Notes

Crooks warns Lennie that he is taking the pups from the nest too much. Lennie has been left alone by the other men, including George, who have all gone into town. Lennie explains that he was on his way to see his puppy and saw the light in Crooks' room and just wants to come in and sit. Crooks eventually agrees to letting Lennie sit a while, and Lennie immediately tells him of his and George's and Candy's plan to get a place and have a farm, and the secret dream, once Lennie and George's only, continues to be spread. Crooks laughs at Lennie, saying that George just talks and Lennie is too stupid to remember, so it doesn't matter what George talks about. Crooks doubts as to whether or not George will come back to him. Lennie grows scared and confused, then angry, and threatens Crooks, asking who hurt George. Crooks backs down, sensing Lennie's anger, and assures him that George will be back. He then welcomes Lennie's and admits to being lonely: "Books ain't no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. Candy, who is too old to go into town, enters Crooks' room. Crooks irritably lets Candy come in and Candy begins to talk to Lennie about the farm, also forgetting about the promise to keep it a secret. She asks what really happened to Curley's hand and when Candy stubbornly tells her that he got it caught in a machine, she grows angry again. Candy announces that they are going to have a house of their own, because she is to tired of hearing the lie. Candy controls his temper and orders Curley's wife to leave, telling her that she's not wanted. Before she leaves she notices the bruises on Lennie's face and realizes what really happened to Curley's hand. Crooks tries to make her leave, but she is threatening to hang him if he acts up against her. At the sound of the other men coming back, Curley's wife leaves, not before telling Lennie that she is glad that he busted Curley's hand. George enters and orders everyone out of Crooks' room. Crooks tells Candy to forget what he said about working on their farm. When the men come back they are $2.50 more poorer. Crooks tells Curley's wife again to leave, and Curleys wife threatens to have Crooks hanged.