Над пропастью во ржи

           WhatImightdo,Imightsaysomethingverycuttingandsnotty,torilehimup—insteadofsockinghiminthejaw.AnywayifIdidsaysomethingverycuttingandsnotty,he’dprobablygetupandcomeovertomeandsay,"Listen,Caulfield.Areyoucallingmeacrook?"Then,insteadofsaying,"You’regoddamrightIam,youdirtycrookedbastard!"allIprobablywould’vesaidwouldbe,"AllIknowismygoddamgloveswereinyourgoddamgaloshes."Rightawaythen,theguywouldknowforsurethatIwasn’tgoingtotakeasockathim,andheprobablywould’vesaid,"Listen.Let’sgetthisstraight.Areyoucallingmeathief?"ThenIprobablywould’vesaid,"Nobody’scallinganybodyathief.AllIknowismygloveswereinyourgoddamgaloshes."Itcouldgoonlikethatforhours.Finally,though,I’dleavehisroomwithouteventakingasockathim.I’dprobablygodowntothecanandsneakacigaretteandwatchmyselfgettingtoughinthemirror.Anyway,that’swhatIthoughtaboutthewholewaybacktothehotel.It’snofuntobeyellow.MaybeI’mnotallyellow.Idon’tknow.IthinkmaybeI’mjustpartlyyellowandpartlythetypethatdoesn’tgivemuchofadamniftheylosetheirgloves.Oneofmytroublesis,InevercaretoomuchwhenIlosesomething—itusedtodrivemymothercrazywhenIwasakid.Someguysspenddayslookingforsomethingtheylost.IneverseemtohaveanythingthatifIlostitI’dcaretoomuch.Maybethat’swhyI’mpartlyyellow.It’snoexcuse,though.Itreallyisn’t.Whatyoushouldbeisnotyellowatall.Ifyou’resupposedtosocksomebodyinthejaw,andyousortoffeellikedoingit,youshoulddoit.I’mjustnogoodatit,though.I’dratherpushaguyoutthewindoworchophisheadoffwithanaxthansockhiminthejaw.Ihatefistfights.Idon’tmindgettinghitsomuch—althoughI’mnotcrazyaboutit,naturally—butwhatscaresmemostinafistfightistheguy’sface.