How does John Steinbeck open his short story The Chrysanthemus?

John Steinbeck's "The Chrysanthemums" opens with a description of the setting:

>"The Salinas Valley is a long narrow strip of land, bordered on one side by the Gabilan Mountains, and on the other by the low Coast Range."

This opening sets the stage for the story by establishing the geographical context and suggesting a sense of isolation and confinement, which will be important themes in the story.