chapter 2

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. "Don’t really seem to be

running, though. You never oughta drink water when it ain’t

running, Lennie," he said hopelessly. "You’d 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 George’s 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, that’s what it was!

Didn’t wanta stop at the ranch gate, that’s what. Too God damn

lazy to pull up. Wonder he isn’t too damn good to stop in Soledad

at all. Kicks us out and says, ‘Jes’ a little stretch down the road.’ I

bet it wasmore 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 yon forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you

again, do I? Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard!"

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

did, George."

"O.K.- O.K. I’ll tell ya again. I ain’t 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 didn’t do no good. I

remember about the rabbits, George."

"The hell with the rabbits. That’s all you ever can remember is

them rabbits. O.K.! Now you listen and this time you got to

remember so we don’t get in no trouble. You remember settin’ in

that gutter on Howard Street and watchin’ that blackboard?"

Lennie’s face broke into a delighted smile. "Why sure, George. I

remember that.... but.... what’d we do then? I remember some girls

come by and you says.... you say."

"The hell with what I says. You remember about us goin’ into

Murray and Ready’s, 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 ain’t 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 I’d 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. "What’d you take outa that

pocket?"

"Ain’t a thing in my pocket," Lennie said cleverly.

"I know there ain’t. You got it in your hand. What you got in your.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***