Над пропастью во ржи

           "Thanksalot,"Isaid.Igotupandstartedtogo,butthenIsuddenlyremembereditwasSunday."ThisisSunday,"Itoldthekid.

           Shelookedupatme."Oh.Thensheisn’t."

           Shewashavingahelluvatimetighteningherskate.Shedidn’thaveanyglovesonoranythingandherhandswereallredandcold.Igaveherahandwithit.Boy,Ihadn’thadaskatekeyinmyhandforyears.Itdidn’tfeelfunny,though.Youcouldputaskatekeyinmyhandfiftyyearsfromnow,inpitchdark,andI’dstillknowwhatitis.ShethankedmeandallwhenIhadittightenedforher.Shewasaverynice,politelittlekid.God,Iloveitwhenakid’sniceandpolitewhenyoutightentheirskateforthemorsomething.Mostkidsare.Theyreallyare.Iaskedherifshe’dcaretohaveahotchocolateorsomethingwithme,butshesaidno,thankyou.Shesaidshehadtomeetherfriend.Kidsalwayshavetomeettheirfriend.Thatkillsme.

           EventhoughitwasSundayandPhoebewouldn’tbetherewithherclassoranything,andeventhoughitwassodampandlousyout,IwalkedallthewaythroughtheparkovertotheMuseumofNaturalHistory.Iknewthatwasthemuseumthekidwiththeskatekeymeant.Iknewthatwholemuseumroutinelikeabook.PhoebewenttothesameschoolIwenttowhenIwasakid,andweusedtogothereallthetime.Wehadthisteacher,MissAigletinger,thattookustheredamnneareverySaturday.SometimeswelookedattheanimalsandsometimeswelookedatthestufftheIndianshadmadeinancienttimes.Potteryandstrawbasketsandallstufflikethat.IgetveryhappywhenIthinkaboutit.Evennow.IrememberafterwelookedatalltheIndianstuff,usuallywewenttoseesomemovieinthisbigauditorium.Columbus.