Chapter 4

           Ididn’thaveanythingspecialtodo,soIwentdowntothecanandchewedtheragwithhimwhilehewasshaving. Weweretheonlyonesinthecan,becauseeverybodywasstilldownatthegame. Itwashotashellandthewindowswereallsteamy. Therewereabouttenwashbowls,allrightagainstthewall. Stradlaterhadthemiddleone. Isatdownontheonerightnexttohimandstartedturningthecoldwateronandoff—thisnervoushabitIhave. Stradlaterkeptwhistling‘SongofIndia"whileheshaved. Hehadoneofthoseverypiercingwhistlesthatarepracticallyneverintune,andhealwayspickedoutsomesongthat’shardtowhistleevenifyou’reagoodwhistler,like"SongofIndia"or"SlaughteronTenthAvenue." Hecouldreallymessasongup. 

           YourememberIsaidbeforethatAckleywasaslobinhispersonalhabits? Well,sowasStradlater,butinadifferentway. Stradlaterwasmoreofasecretslob. Healwayslookedallright,Stradlater,butforinstance,youshould’veseentherazorheshavedhimselfwith. Itwasalwaysrustyashellandfulloflatherandhairsandcrap. Henevercleaneditoranything. Healwayslookedgoodwhenhewasfinishedfixinghimselfup,buthewasasecretslobanyway,ifyouknewhimthewayIdid. Thereasonhefixedhimselfuptolookgoodwasbecausehewasmadlyinlovewithhimself. HethoughthewasthehandsomestguyintheWesternHemisphere. Hewasprettyhandsome,too—I’lladmitit. ButhewasmostlythekindofahandsomeguythatifyourparentssawhispictureinyourYearBook,they’drightawaysay, "Who’sthisboy?" ImeanhewasmostlyaYearBookkindofhandsomeguy. IknewalotofguysatPenceyIthoughtwerealothandsomerthanStradlater,buttheywouldn’tlookhandsomeifyousawtheirpicturesintheYearBook.