О мышах и людях

           «Yeah,theygetmean,"Slimagreed.«Theygetsotheydon’twanttotalktonobody.»

           «’CourseLennie’saGoddamnnuisancemostofthetime,"saidGeorge.«Butyougetusedtogoin’aroundwithaguyan’youcan’tgetridofhim.»

           «Heain’tmean,"saidSlim.«IcanseeLennieain’tabitmean.»

           «’Courseheain’tmean.Buthegetsintroubleallatimebecausehe’ssoGoddamndumb.LikewhathappenedinWeed—"Hestopped,stoppedinthemiddleofturningoveracard.HelookedalarmedandpeeredoveratSlim.«Youwouldn’ttellnobody?»

           «What’dhedoinWeed?»Slimaskedcalmly.

           «Youwouldn’tell...No,‘courseyouwouldn’.»

           «What’dhedoinWeed?»Slimaskedagain.

           «Well,heseenthisgirlinareddress.Dumbbastardlikeheis,hewantstotouchever’thinghelikes.Justwantstofeelit.Sohereachesouttofeelthisreddressan’thegirlletsoutasquawk,andthatgetsLennieallmixedup,andheholdson‘causethat’stheonlythinghecanthinktodo.Well,thisgirlsquawksandsquawks.Iwasjus’alittlebitoff,andIheardalltheyellin’,soIcomesrunning,an’bythattimeLennie’ssoscaredallhecanthinktodoisjus’holdon.Isockedhimovertheheadwithafencepickettomakehimletgo.Hewassoscairthecouldn’tletgoofthatdress.Andhe’ssoGoddamnstrong,youknow.»

           Slim’seyeswerelevelandunwinking.Henoddedveryslowly.«Sowhathappens?»