George and Slim play cards in the bunkhouse on a Friday
after work. With his calm "God-like eyes," Slim listens to George tell some about
himself and Lennie, how they came to travel around together, and how childlike, but very
strong Lennie is. When Whit, one of the hands, enters, he remarks that George and
Lennie must have really wanted to work because they arrived on a Friday, not a Saturday
when they could have had two days of free food if they had come on a
Saturday.
George looked at him levelly. "We're gonna stick
aroun' a while," he said. "Me an' Lennie's gonna roll up a
stake."
Then,
when White invites George and Lennie to come into town with them on Saturday night,
George inquires about where the men intend to go. Whit tells him, "Jus' the usual
thing," describing Old Susy who has a "nice place" with five girls there. Making no
comment, George simply asks how much it costs. Whit tells
him
"Two an' a
half. You can get a shot for two bits. Susy got nice chairs to set in, too. If a guy
don't want a flop, why he can just set in the
chairs...."
When he hears all
this, George says he might go in and "look the joint over." However, after he talks a
while about the place, George reiterates his earlier
statement,
"Me an'Lennie's rollin' up a
stake," said George. "I might go in an' set and have a shot, but I ain't
puttin' out no two and a
half."
Always George has in
mind the ranch for which he and Lennie are saving. This ranch is their dream; it is
what gives them a reason to continue, a reason to plan.
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