Над пропастью во ржи

           Iaskedherifshewasoutcollectingmoneyforcharityandall.Shesaidno.Shesaidshecouldn’tgetitinhersuitcasewhenshewaspackingitandshewasjustcarryingit.Shehadaprettynicesmilewhenshelookedatyou.Shehadabignose,andshehadonthoseglasseswithsortofironrimsthataren’ttooattractive,butshehadahelluvakindface."Ithoughtifyouweretakingupacollection,"Itoldher,"Icouldmakeasmallcontribution.Youcouldkeepthemoneyforwhenyoudotakeupacollection."

           "Oh,howverykindofyou,"shesaid,andtheotherone,herfriend,lookedoveratme.Theotheronewasreadingalittleblackbookwhileshedrankhercoffee.ItlookedlikeaBible,butitwastooskinny.ItwasaBible-typebook,though.Allthetwoofthemwereeatingforbreakfastwastoastandcoffee.Thatdepressedme.IhateitifI’meatingbaconandeggsorsomethingandsomebodyelseisonlyeatingtoastandcoffee.

           Theyletmegivethemtenbucksasacontribution.TheykeptaskingmeifIwassureIcouldafforditandall.ItoldthemIhadquiteabitofmoneywithme,buttheydidn’tseemtobelieveme.Theytookit,though,finally.Thebothofthemkeptthankingmesomuchitwasembarrassing.Iswungtheconversationaroundtogeneraltopicsandaskedthemwheretheyweregoing.Theysaidtheywereschoolteachersandthatthey’djustcomefromChicagoandthattheyweregoingtostartteachingatsomeconventon168thStreetor186thStreetoroneofthosestreetswaythehelluptown.Theonenexttome,withtheironglasses,saidshetaughtEnglishandherfriendtaughthistoryand

           Americangovernment.ThenIstartedwonderinglikeabastardwhattheonesittingnexttome,thattaughtEnglish,thoughtabout,beinganunandall,whenshereadcertainbooksforEnglish.