“What’s your name?” the boss asked, sitting in his chair in front of the desk.
“George Milton.”
“And what’s yours?” Lennie took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he would say. Lennie Small, that’s my name, he thought, I could never forget that.
“I’m-”
“Lennie Small. His name’s Lennie Small,” George interrupted with a glare to Lennie, who was a deer caught in headlights.
Lennie blinked a few times, drowning out the words of George and the the boss, trying to come up with an explanation of why George looked at him like that. From Lennie’s head, there came a fat old woman. She wore thick bull’s-eye glasses, a huge gingham apron with pockets, and she was starched and clean. She stood in front of Lennie and put her hands on her hips, like a mother scolding her child. She frowned disapprovingly at him.
“Now what did George tell ya before ya’ll came out to this here ranch? What was the only thing he’d asked of you?” she said.
Lennie thought for a moment. Was he supposed to remember something? Lennie didn’t think he did anything wrong and didn’t forget anything either. “I-I’m sorry, Aunt Clara, I really don’t remember. What did George say, Aunt Clara? What did he say?”
“He tol’ you to not say a single word! And what do you do? Exactly the opposite of that! Lord have mercy!” she exclaimed with a shake of her head.
“Is that bad what I did?” Lennie scratched the back of his head. “Do you think George will still let me tend them rabbits we gonna get? But- But I didn’t get in no trouble, Aunt Clara! He only looked at me funny!”
“Can’t believe your first priority are those damn rabbits,” she mumbled disapprovingly. “Lennie, dear, you didn’t get in any trouble, but you have to listen to George, or else he’s gonna leave you! He couldda been havin’ such a great time without you; no need to babysit a guy like you. You wan’ that, huh Lennie?”
“No, ma’am, but I could live on my own in the cave by the brush where-”
Aunt Clara interrupted him sharply. “Oh no, no. You ain’t ever gonna do somethin’ like that. You’d starve to death! Nope, we can’t have that.” she mumbled to herself. Suddenly Aunt Clara disappeared and Lennie heard George’s voice.
“... No, he ain’t bright, but he’s sure a hell of a good worker. Strong as a bull.”
Lennie smiled to himself. See! I ain’t done nothin’ wrong! George ain’t mad. “Strong as a bull,” he repeated. George scowled at him, and Lennie dropped his head in shame at having forgotten again. He fiddled with his hands, which were dry and calloused from the years of labor being done.
Aunt Clara suddenly popped back into the picture.
“Again, boy! Honestly, why hasn’t George left you already? All you do is blabber around without realizin’. What good is that gonna do?”  she said, swinging her arms for emphasis. “Listen here, Lennie,” she put a hand on his shoulder. “The nice fella’s tryin’ to cover up for ya now.” She pointed her head towards George and the boss, where their conversation seemed to be drowned out to Lennie’s ears. Lennie tried focusing on George’s words as Aunt Clara disappeared again.
“... He’s my cousin. I told his old lady I’d take care of him. He got kicked in the head by a horse when he was a kid. He’s awright. Just ain’t bright. But he can do anything you tell him.”
Cousin? Kicked in the head by a horse?Maybe that’s why I can’t remember nothin’, Lennie thought. But someone woulda told me ‘bout it, wouldn’t they? And George can’t be no cousin of mine, he’s way too small! Lennie chuckled at this, earning a harsher glare from George.
The boss looked between the two, rubbing his face with both hands, wondering how these two people would ever get along so well. After a long pause,  “Okay then,” he said. “You’ll go on out with the grain teams after dinner. Now go!”
George and Lennie scrambled out of the small office towards the bunkhouse.
George abruptly turned to Lennie once they were out of earshot of the boss’s office. “So you wasn’t gonna say a word. You was gonna leave your big flapper shut and leave me do the talkin’. Damn near lost us the job,” he uttered with a shake of his head.
Lennie stared hopelessly at his hands. He gon’ do it now, he’s gonna get rid of me. “I forgot, George.”
“Yeah, you forgot. You always forget and now he’s got his eye one us. We can’t make no slips,” George gritted.
Lennie stared at the other man, as if studying him. “George, I wasn’t kicked in the head with no horse, was I?”
“Be a damn good thing if you was,” George said viciously. “Save ever’body a hell of a lot of trouble.”
“You said I was your cousin, George.” Lennie stared at George sideways, wondering if he was the one who actually got kicked in the head by a horse.
“Well that’s a lie. An’ I’m damn glad it was. If I was a relative of yours I’d shoot myself.”
“But we got the job, didn’t we? Didn’t we, George?” Lennie exclaimed excitedly, completely oblivious to any of the insults. “We got the job because of you and because I’m strong as a bull and- ”
“Yes, yes we did Lennie. We got the job,” George grinned, shaking his head. “Come on now,” he patted the bigger man’s shoulder, ushering him forward. “Let’s get some supper, shall we?”
“So you ain’t mad?”
“No, I ain’t mad. I never been mad, an’ I ain’t now.”
Lennie giggled in happiness as they walked. See Aunt Clara! George ain’t mad and he ain’t leavin’! I’m gonna get those rabbits.
You’ll see!