Seeing Red
He bets it's soft.
George Milton and Lennie Small are walking through Weed. George is ahead of course as he always is and Lennie doesn't mind. He enjoys following behind George like a duckling or lost puppy. George is good to him and even when he isn't Lennie knows that it is probably his fault because he is big and dumb. He can't help it but sometimes–
Red!
Suddenly whatever thoughts were in Lennie's mind are gone, shoved out of his left ear in favor of that splotch of sensational color out of the corner of his eye. Without "follow George" and "stay outta trouble" present in his consciousness Lennie is left to speculate as to whether the red is soft. After letting his eyes wander Lennie realizes that the red is on a dress so it has to be soft
He bets it is and without a first thought he finds his pudgy paws running up and down and around the fabric, entranced by the entranced by the sensation. To Lennie this is just like petting the mice Aunt Clara used to give him, he could go on four hours so long as he doesn't break it. Not that he could break a–
"What are you doin?" screams the wearer of the red
She is loud. Loud and scary. Lennie doesn't feel his grip on the red tighten. It is instinctive so that maybe he will feel less scared with more of the soft between his fingers. He hopes that this girl will stop screaming at him or that George comes back and saves him.
"Help! Help!" the wearer screams. "He's tryin' ta' rape me!"
Lennie doesn't let go though. He is scared that he "done a bad thing" and George will give him hell for it. If he "done a bad" thing again then he won't get to take care of the rabbits on the farm…
"Let go you crazy bastard!" George orders.
Lennie doesn't comply though. He is screaming now too because he is scared.
But suddenly he feels a pain in his head and no longer is he paying attention to the red, but to George who is dragging him away, shouting about how he needs to start moving his legs. Lennie complies now, but not before looking over his shoulder once more at that red.