The Salinas Times
How I Saw It (Haely)
[Scene: Lennie talking to Crooks]
Crooks POV
It was a Saturday night. The bright, yellow light of my lantern shine throughout my small room. I sat on the edge of my bunk with my shirt out of my jeans in the back. I grab the bottle of liniment and pour a few drops into my unoccupied hand before reaching under my shirt to rub my spine. A tall figure, which was Lennie, appeared in the open doorway and I removed my hand from under my shirt.
I said sharply, "You got no right to come in my room. This here's my room. Nobody got any right in here but me."
Lennie jus’ smiled and he told me he seen my light. I told him that I had a right to have a light. Since I wasn’t wanted in their bunkhouse, he isn’t wanted in my own room. He seemed confused so I explained to him.
“Cause I'm black. They play cards in there, but I can't play because I'm black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me. "
Lennie then tol’ me that ever’body went into town. “I seen your light” He repeated. I wondered why he was in the barn anyway. He wasn’t a skinner. No buckers have anything to do with the horses.
I told him he wasn’t wanted and he lost his smile. Lennie had moved into the room. I scowled, but Lennie's disarming smile defeated me. I invited him to set down a while. Long as he won't get out and leave me alone, he might as well set down.
"All the boys gone into town, huh?" "All but old Candy. He just sets in the bunk house sharpening his pencil and sharpening and figuring. " I adjusted my glasses. "Figuring? What's Candy figuring about?" Lennie almost shouted, "'Bout the rabbits. " This guy is nuts, I thought.
"The rabbits we're gonna get, and I get to tend 'em, cut grass an' give 'em water, an' like that. " Lennie described. He said something quietly an’ I settled myself more comfortably on my bunk. I tell him to set down on the nail keg. He hunched down on the little barrel and said a thing bout George. I question him that George an’ him travel along together.
"Sure. Me an' him goes ever' place together. " I continued. "Sometimes he talks, and you don't know what the hell he's talkin' about. Ain't that so?" I leaned more forward. "Yeah . . . . Sometimes. But . . . . Not always. " I leaned forward over the edge of the bunk. I spoke of my childhood with my voice softer. I even choked out a laugh.
I start s’posing to Lennie an’ I could tell by his face, he was getting worried. I pressed on getting some kind of victory. Suddenly Lennie's eyes. Centered and grew quiet, and mad. He stood up and walked dangerously toward me. "Who hurt George?" he demanded. I saw the danger as it approached me. I edged back on my bunk to get out of the way. "I was just supposin', " I said. "What you supposin' for? Ain't nobody goin' to suppose no hurt to George. " I removed my glasses and wiped my eyes with my fingers. "Jus' set down, " I said. "George ain't hurt. " Lennie growled back to his seat on the nail keg. It was nice that Lennie cared bout George. Lennie’s a nice fella.
How I saw it (Elizabeth)
[Scene: Lennie talking to Crooks]
Crooks P.O.V
One night, Lennie walked in my room wantin’ to see his pup.
“You got no right to come in my room. This here’s my room. Nobody got any right in here but me.” I tol’ him
He kep’ repeating “I seen your light.” and I tol’ him I had a right to have a light but he ain’t got no right bein’ in my room when he ain’t wanted.
He didn’t understand jus’ kep’ repeating the same thing.
“ ‘Cause I’m black. They play cards in there, but I can’t because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, all of you stink to me.” I explained to him
He tol’ me everybody went into town and I told him he had no right bein’ in my room. He was no skinner or bucker, he got nothing to do with them horses but he still stood in my doorway until I eventually let him in.
Lennie tol’ me about some rabbits. He’s nuts, plain nuts. But he’s a nice fella.
“You’re nuts. You’re crazy as a wedge.” I tol’ him but he kep’ talking about those rabbits.
I leaned over the edge of the bunk tellin’ him bout’ my childhood.
“I ain’t a southern negro, I was born right here in California. My old man had a chicken ranch. ‘bout ten acres. The white kids come to play at our place, an’ sometimes I went to play with them, and some of them was pretty nice. My ol’ man didn’t like that.”
Lennie jus’ sat there as I talked until I brought up George.
“S’pose George don’t come back no more. S’pose he took a powder and just ain’t coming back. What’ll you do then?” I said making Lennie question me
“He won’t do it” Lennie cried after I explained it
He was worried but soon got angry when I said George was “hurt.”
“Who hurt George?” He demanded and I quickly backed down
“I was just supposin’. George ain’t hurt. He’s all right. He’ll be back all right.” I tol’ him and he calmed down
Lennie’s a good guy, cares alot about people, wouldn’t hurt anyone on purpose.
Letter from Ranchers at Butte Ranch to Mr.Butte
We as ranchers believe that we do not have good working conditions. We work from sun up till almost sun down. We are always working. We don't have breaks and don't have time to just stop working for a moment until we get back from our work but by then we all just feel like we need to sleep for 3 days. For the amount of work we do we don't get paid enough, we think we should get a raise. We work for an entire MONTH and all we get is $50. We believe we deserve more.
We as people should ALL be treated right. We're all human and we know we won't get much luxury but we think we need a little more respect and rights. We think you should shorten our work days by an hour so we have more leisure time and don't have to waste time on breaks in between work hours. We think you should treat us like humans instead of dogs. We think we should get a small raise since we're already doing alot of work. All we want is to be treated right.
Sincerely,
Your Ranchers.
(Anonymous source)
Rancher's Hand Caught in Machine At Butte Ranch
Curley Butte, the boss’ son at Butte Ranch, got his hand caught in a machine the other day. The ranchers were very hesitant when telling us the event that happened at the ranch. They say that the cause of Curley’s injury was that he was not paying attention while working.
We questioned his wife, Margaret, about his broken hand. She said she does not believe Curley got his hand caught in the machine due to negligence. Hence forth, Curley’s accident needs to be further investigated, pending evidence collected at the scene.
“Spends all his time sayin’ what he’s gonna do to guys he don’t like, and he don’t like nobody” claims Margaret.
According to first hand accounts, when we interviewed Slim, a rancher, about Curley. He stated that Curley’s hand did get caught in a machine. “I couldn’t believe it, ‘cause nothing like this ever happened before.”
“Before Curley starting working, other men and I were arguing with him. I think that’s why he wasn’t careful ‘cause he was upset.” Slim said.
Obituaries: Lennie Small
Lennie Charles Small died on February 4th, 1936. He died in Salinas, California. His city and state of residence is unknown. The viewing took place on February 5th at 4:30 at Salinas funeral home. The burial took place at Salinas Cemetery at 3:45 on February 6th. The memorial service occurred on February 6th at 1:25 at the local church in Salinas. There isn’t any information on Mr. Small but he has 1 aunt, Clara Small. He had a dog before he died but the dog has disappeared and does not have a name. Other workers at Butte farm where he worked say he loved animals and was always in the barn with the animals taking care and just spending time with them. Lennie’s job was bucking barley at Salinas own, Butte Ranch owned by Mr.Butte the local rancher. Lennie was a kind person. He never meant to hurt anyone and was very strong and didn’t complain about much. Lennie’s best friend, George Milton told us a story about Lennie;
“Lennie was a funny guy. When we was traveling around he would always ask for the things he couldn’t have. And if I gave him hell about it he would change his answer so quick and say he don’t want it no more just to please me” George said “ Like one day before we was at Butte Ranch we were eating some beans we bought in a town before. And Lennie asked for some ketchup” George said with a laugh “I told him that we didn’t have no ketchup and he couldn’t have none. I got mad at him telling him he always wanted stuff he knew he couldn’t have. He knew I was mad so he said he didn;t want none no more. Repeating that over and over again” George said with a smile “He was a good guy, my best friend, he didn’t deserve to die like this” George said
Lennie didn’t have any personal accomplishments. Lennie Small was murdered. Detectives do not know how he died but believe he was murdered by the same person that murdered Miss.Butte who died earlier that same day.
R.I.P Lennie Small. He will always be remembered.Obituary: Margaret Butte (Curley's Wife)
Margaret Susan Butte died on February 4th,1936 in Salinas, California. Her city and state of residence is unknown. Her viewing was at 2:45 at Salinas Funeral Home on February 5th. Her burial occurred on February 6th at 5:30 at Salinas Cemetery. The memorial service was on February 6th at 3:45 at a local church in Salinas. She did not have any known family members except her husband, Curley Butte. She didn’t have any known pets either. Miss Butte was not employed. She was known as a tart among the workers but deep down she just didn’t want to be alone, she wanted someone to talk to. George Milton told us a story about Mrs..Margaret;
“I remember when I first saw Curley’s wife. I thought she was a tart, I told Lennie to stay away from her because I knew she was trouble. She walked into the bunkhouse smacking her gum wearing that bright red lipstick and a nice dress. She was looking for Curley. We talked a few times but never a lot because Curley would definitely give me hell for it. She was a pretty little lady, lonely because she never got to talk to anyone. I always thought she wanted the guys but she just wanted a friend.” He told us.
Margaret was murdered like Lennie Small. She died on the same day but about an hour or so earlier investigators suppose.
R.I.P Margaret Susan Butte. She will be missed dearly.Farm For Sale
1 acre fixer upper farmhouse
Includes rabbits, chickens, 1 cow, 2 goats, and a vegetable garden.
Sale Sale Sale!
Bushy, white, cottontail rabbits
Love to eat, especially alfalfa sprouts
Pups
10 puppies, 3 months old, 5 Males, 5 Females
Loves to be held, friendly, and is housebroken
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