Slim enjoys their friendship stating that it is different because they care about each other. George continues to tell Slim how sometimes he would make Lennie do stupid things, but one time Lennie almost drowned. Since then George has changed his ways although he still "pushes" Lennie around. George was put in charge of Lennie after his Aunt Claire died. He tells the story of the Weed and how they had to hide in an irrigation ditch after being chased by a lynch mob. Lennie has snuck one of Slim's puppies into the bunkhouse and George yells at Lennie to return it and he does so. Candy and Carlson arrive. All of the bunk members yell at Candy to kill his old dog and take one of LuLu's puppies instead. Whit enters and shows a letter that a previous worker's writing got published in Pulp Magazine. Carlson shoots Candy's dog. Curley enters asking where his wife, realizes that Slim is missing and storms off into the direction of the barn. They return and Curley apologizes for his suspicions. The others mock him and Curley looks to pick a fight with someone and chooses Lennie. They start fighting and Lennie doesn't defend himself until George tells him to. Lennie breaks Curley's hand.
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