Sinise Gary - Of mice and men

OF MICE AND

MEN

John Steinbeck

Copyright John Steinbeck, 1937.

Copyright renewed by John Steinbeck, 1965.

few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool. On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to the strong and rocky Gabilan Mountains, but on the valley side the water is lined with trees

willows fresh and green with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the debris of the winters flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool. On the sandy bank under the trees the leaves lie deep and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs among them. Rabbits come out of the brush to sit on the sand in the evening, and the damp flats are covered with the night tracks of coons, and with the spreadpads of dogs from the ranches, and with the split-wedge tracks of deer that come to drink in the dark.

There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the evening to jungle-up near water. In front of the low horizontal limb of a giant sycamore there is an ash pile made by many fires; the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it.

Evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving among the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills toward the top. On the sand banks the rabbits sat as quietly as little gray sculptured stones. And then from the direction of the state highway came the sound of footsteps on crisp sycamore leaves. The rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover. A stilted heron labored up into the air and pounded down river. For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool. They had walked in single file down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, and wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely.

The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the surface of the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse. The small man stepped nervously beside him.

Lennie! he said sharply. Lennie, for God sakes dont drink so much.

Lennie continued to snort into the pool. The small man leaned over and shook him by the shoulder. Lennie. You gonna be sick like you was last night.

Lennie dipped his whole head under, hat and all, and then he sat up on the bank and his hat dripped down on his blue coat and ran down his back. Thats good, he said. You drink some, George. You take a good big drink. He smiled happily.

George unslung his bindle and dropped it gently on the bank. I aint sure its good water, he said. Looks kinda scummy.

Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back again. Lennie watched them go. Look, George. Look what I done.

George knelt beside the pool and drank from his hand with quick scoops.

Tastes all right, he admitted. Dont really seem to be running, though. You never oughta drink water when it aint running, Lennie, he said hopelessly.

Youd drink out of a gutter if you was thirsty. He threw a scoop of water into his face and rubbed it about with his hand, under his chin and around the back of his neck. Then he replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees and embraced them. Lennie, who had been watching, imitated George exactly. He pushed himself back, drew up his knees, embraced them, looked over to George to see whether he had it just right. He pulled his hat down a little more over his eyes, the way Georges hat was. George stared morosely at the water. The rims of his eyes were red with sun glare. He said angrily, We could just as well of rode clear to the ranch if that bastard bus driver knew what he was talkin about. Jes a little stretch down the highway, he says. Jes a little stretch. God damn near four miles, thats what it was! Didnt wanta stop at the ranch gate, thats what. Too God damn lazy to pull up. Wonder he isnt too damn good to stop in Soledad at all. Kicks us out and says Jes a little stretch down the road. I bet it was more than four miles. Damn hot day.

Lennie looked timidly over to him. George?

Yeah, what ya want?

Where we goin, George?

The little man jerked down the brim of his hat and scowled over at Lennie.

So you forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you again, do I? Jesus Christ, youre a crazy bastard!

I forgot, Lennie said softly. I tried not to forget. Honest to God I did, George.

O.KO.K. Ill tell ya again. I aint got nothing to do. Might jus as well spen all my time tellin you things and then you forget em, and I tell you again.

Tried and tried, said Lennie, but it didnt do no good. I remember about the rabbits, George.

The hell with the rabbits. Thats all you ever can remember is them rabbits. O.K.! Now you listen and this time you got to remember so we dont get in no trouble. You remember settin in that gutter on Howard Street and watchin that blackboard?

Lennies face broke into a delighted smile. Why sure, George. I remember that.... but.... whatd we do then? I remember some girls come by and you says.... you says....

The hell with what I says. You remember about us goin in to Murray and Readys, and they give us work cards and bus tickets?

Oh, sure, George. I remember that now. His hands went quickly into his side coat pockets. He said gently, George.... I aint got mine. I musta lost it.

He looked down at the ground in despair.

You never had none, you crazy bastard. I got both of em here. Think Id let you carry your own work card?

Lennie grinned with relief. I.... I thought I put it in my side pocket. His hand went into the pocket again.

George looked sharply at him. Whatd you take outa that pocket?

Aint a thing in my pocket, Lennie said cleverly.

I know there aint. You got it in your hand. What you got in your hand

hidin it?

I aint got nothin, George. Honest.

Come on, give it here.

Lennie held his closed hand away from Georges direction. Its ony a mouse, George.

A mouse? A live mouse?

Uh-uh. Jus a dead mouse, George. I didnt kill it. Honest! I found it. I found it dead.

Give it here! said George.

Aw, leave me have it, George.

Give it here!

Lennies closed hand slowly obeyed. George took the mouse and threw it across the pool to the other side, among the brush. What you want of a dead mouse, anyways?

I could pet it with my thumb while we walked along, said Lennie.

Well, you aint petting no mice while you walk with me. You remember where were goin now?