Of Mice and Men Excerpt Essay

â€Å"Lennie!† he said sharply. â€Å"Lennie, for God’ sakes don’t drink so much.† Lennie continued to snort into the pool. The small man leaned over and shook him by the shoulder. â€Å"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. â€Å"That’s good,† he said. â€Å"You drink some, George. You take a good big drink.† He smiled happily. George unslung his bindle and dropped it gently on the bank. â€Å"I ain’t sure it’s good water,† he said. â€Å"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. â€Å"Look, George. Look what I done.† George knelt beside the pool and drank from his hand with quick scoops. â€Å"Tastes all right,† he admitted. â€Å"Don’t really seem to be running, though. You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie,† he said hopelessly. â€Å"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, â€Å"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 was more than four miles. Damn hot day.† Lennie looked timidly over to him. â€Å"George?† â€Å"Yeah, what ya want?† â€Å"Where we goin’, George?† The little man jerked down the brim of his hat and scowled over at Lennie. â€Å"So you forgot that awready, did you? I gotta tell you again, do I? Jesus Christ, you’re a crazy bastard!† â€Å"I forgot,† Lennie said softly. â€Å"I tr ied not to forget. Honest to God I did, George.† I picked this excerpt because introduces George and Lennie’s friendship which is the most important aspect of his book.