buckers." "What's your name?" "My name is George Milton." "George..." "Milton." "Milton." "Yours." "His name is Lennie Small." "Lennie Small." "Lemme see" "It is Friday the 20th" "About 1:35PM ..." "Half an hour yet before you have to work at 2." "Where you boys been working?" "Around Weed." "You too?" "Yes." "Him too." "He ain't much of a talker, is he?" "No, he's a good worker, though- strong as a bull." "I'm strong as a bull." "What can you do?" "He can do anything." "Listen, Small, what can you do?" "Anything you like." "He's a good skinner, he can wrestle grain bags, drive a cultivator, anything you like." "Just give him a try." "Then why not let him answer?" "What are you trying to pull over?" "I don't say he's bright- he ain't, but I say he's a good worker." "He can put up a 400 lb bale." "Say..." "What are you sellin?" "What?" "What stake ya got in this guy?" "You takin his pay away from him?" "Of course I ain't." "I never seen one guy go to so much trouble for another guy,." "I would just like to know what your percentage is." "He is my cousin." "I told his old lady that I'd take care of him." "He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was kid." "He just ain't bright, but he'll do anything you tell him." "Alright." "I guess it don't take much brains to buck barley bags." "But don't try to put anything over, Milton." "I've got my eye on you." "Why did you quit in Weed?" "Ah- the job was done." "What kinda job?" "Digging a cesspool." "Alright." "But don't try to put anything over." "I've seen wise guys before." "Show these guys to the bunkhouse, then take them out to Slim." "Uh" " Yes, sir." "Candy!" "Yes, sir?" "Do not forget to tell them what a nice guy the boss is." "I wasn't gonna say nothin, boss." "Hi, Crooks" "What you got there?" "Ross' busted saddle." "Them two guys is the new stiffs." "I know." "Did the boss raise enough cain with me when they didn't show up?" "He sure did." "The boss always takes it out on Crooks when he gets mad." "Got that crooked back when a horse kicked him." "He reads a lot." "Got books in his room." "Yes?" "Alright, what kind of a guy is the boss?" "Come on, come on." "What's he like?" "Well, he's a pretty nice fella for a boss." "He gets mad sometimes, but he's pretty nice." "You know what he done at Christmas?" "What?" "Brought a gallon of whiskey right in the bunkhouse and says:" "Drink hearty boys, Christmas comes but once a year." "A whole gallon. huh?" "Oh, by golly, we had fun." "What were you saying?" "They let Crooks come in that night..." "Yes?" "Well, sir, a little skinner, named uh, Smittie, takes after the black boy" "The guys wouldn't let him use his feet," "So Crooks got him." "The guy says, onna count of the black man got a crooked back," "Smittie can't use his feet." "I see." "After that, the guys went into town, and they tore 'er to pieces." "I didn't go in there." "I ain't got the steam no more." "A pretty old dog, huh?" "Had him ever since he was a pup." "He was a good sheep dog when he was young." "Over here." "You can have them two beds there." "Alright" "I'll take the top one" " I don't want you fallin down on me." "What is this?" "Hmm?" "What's this?" "I don't know." "No?" "Says "Positively kills fleas, lice, and other scourges"." "What kind of bed you have given us?" "No no, I'll tell you what." "The last guy that had that bunk was a blacksmith" "As clean a fella as you'd wanna meet." "He used to wash his hands even after he et." "Then how come he got pillow pigeons?" "Well, he's the kinda fella that'd put that stuff around even if there wasn't no bugs." "Now, he'd peel his boiled potatoes." "And he'd pick out every little speck before he'd eat it." "If there was a red blotch on an egg, he'd scrape it off." "And then he finally quit." "I'll bet he did." "No" " About the food." "That's the kind of guy he was - clean." "If I find a single pillow pigeon in this bed, you're gonna hear from me." "OK- now you two fellas get set, and" "I'll come back in a minute to take you to Slim." "Seen my old man, Candy?" "Just left him back at your house a little while ago." "I'll try to catch him." "You the new guys my old man was looking for?" "Yeah, we just come." "Let the big guy talk." "What if he don't wanna talk?" "He's gotta talk when he's spoke to" "What are you shoving into this for?" "Him and me travel together." "And you won't let the big guy talk, is that it?" "He'll talk if he wants to tell you anything." "We just come in." "Well, next time answer when you're spoke to." "What are you pickin on him for?" "He ain't done nothin to you." "Are you drawing cards this hand?" "I might." "Well, I'll see you get a chance to ante." "What's he got on his shoulder?" "Lennie didn't say nothin to him." "Well, I'll tell you what." "Curley's like a lot of little guys" " He hates big guys." "It's kinda like he's mad at em cause he ain't a big guy." "You've seen lots o little guys, ain't you?" "Always scrappin." "Curley sounds like a skunk to me." "I hate mean little guys." "It seems to me like Curley's the worst." "Got married a couple months ago, his wife lives over in the boss' house." "Seems like Curley's got worse since he got married" "Like he's sitten on an ant hill." "Maybe he's showin off for his wife." "Yes." "You just wait'll you see Curley's wife." "One, two." "One, two." "The two new buckers showed up, Curley." "I've seen 'em, Dad." "Don't like their looks much." "Well, I'm not gonna hold that against them." "We wouldn't have a man on the place if I waited for you to like somebody's looks." "If I didn't watch 'em like a hawk every minute, we wouldn't have a place." "Seen Mae?" "Oh, let her alone for a minute." "Why do you keep pestering her?" "She ain't doin no harm." "How do I know that?" "Y'know, maybe if Mae had some women to talk to..." "It ain't women I'm worried about." "Ah, stick to your job, and forget your wife for an hour." "You sure trust me, don't ya, Curley?" "As far as I can spit." "Who's in there with you?" "There ain't nobody in there." "Ya punch drunk pug" " I ain't even seen the boy." "He must have just come in." "Get out of here!" "Next time, they'll carry you out." "This'll happen to any guy I catch with you." "What did I ever do to give you the right to treat me like.." "Nothing." "But I ain't taking no chances." "You got a home." "You got a husband." "You got no business messing around." "Sure I got a home." "Ya think all I wanna do is sit in that 2x4 just waitin for ya?" "I want to see somebody." "Just see 'em, and talk to 'em." "I tell you, I just want to talk to somebody!" "You got me to talk to ya." "Yes." "I lead with my left twice, see." "Then I bring the ol' right cross." "One, two." "One, two and down." "One, two." "I can hear it in my sleep." "Where did ya get that pup?" "He was given to me." "Slim gave him to you, didn't he?" "And what if he did?" "No guy's giving my wife presents." "You're giving that pup back." "Oh yeah?" "If you're not giving it back, Slim's gonna take it back." "No" " He's not afraid of you." "We'll see whether he is or not." "Wait'll he takes the ol' "one-two"." "One, two." "One, two." "Hey, Slim!" "Come on down here!" "Looks like we're gonna have fun." "I know you're the best skinner my old man's got on the place." "And I know he won't let me can ya," "But he can't stop me from tangling with you if you don't lay off my wife." "What is it this time, Mr. Jackson?" "You gave her one of your pups." "and?" "I do not want no ranch hand giving' my wife presents." "and?" "She won't give it up, so you've got to take it back." "That's right." "Curley ain't never going to tangle with Slim." "Not with Slim, he ain't." "After work, Slim." "I'll give it to you on your own time." "Hey, Slim!" "I'm riding over to the barn." "I'm making sure you've got no more pups to give away." "Holy Smoke" " That guy tried to kill us!" "He was aimin at Lennie." "It's like I told you." "He hates big guys." "Well, come on, you fellas." "This here's Slim, fellas." "What Slim says goes around here." "Ah, lay off, Candy." "Candy is right." "The boss tells you what to do, but if you want to know how to do it, you gotta ask the mule skinner." "My name is George Milton." "He's my partner here, Lennie Small." "You fellas travel around together?" "Yes, we kind of look out for each other." "Not many fellas traveling around together." "Go on, George." "Ask him." "What's eatin him?" "He has heard Curley talk about your pups, and now he wants one." "One white and brown." "Okay, big boy." "We get back to the barn, I'll give you one." "A brown and white one." "You guys ever buck any barley?" "I'll say." "I'm nothin to scream about, but this big guy ..." "Watch this, mister." "You all right?" "Ready, Lennie?" "OK" " Let her go." "Hey, Slim, Slim ..." "Get this." "Get out from under that wheel!" "He won't drop it till I tell him- unless the supper bell rings." "There ya are." "Alright, Lennie, let her down." "Easy now ..." "Easy, boy ..." "That's right." "OK" "You sure was right about him." "I've never seen such a strong guy." "Give us the word, Slim" " We'll show ya." "Hey, Slim!" "OK, boys" " Let em buck." "There's Curley's wife now." "You know what I think?" "I think Curley's married hisself a pack of trouble." "There's plenty done that." "You look her over, and see if I ain't right." "You're the fellas that just come, ain't you?" "Yes." "Yes." "What Candy says about her is right" "Curley has got a pack of trouble." "Gosh, she's pretty." "Now you listen to me" "Don't you even look at her!" "Ah, I never done nothin, George." "No you never." "But when she was standin here, you wasn't lookin the other way, neither." "I never meant no harm, George" " Honest I never." "She was so pretty and she had a pup." "You keep away from her." "Yes." "Let Curley take the rap." "He let himself in for her." "I do not like this place." "This ain't no nice place." "I do not like this place." "Listen!" "I don't like it no better than you!" "But we gotta keep here until we got a stake!" "Come on, George, let's go" " Let's get outta here." "It's mean here." "Shut up, and get up and get to work" " Here comes that skunk again." "Did you see a girl around here?" "Get back to work." "A couple of minutes ago, maybe." "What was she doin?" "I did not ask her." "Which way'd she go?" "I don't know." "I didn't want to know." "You know, Lennie?" "I'm scared I'm gonna tangle with that palooka myself." "I hate the sight of him." "You ain't mad, George." "I ain't mad at you." "I'm mad at this Curley." "You keep away from him." "Sure I will." "I won't say a word." "Do not let them pull you in." "But if he takes a sock at ya, let him have it." "Let him have what, George?" "Never mind." "Look- if you get into any kind of trouble, do you remember what I told you?" "That if I get in any trouble ... you ain't gonna let me tend the rabbits." "That ain't what I mean..." "Do you remember where we slept last night?" "Down by the river?" "Oh, sure" " I remember that." "I go there and hide in the brush until you come." "That's it." "You hide until I come for ya." "Now say that over." "Hide in the brush by the river." "Down in the brush by the river." "If you get into trouble." "If I get into trouble." "That's it." "Hide in the brush by the river." "Down in the brush by the river." "Hide in the brush by the river." "I'll take them, Slim" "I was just given the pups some milk, Slim." "She's feelin fine." "Thanks, Candy." "Curley ain't been messin around with the pups, has he?" "I ain't seen him, Slim." "How are ya, Slim" " How'd it go today?" "Pretty good, we got two good men now." "That so?" "Glad to know ya." "My name's Carlson." "My name's George Milton." "This here's my partner, Lennie Small." "He ain't very small." "No, he ain't small at all." "Here ya are, Lennie ..." "A brown and white one." "How many pups ya got left, Slim?" "I gave this to Curley's wife." "Got two left." "Are you gonna keep em both?" "I dont know." "Got to keep em a while to drink up Lula's milk." "You know, Slim?" "That ol dog of Candy's, he's so old he can hardly walk." "Every time Candy brings him in the bunkhouse, I can smell him for two or three days." "Why don't ya get Candy to shoot the old dog, and give him one of them pups to raise up." "Cmon, Let's wash up." "There'll be nothin left to eat in a few minutes." "Kind of put you on the spot" "Lennie- put that pup back a while." "Come and wash up." "I'm coming, George." "Very been very nice of you to give Lennie that pup." "Ah, it wasn't nothing." "No need to thank me for that." "Well, it wasn't much to you, maybe, but it's a lot to him." "I do not know how we're gonna get him to sleep in the bunkhouse tonight" "He'll want to stay right out here in the barn." "Gonna have trouble keepin him from gettin right in that box with those pups." "What do we do?" "Catch a shower?" "You can catch a shower any time." "The only dish out that grub once." "Lennie!" "You sure were right about him" "I never seen such a worker." "I thought he was gonna kill you bucking that barley." "You just tell Lennie what to do and he'll do it." "If it don't take no figuring'." "Funny, you and him stringing along together." "What's so funny about it?" "I dont know." "Just seems kind of funny- cuckoo like him and a smart guy like you." "He ain't no cuckoo" " He's dumb, but he ain't crazy." "And I ain't so smart, neither- I wouldn't be buckin barley for my 50 and fun." "If I was bright; if I was even a bit smarter," "I'd have a place of my own." "Bringin in my own crops." "Instead of doing all the work and not gettin what comes up outta the ground." "Yeah, I'd kinda like to do that." "I sometimes'd like to cuss out a string of mules that was my own mules" "Sure" "It ain't so funny about me and Lennie traveling together" "We growed up together." "At first, I made fun of Lennie" "I used to play jokes on him, cause he was too dumb to take care of himself." "He was too dumb to know that jokes was bein played on him." "Yes." "I had fun." "It made me seem smart, alongside of him." "Yeah, I seen it that way." "I'll tell you what made me stop playin jokes." "There was a bunch of us standing along side the Sacramento River." "I was feelin kind of show-off, see, so I turns to Lennie and I says" ""Jump in"." " What happened?" "He jumps" "He couldn't swim a stroke, so he nearly drowned." "And he was so nice to me, because I pulled him out." "See, he clean forgot I told him to jump in." "I never done anything like that since." "It makes me feel kinda sick talkin about it." "Lennie!" "I'll go wash up pretty soon, George." "You go now" "I'll tell Slim not to let you have that pup." "I'm goin..." "Just like a kid, ain't he?" "There's no more harm in him than a kid, neither." "Except he's so strong." "He ain't got enough sense to take care of himself." "That's alright" " Nice fella." "A guy don't need no sense to be a nice fella." "Lennie is a nuisance most of the time," "But you get used to goin around with the guy, and ya can't get rid of him." "Do you want to get rid of him?" "He gets in trouble all the time." "Like he done in Weed." "You wouldn't tell anybody, would ya?" "What did he do in Weed?" "You wouldn't tell anybody, would ya?" "No, of course you wouldn't" "What did he do in Weed?" "Well, there was this girl come along in a red dress" "Here he comes." "I'll tell you later." "I done just like you told me, George." "That's fine." "Eat your supper." "It's brown and white, just like I wanted." "Ain't you gonna take me to the movies, like ya promised?" "I seen it the other night with some of the boys." "Hello Slim" "Hello George." "Don't neither of you play any horshoes?" "I don't like to play every night." "You guys got a slug of whiskey?" "I gotta cramp." "I ain't." "If I had any, I'd drink it myself." "I ain't got no cramp, neither." "Cabbage does it to me" " Know'd it was gonna, afor I et it." "You ought've seen that stable buck Bitshune" "He never give nobody a chance to win." "Man alive, that dog smells." "Candy, get him out of here." "I don't know nothin smells as bad as old dog smell" "I been around him so much," "I've never noticed how he smells." "Well, I can't stand him in here." "That smell hangs around even after he's gone." "Look at him, Candy" " The old fella's all stiff with rheumatism." "He ain't no good to ya." "Why don't you shoot him?" "I tell ya what, Mr. Carlson, I had him so long." "I herded sheep with him" "You wouldn't think to look at him now," "But he was the best sheep dog I ever seen" "I knowd a guy in Weed with an Airdale that could herd sheep." "Learned it from the other dogs." "That old fella just suffers hisself all the time" "If you was to take him out and shoot him," "Right in the back of the head." "Why, he'd never know what hit him." "So you won't shoot him." "No." "I couldn't do that." "I had him too long." "He don't have no fun no more" "Besides he smells bad." "I tell you what I'll do." "I'll shoot him for ya, so it won't be you that done it." "Leave him alone, Carl." "It ain't a guys dog that matters, its the way a guy feels about his dog." "Me" " I wouldn't trade my mutt here for one of them field trial pointers." "Candy ain't being nice to him, leavin him alive." "listen" " Slim's hound has that litter now" "I bet you he'd give you one of them pups to raise up." "Wouldn't ya, Slim?" "Yeah, you can have a pup." "Carl is right, Candy." "That poor dog ain't no good for himself." "I wish someone'd shoot me if I get old and a cripple." "Maybe it'd hurt him." "I don't mind takin care of him." "He'd be better off dead." "The way I'd shoot him, he wouldn't feel nothin." "Say" " Have you guys seen this?" "Right here" " Read that." "I don't want to read nothin." "It'll be over in a minute, Candy" " Come on." "Did you see it, Slim?" "What is this?" "Read that" " Read it out loud." " Dear Editor?" " Yeah." "I been readin your mag for the past 6 months," "I think its the best on the market." "I like stories by Peter Rand." "I think he is a wingding" "What did you want me to read that for?" "Read the name at the bottom." ""Yours for success, William Tanner."" "What did you want me to read that for?" "You don't remember Bill Tanner; worked here till about three months ago?" "Oh- sure" " Carl, you remember him, a little guy." "Yeah, Slim." "Yeah, that's the guy." "Now, Candy, if you want me to, I'll put the ol fella out of his misery right now." "There's nothing left for him" " Can't eat, can't see" " Can't hardly walk." "You aint got no gun" "Yes I have, I have a Luger right here in my bag." "The way I'll shoot him, he won't feel nothin." "Maybe tomorrow" " Let's wait till tomorrow." "I don't see no sense in waiting." "Ya know, I aint got no hankering for this" " I'm a doin it for you." "What do you say, Candy?" "Candy, you better let him go." "Alright." "You can take him." "One of my lead mules has a bad hoof" " Gotta get some tar on it." "I bet Lennie's out there in the barn with his pup." "Yeah, bet he won't ever come back in here, now that he's got a pup." "Anybody like to play a little Rummy?" "I'll lay out a few with ya." "What's takin him so long?" "Lay out some cards, why don't you- we get no Rummy played this way." "I am working!" "Hey Slim, I think I better get that other brush." "Hey, Lennie- you gotta quit petting that pup for the night- it aint good for him." "Put him back with his mother and run over to the bunkhouse." "I'll do whatever you say that's good for the pup, you bet" " I'm goin right now." "Thanks for sendin the big guy out" " I gotta talk to you." "You got nothin to say to me." "Please, Slim" " I gotta talk to somebody- or I'll go crazy ..." "Please" "I ain't meant to live like this." "I'd leave this place, only I've got no money." "My mother won't take me back." "I only married Curley to get away from her." "Maybe I ought not say this, but I don't like Curley." "No, you oughtn't." "You oughtn't be here." "You ought not talk to me or any guy on the ranch." "Go on back to the house where you belong." "I don't want to listen to your troubles." "You got no troubles except what you bring on yourself." "Poor kid" " I should've let her talk." "Any of you guys seen my wife?" "She ain't been here." "Where is Slim?" "He went out to the barn." "Said he had to put some tar on a split hoof." "How long ago did he go?" "Oh- 5-10 minutes?" "I don't know." "I think I might like to see this." "Let's all take a look." "Curley must be spoiling" " He wouldn't start for Slim." "Curley thinks Slim's with his wife, don't he?" "Yeah, it looks like it." "Course Slim ain't." "At least I don't think Slim is..." "Come on!" "Did you see Slim out there in the barn?" "Yeah= He told me not to pet that pup no more tonight." "Did that girl come in there?" "You mean, Curley's girl?" "Yes, Curley's girl" " Did she come into the barn?" "Yeah, I seen her." "OK" " I guess them guys ain't gonna see no fight." "Lennie." "If there is any fighting, are you gonna get out the way and stay out?" "I ain't gonna say." "Lennie..." "Both ends the same." "Why is both ends the same, George?" "Because they just build em that way." "George..." "What do you want?" "How long is it gonna be before we get that little place, and live on the fat of the land?" "I dont know." "You gotta get a big stake together first." "I know a little place we can get cheap, but they ain't giving it away." "Tell about that place, George." "Now Lennie, I just told you just last night." "Ah, please ... tell again." "Alright;" "Well, we have a couple of acres... and there'll be a little windmill, and a little shack on it, and a chicken run." "Its got a kitchen orchard with cherries, apples, peaches, 'cots, nuts, ..." "Its got a few berries, and a place for alfalfa, with plenty of water to flood it," "There's a pig pen ..." "And rabbits!" "I could easy build a few hutches, and you could feed alfalfa to those rabbits, now there." "They'd nibble and they'd nibble, like I've seen em do." "You know, we wouldn't have to sleep in no bunkhouse no more?" "And nobody could fire us in the middle of a job." "Tell about the house, George." "Yeah, alright" " We'd have a little house, and a room to ourselves," "And when we put that crop in, we'd be there to take that crop up." "And what else?" "Go on, George." "You know more somethin else." "Alright, now wait a minute." "Yea, I know." "You know what?" "We could have a few pigeons to fly around the windmill." "Like they done when I was a kid." "And it'd be our own, and could nobody can us, and if we didn't like a guy, we can say, "Git", and he'd have to do it." "But if a friend come, we'd have an extra bunk..." "And you know you would say?" "Huh?" "We'd say, "Hey, why don't you spend the night?" "And by golly, he would." "And we'd have a setter dog, a couple of striped cats" "You'd have to watch out them cats didn't get after the little rabbits." "You just let em try" " I'll break their neck." "I'll smash them cats right with a stick, that's what I'll do." "You know where's a place like that?" "What?" "You know where's a place like that?" "Suppose I do" " What's that to you." "You don't have to tell me where its at, it might be anyplace." "Yeah, that's right." "Why, he couldn't find that in a 1000 years." "How much they want for a place like that?" "I could get it for 600 bucks- the old people that own it are flat bust" ".. the old lady needs medicine ..." "Say- what's that to you- you got nothin to do with us" "I know I ain't much good with only one hand" "I lost my hand right here on the ranch when they give me a job swamping." "and they gave me $250 cause I lost my hand." "I got 50 more save up, so that'd be $300." "and I got 40 more comin at the end of the month." "Tell you what" " S'pose I went in with you guys." "That'd be $340 I'd put in..." "How would it be?" "No" " I gotta think about that." "We was always gonna does it by ourselves- me and Lennie." "I never thought about nobody else" "I'd make a will, and leave my share to you guys if I kicked off." "Maybe we could go there right now" " You guys got any money?" "Sure- we got ten bucks between us." "If me and Lennie worked a month and didn't spend nothing, we'd have $100." "That would make $440" " I think we could swing her on that." "Maybe you and Lennie could go and get it started, and I could get a job to make up the rest." "I think we could swing it." "I think we could swing it." "I got hurt 4 years ago" "They'll can me pretty soon" "Just as soon as I can't swamp out no bunkhouses=" "They'll put me on the county" "Maybe if I give you guys more money ... you'll let me hoe in the garden, even after I ain't no good at it." "And I could wash dishes and do chicken stuff like that..." "But it'd be at my own place." "And I'd be left to work at my own place." "You seen what they done to my dog, too." "They said he was no good to hisself, and nobody else" "When they can me, I wish someone'd shoot me" " They won't do nothing like that" "And I won't have no place to go" " I can't get no more jobs." "We'll do 'er" " Candy, we'll do 'er." "Yes!" "We'll pick up that little ol' place, and we'll go live there." "And look" " If there is a carnival or circus come to town, or ballgame, or anything like that, we'll go to it." "We wouldn't ask anybody if we could" "We'd say" " We'll go to it, and we would!" "And we'd milk the cow, and we'd take the grain and we'd sling it to the chickens ..." "We could!" "And put some grass to the rabbits!" "I wouldn't forget to do that!" "When are we going to do it, George?" "In one month- right smack in one month." "You know what I'm gonna do?" "I'm gonna write those old people that own the place that we'll take 'er." "Maybe Candy'd give us 100 bucks to bind 'er?" "I sure will." "I sure will." "I got it right here." "They got a good stove there?" "Yes, it's a nice stove, isn't it?" "It burns both coal and wood." "You can have the whole $300 right now." "I'm goin to tell my pup" " I bet he'd like it there!" "No, no, wait." "Now don't tell anybody about this." "Just us three and nobody else." "Now you got that?" "Cause they're liable to can us and we won't get no stake." "We just go on as if we were gonna buck barley for the rest of our lives." "And then one day, all of a sudden, Bang!" "We'll grab our pay and we'll scram." "Let's see, there's $300 right there." "And we won't tell nobody, George." "You bet we won't." "We won't tell nobody." "George..." "Yes?" "I shouldn't oughta let a stranger shoot my dog." "I'd have shot my dog myself, George." "Alright" " Now you know." "I'm just askin" " You don't have to get sore about it." "I aint sore about it" " I don't want any more questions, that's all." "Just don't want any more questions." "Well." "I didn't mean nothin, Slim" " I was just askin." "Well, you're askin too much" " I'm gettin sick of it." "If you can't look after your own wife, what do you expect me to do about it?" "You lay off of me." "Now I'm just tryin to tell ya I didn't mean nothin." "I just thought you might've saw her." "Why don't you tell her stay home where she belongs?" "You let her hang around the bunkhouse, first thing you know you'll have somethin on your hands." "You stay outta this." "Unless you want to step outside." "Why, ya palooka" " You're as yella as the bottom side of a frog." "If you ever come at me, I'd take your head off." "He tried to throw a scare into Slim, too, but he couldn't make it stick." "We seen it." "Yeah" " I seen him." "What do you think you're laughin at?" "Get up on your feet." "No big lug is gonna laugh at me." "I'll show you who's dumb" "Put up your hand, Lennie!" "Fight 'im back!" "Don't make me" " Leave me alone!" "Don't let him do it" " Get him, Lennie!" "Fight back, Lennie" " You'll kill him if you fight back!" "George!" "Make him stop!" "Put your hands up, Lennie!" "Fight him, why don't you, Lennie!" "George!" "George!" "Fight him, Lennie!" "Get him" " I said get him!" "Don't let him do that you ya, Lennie!" "Get him!" "Get him!" "Let him go, Lennie" " Let him go." "Lennie!" "That's enough, Lennie" " Let him go!" "Lennie, let go of him." "Let go of his hand!" "Get some water, Whit." "You told me to George" " I heard you tell me to." "Got a knife?" "Looks to me like every bone in his hand is busted." "Carlson, get out the buckboard." "We'll have to get him to town to see a doctor." "Right." "I didn't wanta" " I didn't want to hurt him!" "Sh- alright, Lennie." "Wasn't your fault, Lennie." "He sure had it coming to him." "Slim" " Are George and Lennie gonna get canned now?" "Is his old man gonna can them now?" "I don't know." "You got your senses enough to listen?" "Now you listen" " I think you got your hand caught in a machine." "If you don't tell nobody what happened, we won't." "If you do tell and try to get this guy canned," "We'll tell everybody." "Then will you get to laugh." "I won't tell" "Whoah, Nelly." "Say, this is a swell joint." "What did I tell you?" "Just can get a shot heree for just 15 cents, and no water in the whisky, neither." "Hiya, Whit!" "Susie!" "Get your coats on girls, it's the sheriff." "Hey, George- shake hands with Susie" " Shes' a card" " Always crackin jokes." "Hi. " " Hello" "Sit down" "Boys, sit down." "Take a weight of your feet." "You boys know Pops." "(Carlson) I'll pop you." "This one here's Marlene Dietrich." "Ah now, Susie" " You know I don't look much like Dietrich." "You look nothin like her." "And that's Hedy Lamarr" "And that's Greta Garbo ..." "I want to be alone ..." "See" " What'd I tell you, George?" "Aint she a laugh?" "She can keep it up all night." "What's that?" "A posey for getting nosey..." "What's so funny?" "Why don't you take a walk?" "Nobody's talkin about you." "Drink up, pie-faced pal." "Be sure you don't" "What's eatin him?" "Say" " I bet he came down here special to see that nobody talks about what happened last night." "What did happen?" "No, nothing." "He won't be satisfied till he's slugged somebody tonight." "He didn't do so good the last time." "I ain't even gonna get a chance, cause I ain't staying long." "What's your hurry?" "Lennie's at the ranch." "I don't like to leave him alone very long." "You got no right to come into my room." "I ain't wanted in the bunkhouse, and you ain't wanted in my room." "Why ain't you wanted?" "Because I'm black." "They play cards in there, but I can't play cause I'm black." "Everybody's gone to town." "George says I gotta stay here and not get in no trouble" " I seen your light." "Don't see what you'd do in the bar anyway." "My pup" " I just come in to see my pup." "Come on in and sit a while." "As long as you won't get out and let me alone" "Might as well come in and sit down." "All the boys gone to town. huh?" "Everybody but ol' Candy.." "He just sits in the bunkhouse sharpening his pencils." "Sharpenin and figuring." "And sharpening." "And figuring." "Figurin?" "What's Candy figuring about?" "About the rabbits!" "In the bunkhouse." "What rabbits you talkin about." "About the rabbits we're gonna get." "And I get to tend em." "That's baloney." "I don't blame the guy you traveling with to keep you outta sight." "You think its a lie, but we're gonna do it." "We're gonna get a little place, and live on the fat of the land." "You can ask George." "You've been travelin around with that guy a long time, haven't you?" "Sure." "Sometimes, George talks to you, you don't know what he's talkin about." "Ain't that so?" "Ain't that so?" "Yeah- sometimes" "George knows what he's about." "Just tells you things, it don't matter to him if you understand or not." "It's just havin someone to talk to." "It's just bein with another guy." "That's why he travels around wit you." "Sure" " Him and me goes everyplace together." "Suppose George didn't come back no more." "Suppose he took a powder, and he ain't coming back." "What'd you do then?" "Imagine going out and not coming back." "What would you do then?" "What?" "What?" "Suppose George went to town tonight and you never heard of him no more." "Just suppose that." "He won't do that!" "George won't go leave me!" "He'll come back!" "Don't you think he will?" "Do you want me to tell what'd happen?" "They'd take you to a booby-hatch." "They will tie you up with a collar like a dog." "Then you'd be just like me." "Livin in a kennel." "You hurt George!" "I was just supposing" " George ain't hurt!" "What are you supposing for?" "Ain't nobody gonna suppose no hurt to George!" "Of course they ain't." "But maybe you can see now." "You got George." "You know he's comin back." "Suppose you didn't have nobody." "Suppose you can't go to the bunkhouse and play Rummy cause you're black." "Suppose you have to sit out here and read books." "Books ain't no good." "A guy needs somebody to talk to him." "I tell you if you get too lonely, you get sick." "George won't go away and leave me." "I know George won't do that." "Lennie..." "Lennie..." "Look, Lennie" " I've been figuring out something about the place." "You can come on in if you want." "Oh, I don't know." "Course if you want me to" "Oh, come on in." "Everybody's comin in" " You might just as well." "Gettin to be like a racetrack." "Nice cozy little place you got here." "Must be nice to have a room all to yourself this way." "Sure ... and a dung heap under my window." "All to myself." "About the place" " You said about the place." "I got it all figured out." "We can make some real money on them rabbits, if we go about it right." "But I get to tend them" " George says I get to tend them." "You guys just kiddin yourselves." "You'll be a swamper here till they take you out in a box." "I seen hundreds of guys come by on the road, knowin ranches." "Figures on the back and same fool thing in their head." "Everyone's got a little piece of land in his head, and never a one of them gets it." "We are, too." "It's just like heaven." "Nobody ever gets to heaven." "And nobody gets no land." "Well, we're gonna do it." "George says we are." "He's got the money right now." "He's got the money?" "Well, he's got most of it" " There's just a little bit more to get." "And George's got the land picked out, too." "Now, you take 12 rabbits." "I never seen a guy really do it." "I've seen guys most crazy with loneliness for land" "But every time a dame or a blackjack game took it away from him." "Well, they ain't gonna get it this time." "Let's go to Chuck's Roadhouse." "I got twenty bucks left." "Whatever I got, that goes for me, too." "Monday starts another month" " Yippee!" "Twelve rabbits" "At six months" "If you guys would want a hand to work for nothing, just for his keep, I'd come and lend a hand." "I ain't so crippled I can't work like a mischief." "Well, alright, but we gotta talk to George about that." "Now" " You take 12 rabbits." "12 rabbits ..." "Different color rabbits" "Sure, sure." "Twelve rabbits and six months time..." "Uh- got that right here." "For a second there, George, I thought that little place you told me about was a goner." "It's off" " Ain't nothin gonna stop us now." "There's a meetin here tonight" " There's a meetin here tonight.." "I know you by your daily walk" " There's a meetin here tonight. (Repeats)" "I told em that they ought not be here, but they come in anyhow." "Couldn't go to bed like I told you, could you Lennie." "No" " You have to get out in society and flap your big mouth." "I never done nothin bad, George, honest." "Look, George." "I've been figuring and figuring" "I've even got it doped out how we can make some money on them rabbits." "I thought you wasn't gonna tell nobody." "I didn't tell nobody but Crooks." "What'd you tell him for?" "Look, George, Crooks says that if we let him come in with us..." "Get outta here, both of you." "But George, Crooks said he'll work..." "Maybe you better go" " I ain't sure I want in no more." "Listen, Crooks." "It ain't nothin against you." "It's just that we said that we wouldn't tell nobody else." "I know." "Them guys comin in here, set and made me forget." "I suppose you're lookin for Curley." "Well Curley ain't here." "I know Curley ain't here." "It's Saturday night, isn't it?" "Got his arm in a sling, and he went anyhow." "I come to ask Crooks something." "You don't want to ask me nothing." "Saturday night!" "Everybody's out doin something." "What am I doin?" "Standin here, talkin to a bunch of bindlestiffs." "You ain't wanted here." "We told ya" "You ain't got sense enough in that chicken head to see that we ain't stiffs." "You do not know that we got our own ranch to go to." "And our own house." "We ain't gotta stay here." "We gotta house, we got chickens, we got fruit trees, and we got a place that's 100 times bettern this." "And we got friends." "That's what we got." "We got friends." "You old goat." "If you had two bits, you'd be in town gettin a drink and suckin the bottom of the glass." "I know you guys." "Maybe she'll ask Crooks what she come to ask, and then get home." "What happened to Curley's hand?" "So it wasn't a machine." "Curley didn't act like he was tellin the truth." "Cmon Crooks, what happened?" "I wasn't there." "Didn't see it." "What happened?" "I won't let on to Curley." "He said he caught it in a gear." "Who done it?" "Nobody done it." "So you done it." "Well, he had it comin." "I didn't have no fuss with Curley." "Maybe now you ain't scared of him no more." "Maybe you'll talk to me sometimes." "Everybody was scared of him." "Say" " I didn't sock Curley." "If Curley had any trouble, its none of our affair." "Ask Curley about it." "Look" " I'm gonna try to tell you somethin." "I tried to tell you to get out" " That didn't do no good." "So I'm gonna try to tell you in another way" "Now you see" " Us guys got somethin that we're gonna do." "But if you stick around, you're gonna gum up the works." "It ain't your fault, but" "Look" " If a fella steps on a round pebble, and falls down and breaks his neck, it ain't the pebble's fault." "But the guy wouldn't of done it if the pebble hadn't been there." "What are you talking about pebbles for?" "If you didn't sock Curley, who did?" "Nobody socked Curley." "He got his hand caught in a machine." "Where did you get them bruises on your face?" "He caught his hand in a machine." "So it was you." "Maybe you're dumb like they say ya are, and maybe you're the only guy on the ranch with nerve." "You're a nice fella." "Listen!" "I've tried to give you a break, but I'm not gonna let you mess up what we're gonna do." "You let that guy alone, and you get outta here." "You won't tell me what to do" " I got a right to talk to anybody I want!" "milton!" "You couldn't hardly wait for your pup to get home from his night's drunk so's you could snitch on me, could ya?" "But you didn't tell him what I know to tell him." "Who busted your hand, Curley?" "I told you I caught it in a machine." "I saw that machine last night." "I told ya." "And why didn't you tell your old man, so he could can him?" "Double crossing..." "I'll tell you why." "Cause you was scared that if you talked, they'd talk, too." "You were scared to get the horse laugh" " Like I'm givin you now." "There's a pug with a crippled hand." "I ain't even gonna slug ya." "I'm goin upstairs and pack your junk." "You're gettin outa here." "You and me are through." "One, two!" "The ol' one, two." "Toothpick?" "That sure was a good breakfast, George." "Probably the last one we'll get in this place." "George" " Slim says not to worry." "He's went to talk to the boss." "If you'd only stayed in your place like I told you." "George" " did you send off the money when you was in town last night?" "How many times do I have to tell you?" "You guys drive me crazy." "Don't get sore, George." "I only asked ya..." "George" "What?" "Did you have fun in town?" "We just sat around." "Susie was crackin jokes." "Guys was just startin out to raise a little puny cain." "I never been like this in my life." "You know, just pushing out a dime and a nickel to buy a drink- and I think what a lot of carrot seed you can get for 15 cents." "Not to belittle you and all, but bulk seed, you sure can." "Seeds" " I can't think of nothin else." "Well, a guy's gotta have some fun." "I went to a dance hall in Bakersfield once." "What a place!" "Went upstairs on a red carpet" " There's big pictures on the wall." "So I went and sat in a big soft chair." "There was cigarettes on the table, and they was free." "Pretty soon a chap comes in with drinks on a tray, and them drinks was free." "You could take all you want." "Pretty soon a girl comes in." "Said she was hostess." "She was so polite and nice, quiet and pretty, it made me scared to ask her for a dance." "That was a long time ago." "Are you sayin all this was free?" "Right up till I was leavin." "And then how much did them soft chairs set you back?" "15 bucks." "You had a cigarette and a drink and a look at a pretty dress, and that cost you 15 bucks?" "You just shot a week's pay to walk on the red carpet." "A week's pay?" "Sure." "But I worked weeks all my life." "I don't remember none of them weeks- but this, nearly 20 years ago, I remember that." "The girl I met was named Arline, with had a pink silk dress." "Well, its OK." "You guys ain't gonna get canned." "You sure, Slim?" "Lucky for you, the boss has to move that grain." "I bet Curley's wife catches it, though." "I went clear out the gate, then I remembered your foolish little face." "You're comin with me." "Whatcha covering up there?" "Just my pup." "Just my little ol pup." "He's dead." "He was so little" " I was just playin with him and he made like he was gonna bite me" "And then I made like I was gonna smack him, and" "and then he was dead." "But don't worry none" " He was just a mutt." "You'll get another one easy" " The whole country's full of mutts." "Yeah" " It ain't that so much." "George said if I done any more bad things" "Wait a minute, where are you going?" "I ain't gonna have nothin to do with you." "George said I ain't to talk to you nor nothin." "Listen" " Don't worry about talkin to me." "You know those guys yelling out there?" "They got a tournament." "None of em aint gonna leave till its over, and it aint gonna be over till dark." "I ain't supposed to." "George sees me talkin to you, he's gonna be mad." "He told me so." "What's the matter with me?" "I ain't got the right to talk to nobody?" "George says you're gonna get us in a mess." "What harm am I doin to you?" "Seems like they ain't none of them cares how I gotta live." "Confidentially, I'm goin away from here." "I gotta make somethin outta myself yet." "I ain't used to livin like this." "I come from Salinas." "Come there when I was a kid." "There was a show comin through there once, and I met one of the actors." "We're gonna have a little place, and rabbits." "He said he was going to put me in a movie" " Says I was a natural." "Soon's he got back to Hollywood, he was gonna write me about it" " You listenin?" "I never got that letter." "I always thought my old lady stole it." "I wasn't gonna stay in a place where you couldn't get nowhere." "or make somethin outta yourself, or they stole your letters." "I asked her if she stole them, too, and she said "no"." "so I married Curley and went to the Riverside Dance Palace that same night." "I sure hope George ain't gonna be mad about that there pup." "I do not like Curley" " I'll leave him." "I'm gonna thumb a ride to Hollywood." "We goin away from here pretty soon." "This ain't no nice place." "I'm gonna get in the movies, and wear all them nice clothes." "I want nice clothes like they wear." "And I'll set in them big hotels and they'll take pictures of me." "When they have them opens, I'll go and talk on the radio." "and it won't cost me nothin because I'm in the picture." "I want nice clothes like they wear." "This guy says I'm a natural." "We goin away." "Far away from here." "Course, when my ol lady hears I run away from Curley, she won't ever speak to me no more." "She'll think that I aint decent, that's what she'll think." "Well, we ain't really decent- no matter what my ol lady tries to hide." "My ol man was a drunk" " They put im away." "One night when I was just a little kid, him and my ol lady had a terrible fight." "They was always fightin." "In the middle of the night he come into my room and he says- "let's you and me run away"." "He says we gonna live together." "We gonna live together cause you're my own little girl." "Why, you'll bake little cakes for me, and I'll paint pretty pictures all over the wall." "And in the mornin, they caught us and put him away." "Uh" " I wish I woulda went." "They locked him up for drunk, and in a little while, he died." "Maybe if I took that there pup and throwed him away, George wouldn't never know." "Then maybe I could tend the rabbits without no trouble." "You're goofy." "No I ain't." "George says I aint." "I just like to pet nice things" " Smooth things." "Well, who don't?" "Everybody likes that." "I like the feel of silk and velvet!" "You like the feel of velvet?" "You bet by golly." "I had some, too." "A lady give it to me." "Aunt Clara" " She give it right to me." "About this big a piece." "I wish I had that velvet right now." "I ain't seen it for a long time." "I musta lost it." "You're goofy." "But you're kind of a nice fella." "Just like a big baby." "A person can kinda see what you mean" "Sometimes, when I'm doin my hair, I just sit there and stroke it cause its so soft." "Some people got kinda coarse hair" " You take Curley." "His hair is just like wire" " Mine's soft and fine." "Here- feel." "Right here." "Don't you muss it up." "You're messing it up" " Ow!" "Stop and let go!" "Please" " Please don't yell" " George is gonna say I done a bad thing!" "Don't do that!" "You're gonna get me in trouble just like George says you will!" "Lennie!" "Lennie!" "George is gonna be pretty mad at him taking that pup out." "Slim says I can have one of you guys" "I'll ask im." "Oh, Slim" "It's OK, Candy" "Your old dog wouldn't mind." "Lonesome for a guy, without a dog." "He'll have a lot of fun at our little place." "Sure he could." "You seen Lennie in the barn?" "His pup wasn't there." "He must be out playin with him some place." "Now don't be mad with him, George." "I gotta get him or he won't remember to get any supper." "Candy!" "Did that dog follow you out of the barn?" "Come on!" "What done it?" "George" " What done it?" "I should have know'd it." "I think way back in my head, I did." "What are we gonna do, George?" "What are we going to do now?" "We can't let him get away." "No- we oughta let him get away." "You don't know about Curley" " Curley's gonna wanna get him lynched." "Curley's gonna kill him." "Yes, that's right" " Curley will, and the other guys" "You and me get that little place, won't we George?" "You and me can go there, and live nice." "Can't we George?" "..." "Can't we?" "It's all off, I know..." "It's all off." "He was such a nice fella I didn't think he'd do nothin like this." "Lennie never done it outa meanness." "All the times he done bad things, he never done one of em mean!" "I ain't gonna let em hurt Lennie." "Listen" " I'm goin over to the bunkhouse." "Then in a minute you come out and tell the guys about her." "I'll come along and make out like I never seen here." "Will you do that?" "Sure, George." "Give me a minute, and you come out and yell like you just found her." "Okay, okay ..." "Ya done it, didn't ya." "I suppose you're gonna act" " Everybody knows you'd messed things up." "You wasn't no good." "And you ain't no good now." "I could have hoe'd the garden, washed the dishes for them guys." "Could'a had pigs, and chickens" "And in the winter ... the little fat stove." "with the wind, and the rain comin" " And us just sittin there." "Hey!" "Hey!" "Hey you guys!" "Someone's murdered Curley's wife." "What?" "I know who done it." "That big guy done it" " I know he done it." "Why, everyone else was out there playin horseshoes." "Hey" " My Luger's gone- it ain't in my bag." "Maybe you lost it." "No" " I seen it there this mornin." "It's been took." "Then he's armed." "Listen, Mr. Jackson." "The poor guy didn't know what he was doin." "Tell them not to shoot him." "Shoot him?" "He got Carlson's gun, eh?" "Sure, I'm gonna shoot him." "I'm gonna get him myself." "Here they are, Mr. Jackson." "I suppose we couldn't let him get away?" "Not a chance." "Couldn't we bring him in, and then lock him up safe?" "If we could only keep Curley here." "But you heard him" " He's still mad about his hand." "Supposin they catch him." "They'll bring him back, strap him down, then lock him up in a cage ..." "That's ain't no good, George." "I know it..." "I know it." "Got any idea where he mighta went?" "I think there's only one way to get Lennie outa this." "You want I should go away?" "I'll be close by." "Lennie?" "You see, George?" "I come right back here, just like you told me." "You wasn't gonna go away and leave me, was you, George?" "I heard them guys walking through the woods ..." "What was them guys doin in the woods, George?" "Huntin ..." "Why don't we go with them?" "I like hunting." "Is it- cause I done a bad thing?" "That don't make no difference." "Is that why we can't go huntin with them guys." "That don't make no difference." "George, ..." "Ain't you gonna ball me out?" "will you have it?" "Sure- like you always done." "Like if I didn't have you, I could take my 50 bucks," "Lennie, you can't never remember nothin that happens but you remember every word I say, don't you." "Ain't you gonna say it?" "Go on, George" " Say it." "If I was alone" " I could live so easy- could get me a job ... never have no mess." "... And when the end of the month comes ... and when the end of the month comes, I'd take my 50 bucks" "Go on, George." "Tell how its gonna be." "Lennie" " I want for you to sit down there." "And I want for you to look across that river- ... cause I'm gonna tell you like you could almost see it." "Go on, George." "We're gonna have a little place- We're gonna have a little place" "We're gonna have cows, pigs and chickens." "And down on the flat, we're gonna have a field of alfalfa." " For the rabbits ..." " For the rabbits." "And I get to tend the rabbits?" "Tend the rabbits." "And we can live off the fat of the land." "Just keep lookin across that river, like you can really see it." "Where?" "Right there ..." "Can't you almost see it?" "Where, George?" "Keep looking ... just keep looking ..." "I'm lookin' George." "I'm looking." "It's gonna be nice, aint I right?" "There ain't gonna be no trouble." "No fights." "There ain't gonna be nobody mean" "Yeah" " I can see it!" "Right over there" " George, I can see it!" "The End"