John steinbeck from on men and mice

Lennie spoke craftily, " Tell me—like you done before."

" Tell you what? "

" About the rabbits."

George snapped, " You ain't gonna put nothing over on me."

Lennie pleaded, " Come on, George. Tell me. Please, George. Like you done before."

" You get a kick outta that, don't you? Awright, I'll tell you, and then we'll eat our supper...."

{{{ George's voice became deeper. He repeated his words rhythmically as though he had said them many times be­fore. " Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don't belong no place. They come to a ranch an' work up a stake and then they go inta town and blow their stake, and the first thing you know they're poundin' their tail on some other ranch. They ain't got nothing to look ahead to."

Lennie was delighted. " That's it—that's it. Now tell how it is with us."

George went on. " With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us. We don't have to sit in no bar room blowin' our jack jus' because we got no place else to go. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn. But not us." }}}

Lennie broke in. " But not us! An' why? Because....be­cause I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that's why." He laughed delightedly. " Go on now, George! "

" You got it by heart. You can do it yourself."

" No, you. I forget some a' the things. Tell about how it's gonna be."

" O.K. Someday—we're gonna get the jack together and we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow and some pigs and—"

" An' live off the fatta the Ian', " Lennie shouted. " An' have rabbits. Go on, George! Tell about what we're gonna have in the garden and about the rabbits in the cages and about the rain in the winter and the stove, and how thick the cream is on the milk like you can hardly cut it. Tell about that, George."

" Why'n't you do it yourself? You know all of it." " No.... you tell it. It ain't the same if I tell it. Go on.... George. How I get to tend the rabbits."

" Well, " said George, " we'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin' to work, and well build up a fire in the stove and set around it an' listen to the rain comin' down on the roof—Nuts! " He took out his pocket knife. " I ain't got time for no more." He drove his knife through the top of one of the bean cans, sawed out the top and passed the can to Lennie. Then he opened a second can. From his side pocket he brought out two spoons and passed one of them to Lennie.

They sat by the fire and filled their mouths with beans and chewed mightily. A few beans slipped out of the side of Lennie's mouth. George gestured with his spoon. " What you gonna say tomorrow when the boss asks you ques­tions? "

Lennie stopped chewing and swallowed. His face was concentrated. " I.... I ain't gonna.... say a word."

" Good boy! That's fine, Lennie! Maybe you're gettin' better. When we get the coupla acres I can let you tend the rabbits all right. 'Specially if you remember as good as that." Lennie choked with pride. " I can remember, " he said.

George motioned with his spoon again. " Look, Lennie. I want you to look around here. You can remember this place, can't you? The ranch is about a quarter mile up that way. Just follow the river? "

" Sure, " said Lennie. " I can remember this. Di'n't I remember about not gonna say a word? "

'" Course you did. Well, look. Lennie—if you jus' happen to get in trouble like you always done before, I want you to come right here an' hide in the brush."

" Hide in the brush, " said Lennie slowly.

" Hide in the brush till I come for you. Can you remem­ber that? "

" Sure I can, George. Hide in the brush till you come."

" But you ain't gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won't let you tend the rabbits." He threw his empty bean can off into the brush.