Над пропастью во ржи

           Ithappenstomealot,Iknow,partlybecausemylastnameisIrish,andmostpeopleofIrishdescentareCatholics.Asamatteroffact,myfatherwasaCatholiconce.Hequit,though,whenhemarriedmymother.ButCatholicsarealwaystryingtofindoutifyou’reaCatholiceveniftheydon’tknowyourlastname.IknewthisoneCatholicboy,LouisShaney,whenIwasattheWhootonSchool.HewasthefirstboyIevermetthere.HeandIweresittinginthefirsttwochairsoutsidethegoddaminfirmary,thedayschoolopened,waitingforourphysicals,andwesortofstruckupthisconversationabouttennis.Hewasquiteinterestedintennis,andsowasI.HetoldmehewenttotheNationalsatForestHillseverysummer,andItoldhimIdidtoo,andthenwetalkedaboutcertainhot-shottennisplayersforquiteawhile.Heknewquitealotabouttennis,forakidhisage.Hereallydid.Then,afterawhile,rightinthemiddleofthegoddamconversation,heaskedme,"DidyouhappentonoticewheretheCatholicchurchisintown,byanychance?"Thethingwas,youcouldtellbythewayheaskedmethathewastryingtofindoutifIwasaCatholic.Hereallywas.Notthathewasprejudicedoranything,buthejustwantedtoknow.Hewasenjoyingtheconversationabouttennisandall,butyoucouldtellhewould’veenjoyeditmoreifIwasaCatholicandall.Thatkindofstuffdrivesmecrazy.I’mnotsayingitruinedourconversationoranything—itdidn’t—butitsureashelldidn’tdoitanygood.That’swhyIwasgladthosetwonunsdidn’taskmeifIwasaCatholic.Itwouldn’thavespoiledtheconversationiftheyhad,butitwould’vebeendifferent,probably.I’mnotsayingIblameCatholics.Idon’t.I’dbethesameway,probably,ifIwasaCatholic.It’sjustlikethosesuitcasesIwastellingyouabout,inaway.AllI’msayingisthatit’snogoodforaniceconversation.That’sallI’msaying.

           Whentheygotuptogo,thetwonuns,Ididsomethingverystupidandembarrassing.