The chapter begins with an introduction to George and who are walking single file next to the Salinas to the town of where their new awaits them. They had to run away from their last job in the town of because Lennie got into some trouble by touching a girl’s . In this chapter we learn that is mentally disabled. He likes to imitate ; he can’t remember most things that he has been told, except the story about the ; and he loves to pet soft things like --even if they are dead. looks after , but he gets irritated with Lennie at times. He tells Lennie how much easier his life would be without Lennie but then seems to feel for saying so and changes his tone to tell Lennie that he doesn’t really mean it. George and Lennie are walking through the brush beside the to get to their new job because the driver dropped them off too early--miles away from their final destination. They decide that instead of getting to the that evening like they were supposed to, they will rest for the night and get there in the morning. Before they eat their dinner and go to sleep that night, Lennie asks George to tell him about the . George tells Lennie all about their dream to own their own ranch and “live of the fatta the lan.’” And Lennie gets to tend the rabbits on that ranch.