"Of Mice and Men"

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 winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the 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 winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the 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 winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the 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 winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled, white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the pool.

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.

For a moment the place was lifeless, and then two men emerged from the path and came into the opening by the green pool.

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.

Then he replaced his hat, pushed himself back from the river, drew up his knees and embraced them.

He looked down at the ground in despair.

Lennie droned to himself softly, “I ain’t gonna say nothin’ .

The reeds jerked slightly in the current.

Lennie lumbered to his feet and disappeared in the brush.

“Awright,” he said brusquely.

But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.

But Lennie made an elaborate pantomime of innocence.

Lennie hesitated, backed away, looked wildly at the brush line as though he contemplated running for his freedom.

Lennie’s lip quivered and tears started in his eyes.

George scoffed.

He took on the elaborate manner of little girls when they are mimicking one another.

He looked across the fire at Lennie’s anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames.

Lennie avoided the bait.

Lennie pleaded, “Come on, George.

George gestured with his spoon.

They made their beds on the sand, and as the blaze dropped from the fire the sphere of light grew smaller; the curling branches disappeared and only a faint glimmer showed where the tree trunks were.

Over each bunk there was nailed an apple box with the opening forward so that it made two shelves for the personal belongings of the occupant of the bunk.

And there were medicines on the shelves, and little vials, combs; and from nails on the box sides, a few neckties.

At about ten o’clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows, and in and out of the beam flies shot like rushing stars.

“You can have them two beds there,” he said, indicating two bunks near the stove.

“Says ‘positively kills lice, roaches and other scourges.’

He paused in relish of the memory.

The boss deliberately put the little book in his pocket.

“Job was done,” said George promptly.

He turned abruptly and went to the door, but before he went out he turned and looked for a long moment at the two men.

He stopped suddenly, stepped to the open front door and peered out.

But he was reassured by the swamper’s defense.

He stood his broom against the wall and he rubbed his white bristled cheek with his knuckles.

His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.

His glance was at once calculating and pugnacious.

Curley stepped gingerly close to him.

He’d slough me.

He had drawn a derogatory statement from ...

“I gotta be settin’ out the wash basins for the guys.

“If he tangles with you, Lennie, we’re gonna get the can.

His tone grew decisive.

His face contorted with thought.

She had full, rouged lips and wide- spaced eyes, heavily made up.

Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages.

Her voice had a nasal, brittle quality.

She was suddenly apprehensive.

Lennie tried to disengage his ear.

There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke.

There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke.

His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love.

Lennie, who had been following the conversation back and forth with his eyes, smiled complacently at the compliment.

Lennie, who had been following the conversation back and forth with his eyes, smiled complacently at the compliment.

His head still dripped water from the scrubbing and dousing.

Carlson stepped back to let Slim precede him, and then the two of them went
out the door.

Through the open door came the thuds and occasional clangs of a horseshoe game, and now and then the sound of voices raised in approval or derision.

“’Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time,” said George.

He walked over with his heavy-legged stride and looked down at the dog.

Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his hands; he subdued one hand with the other, and held it down.

George laid out his deliberate solitaire hand— seven cards, and six on top, and five on top of those.

Lennie crept to his bunk and sat down, trying not to attract attention.

He laid them on his bed and then brought out the pistol, took out the magazine and snapped the loaded shell from the chamber.

He looked raptly at the wall over Lennie’s head.

He subsided, grumbling to himself, threatening the future cats which might dare to disturb the future rabbits.

They all sat still, all bemused by the beauty of the thing, each mind was popped into the future when this lovely thing should come about.

Lennie looked helplessly at George, and then he got up and tried to retreat.

Curley was balanced and poised.

He crouched cowering against the wall.

And scattered about the floor were a number of personal possessions; for, being alone, Crooks could leave his things about, and being a stable buck and a cripple, he was more permanent than the other men, and he had accumulated more possessions than he could carry on his back.

And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905.

This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man.

In the stable buck’s room a small electric globe threw a meager yellow light.

Lennie gulped and his smile grew more fawning.

His voice grew soft and persuasive.

Lennie’s face wrinkled with apprehension.

Crooks was scornful.

It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger.

She was breathless with indignation.

Crooks had retired into the terrible protective dignity of the Negro.

She turned on him in scorn.

There was no personality, no ego— nothing to arouse either like or dislike.

For a moment she stood over him as though waiting for him to move so that she could whip at him again; but Crooks sat perfectly still, his eyes averted, everything that might be hurt drawn in.

She appraised him coolly.

Candy was crestfallen.

From outside came the clang of horseshoes on the playing peg and the shouts of men, playing, encouraging, jeering.

Then all of Lennie’s woe came back on him.

She consoled him.

Her feet battered on the hay and she writhed to be free; and from under Lennie’s hand came a muffled screaming.

She whimpered and cringed to the packing box, and jumped in among the puppies.

As happens sometimes, a moment settled and hovered and remained for much more than a moment.

Now Lennie retorted belligerently, “He ain’t neither.

His voice was monotonous, had no emphasis.

He advanced a step into the room, then remembered and backed to the door again.

And because she had confided in him, she moved closer to Lennie and sat beside him.

For a moment he seemed bewildered.

And the meanness and the plannings and the discontent and the ache for attention were all gone from her face.

He sniveled, and his voice shook.

“Some people got kinda coarse hair,” she said complacently.