Of Mice and Men - The Master Script!

pages 9 to 16.

Words in bold indicate speech.

Words that are underlined indicate action.
Words in (parentheses) indicate a change of voice.
[ ] = beat/pause/silence.

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George: holds out hand I want that mouse.

Lennie: reaches into pocket I don't know why I can't keep it. It ain't nobody's. I didn't steal
it.

George's hand is still held out.

Lennie starts walking slowly towards George. He stops, hesitantly, then continues.

George snaps his fingers, and Lennie instantly puts the mouse in his hand.

Lennie: Wasn't doin' nothing bad with it, George. Jus' strokin' it.

George throws the mouse far into the brush. Lennie starts whimpering.

George: Blubberin' like a baby! Jesus Christ! A big guy like you.

Lennie's lip is quivering, and tears come down his cheeks.

George: Aw, Lennie! puts hand on Lennie's shoulder I ain't takin' it away just for
meanness. That mouse ain't fresh, Lennie - and besides, you've broke it pettin' it. You get
another mouse that's fresh and I'll let you keep it a little while.

Lennie sits down and hangs his head, feeling miserable.

Lennie: I don't know where there is no other mouse. I remember a lady used to give 'em to
me. But that lady ain't here.

George: (scoffs) Lady, huh? You don't even remember who that lady was. That was your
own Aunt Clara. And she stopped givin' 'em to ya. You always killed 'em.

Lennie: But they was so little. I'd pet 'em and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinched
their heads a little and then they was dead - because they was so little.

[]

Lennie: I wisht we'd get the rabbits pretty soon, George. They ain't so little.

George: The hell with the rabbits. You ain't to be trusted with no live mice. Your Aunt Clara
give you a rubber mouse and you wouldn't have nothing to do with it.

Lennie: It wasn't no good to pet.

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George: You gonna get that wood? Up against the back of that sycamore. Now you get it.

Lennie goes behind the tree and brings out some leaves and twigs, then goes back behind
the tree. He continues this process.

George lights the pile. He takes out a can of beans, placing them close to the fire.

George: That's enough for four men.

[]

Lennie: I like 'em with ketchup.

George: Well, we ain't got any! Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty!
If I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job and work, and no trouble, and when
the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I
want. I could eat any place I want and order any damn thing I could think of, and I could do
that every damn month.

Lennie's face is now drawn with terror.

George: An' whatta I got? I got YOU! You can't keep a job and you lose me every job I get.
And you always get in trouble...oh, you crazy son-of-a-bitch! Jus' wanted to feel that girl's
dress - jus' wanted to pet it like it was a mouse, huh? Well how the hell would she know?
She jerks back but you keep holding onto that dress like it was a mouse. She yells and we
gotta hide in a ditch all day with guys lookin' for us, then we gotta sneak out in the dark
and get out of the country. All that time it was cuz of something like THAT. I wisht I could
put you in a cage with about a million mice and let you have fun.

George stops abruptly. He looks at Lennie, then looks back ashamedly at the flames.

Lennie slowly inches closer towards George, who pretends not to notice him.

Lennie: George?

[]

Lennie: George!

George: Whatta you want?

Lennie: I was only foolin', George. I don't want no ketchup. If it was right here beside me,
I wouldn't eat none of it.

George: It if was here, you could have some.

Lennie: But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you. You could cover your beans
with it. I wouldn't touch none of it.

[]
George: When I think of the swell time I could have without you, I go nuts. I never get no
peace.

Lennie: George, you want I should go away and leave you alone?

[]

Lennie: If you don' want me I can go off in the hills an' find a cave. I can go away any
time.

George: No - okay, look! I was just foolin'. I want you to stay with me. Trouble with mice is
you always kill 'em.

[]

George: Here, tell you what I'll do, Lennie. First chance I get, I'll give you a pup. Maybe
you wouldn't kill that. It'll be better than mice, cuz you could pet it harder.

Lennie: If you don't want me, you only jus' gotta say so, George. I'll go off in those hills
right there, and I'll live by myself, and I won't get no mice stolen from me.

George: I want you to stay with me, Lennie, Jesus Christ! Your Aunt Clara wouldn't like you
running off by yourself.

[]

Lennie: Tell me - like you done before.

[]

George: Tell you what?

Lennie: About the rabbits.

George: shakes head You ain't puttin' nothing over on me.

Lennie: (pleading) Come on, George, tell me, please! Like you done before.

George: You get a kick outta that, don't you? (laughs) Awright, I'll tell you, and then we'll
have these beans.

[]

George: (deep and rhythmic) Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in
the world. They got no family, they don't belong no place. They ain't got nothing to look
ahead to.

Lennie: (excitedly) That's it, that's it! Now tell how it is with us.

George: With us it ain't like that. We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a
damn about us. If them other guys gets in jail they can rot for all anybody gives a damn.
But not -
Lennie: (interrupting) But not us! An' why? Because...I got you to look after me, and you
got me to look after you, and that's why! (laughs) Go on now, George!

George: You got it by heart, go do it yourself.

Lennie: No, you do it. I forget some a' the things. Tell about how it's gonna be.

George: Okay...someday - we're gonna have a little house and a couple of acres an' a cow
and some pigs and -

Lennie: (interrupting, shouting) An' live off the fatta the lan'! And have rabbits! Go on, tell
about that, George!

George: You do it yourself! You know all of it.

Lennie: No...no, George. You tell it. It ain't the same if I tell it...come on, George. How I
get to tend the rabbits.

George: Well, we'll have a big vegetable patch, and a rabbit hutch, and chickens, and when
it rains we'll jus say the hell with goin' to work. We'll build up a fire and sit around it an'
listen to the rain coming down on the roof...(shouting) NUTS! I ain't got time for no more.

George reaches for his knife and opens two of the cans. He then takes out two spoons from
his side pocket, handing one to Lennie. They start eating.

[]

George: So, what you gonna say tomorrow? You know, when the boss asks you questions?

Lennie: (concentrated) I...I ain't...I ain't gonna say...anything.

George: (smiles) Good boy! Now that's a fine Lennie! Hmm, maybe you're gettin' better
and I can actually let you tend the rabbits once we get the acres. Especially if you
remember as good as that.

Lennie: (full of pride) I can remember!

George: Well, then you can remember this place, can't you? If you jus' happen to get in
trouble I want you to come right here and hide in the brush. Just follow the river from the
ranch.

Lennie: (slowly) Hide...in the...brush.

George: Yep, hide in the brush, till I come for you. Can you remember that?

Lennie: Sure I can, George. Hide in the brush till you come.

George: O.K. - but you ain't gonna get in no trouble. 'Cause if you do, I won't let you tend
no rabbits.

George throws his now empty bean can into the brush.

Lennie: Ain't gonna get in no trouble, George. I ain't gonna say a word.
George: Alrighty then. Bring your stuff over here by the fire, it's gonna be nice sleeping
here. We'll let the fire die down.

George and Lennie make their beds on the sandy ground.

[]

Lennie: George? You asleep?

George: No...whadaya want?

Lennie: I think we should have different color rabbits. And furry ones.

George: Sure, furry ones.

Lennie: 'Cause I can jus' as well go away, George, and live in a cave.

George: You can jus' as well go to hell. Now shut up.