Sometimes, no matter how much a person might take care of someone else, no matter how much he feels for that person, sometimes it just isn't enough. Not all stories have happy endings.
And so it is for George Milton. After years of looking after the dim, yet essentially good-hearted Lennie Small, George finds he must accept the final burden he owes his friend.
John Steinbeck's ''Of Mice and Men,'' presented by the Abilene Christian University Department of Theatre, examines loyalty, friendship and just how far those boundaries may be pushed.
Caleb Todd gave a masterful performance as the childish Lennie, joy shining from his face when he pets a soft puppy. Todd shows Lennie's quickness to anger, his utter strength and his lack of comprehension.
But it is Ryan Massie's tender-hearted tough George that made me ache.
Massie's interpretation of George's complex feelings about Lennie gives the character depth and feeling.
Allison Organ plays Curley's Wife, the snap that starts the avalanche that destroys more than one life. Organ plays her character as a tramp, with just enough loneliness to make her real.
The actors, directed by Mike Fernandez, recreate the hard scrabble feel of the Great Depression convincingly.
But one word of advice, work on projecting those voices to the back of the theater the entire play. The people in the back rows deserve to hear the dialogue.
ACU's ''Of Mice and Men'' is a good, solid drama, painful to watch at times, yet teaching a lesson to any willing to learn.
Yes, we are our brother's keepers, no matter how heavy a weight that might be to carry.
''Of Mice and Men'' (drama)
When: 8 p.m. today-Saturday and April 13-15,
Where: Fulks Theatre, inside the Williams Performing Arts Center, Abilene Christian University.
How much: $12, available by calling (325) 674-2787 from 1 to 5 p.m. weekdays.