Slim and George sat
down at the bar. Slim put a hand on George's shoulder and stated, "Like I
said, George, sometimes a guy's gotta."
George replied with
guilt “I know, I guess it’s true what they say Slim, you never know what you’ve
got until it’s gone. Damn I miss him already.”
“Time heals all wounds George, besides he was as
useful as a lead balloon anyway, you said it all the time yourself!” replied Slime trying to fill George with some sort of comfort.
George sighed with
regret, staring into his reflection at the bottom of his empty
beer mug. He was always so hard on Lennie, never appreciating his company.
"Come on George, get a
grip! There's no need to get all bet out of shape over
this," Slim said reassuringly "it had to be done."
George slams his cup
onto the wood top of the bar and stands to his feet," You don't know what
it's like! You never been in the same boat! So stop telling me
its gone' be okay, its not, so beat it!"
Slim froze in
astonishment. Nobody ever spoke to him that way he was the top dog. Everyone
respected him and valued his opinion. George sets his
mind straight realizing Lennie’s death wasn't Slims fault his lips began to quiver.
Seconds later he broke down
into tears and fell to his knees, "I know it didn't seem like it but I’d bend over backwards for that guy," George wept,
" he was my better half, we shared the
same dream and I ruined it!"
Slim still sitting in disbelief over
Georges out burst. George's knees cracked as he fell deeper to the floor,
his face buried in his hands he muffled "I..I..I'm sorry Slim I guess I’m
just going to have to deal with it, what’s done is done."
George stood to his feet with a blank look on his face. He stood there for a few minutes. Slim sat on his wobbling stool at the bar studying George curiously. George brought his hand into his jacket and pulled out Carlson's luger. He stood there for a split second under the dimmed bar lights and before slime could say a word he pressed it to the side of his head and said, "This ones for you big guy."
The gunshot echoed through the bar, Slim was in disbelief with what had just gone one. As he refocused he stood up in a panic and fled the bar so no blame was placed on him. Slim never returned to work. He had disappeared. Forever.
