Chapter 15

           Ididn’tsleeptoolong,becauseIthinkitwasonlyaroundteno’clockwhenIwokeup.IfeltprettyhungryassoonasIhadacigarette.ThelasttimeI’deatenwasthosetwohamburgersIhadwithBrossardandAckleywhenwewentintoAgerstowntothemovies.Thatwasalongtimeago.Itseemedlikefiftyyearsago.Thephonewasrightnexttome,andIstartedtocalldownandhavethemsendupsomebreakfast,butIwassortofafraidtheymightsenditupwitholdMaurice.IfyouthinkIwasdyingtoseehimagain,you’recrazy.SoIjustlaidaroundinbedforawhileandsmokedanothercigarette.IthoughtofgivingoldJaneabuzz,toseeifshewashomeyetandall,butIwasn’tinthemood.

           WhatIdiddo,IgaveoldSallyHayesabuzz.ShewenttoMaryA.Woodruff,andIknewshewashomebecauseI’dhadthisletterfromheracoupleofweeksago.Iwasn’ttoocrazyabouther,butI’dknownherforyears.Iusedtothinkshewasquiteintelligent,inmystupidity.ThereasonIdidwasbecausesheknewquitealotaboutthetheaterandplaysandliteratureandallthatstuff.Ifsomebodyknowsquitealotaboutthosethings,ittakesyouquiteawhiletofindoutwhetherthey’rereallystupidornot.Ittookmeyearstofinditout,inoldSally’scase.IthinkI’dhavefounditoutalotsoonerifwehadn’tneckedsodamnmuch.Mybigtroubleis,IalwayssortofthinkwhoeverI’mneckingisaprettyintelligentperson.Ithasn’tgotagoddamthingtodowithit,butIkeepthinkingitanyway.

           Anyway,Igaveherabuzz.Firstthemaidanswered.Thenherfather.Thenshegoton."Sally?"Isaid.

           "Yes—whoisthis?"shesaid.Shewasquitealittlephony.I’dalreadytoldherfatherwhoitwas.