Над пропастью во ржи

           TheywerealwaysshowingColumbusdiscoveringAmerica,havingonehelluvatimegettingoldFerdinandandIsabellatolendhimthedoughtobuyshipswith,andthenthesailorsmutinyingonhimandall.NobodygavetoomuchofadamnaboutoldColumbus,butyoualwayshadalotofcandyandgumandstuffwithyou,andtheinsideofthatauditoriumhadsuchanicesmell.Italwayssmelledlikeitwasrainingoutside,evenifitwasn’t,andyouwereintheonlynice,dry,cosyplaceintheworld.Ilovedthatdamnmuseum.IrememberyouhadtogothroughtheIndianRoomtogettotheauditorium.Itwasalong,longroom,andyouwereonlysupposedtowhisper.Theteacherwouldgofirst,thentheclass.You’dbetworowsofkids,andyou’dhaveapartner.MostofthetimemypartnerwasthisgirlnamedGertrudeLevine.Shealwayswantedtoholdyourhand,andherhandwasalwaysstickyorsweatyorsomething.Thefloorwasallstone,andifyouhadsomemarblesinyourhandandyoudroppedthem,theybouncedlikemadmenalloverthefloorandmadeahelluvaracket,andtheteacherwouldholduptheclassandgobackandseewhatthehellwasgoingon.Shenevergotsore,though,MissAigletinger.Thenyou’dpassbythislong,longIndianwarcanoe,aboutaslongasthreegoddamCadillacsinarow,withabouttwentyIndiansinit,someofthempaddling,someofthemjuststandingaroundlookingtough,andtheyallhadwarpaintallovertheirfaces.Therewasoneveryspookyguyinthebackofthecanoe,withamaskon.Hewasthewitchdoctor.Hegavemethecreeps,butIlikedhimanyway.Anotherthing,ifyoutouchedoneofthepaddlesoranythingwhileyouwerepassing,oneoftheguardswouldsaytoyou,"Don’ttouchanything,children,"buthealwayssaiditinanicevoice,notlikeagoddamcoporanything.