Над пропастью во ржи

           Thatkindofstuff.Theoldbull. 

           Thefunnythingis,though,Iwassortofthinkingofsomethingelse whileIshotthebull. IliveinNewYork,andIwasthinkingaboutthelagooninCentralPark, downnearCentralParkSouth. IwaswonderingifitwouldbefrozenoverwhenIgothome,andifitwas,wheredidtheducksgo. Iwaswonderingwheretheduckswentwhenthelagoongotallicyandfrozenover. Iwonderedifsomeguycameinatruckandtookthemawaytoazooorsomething. Oriftheyjustflewaway. 

           I’mlucky,though. ImeanIcouldshoottheoldbulltooldSpencer andthinkaboutthoseducksatthesametime. It’sfunny. Youdon’thavetothinktoohardwhenyoutalktoateacher. Allofasudden,though,heinterruptedmewhileIwasshootingthebull. Hewasalwaysinterruptingyou. 

           "Howdoyoufeelaboutallthis,boy? I’dbeveryinterestedtoknow. Veryinterested." 

           "YoumeanaboutmyflunkingoutofPenceyandall?"Isaid. Isortofwishedhe’dcoveruphisbumpychest. Itwasn’tsuchabeautifulview. 

           "IfI’mnotmistaken,IbelieveyoualsohadsomedifficultyattheWhootonSchoolandatElktonHills." Hedidn’tsayitjustsarcastic,butsortofnasty,too. 

           "Ididn’thavetoomuchdifficultyatElktonHills,"Itoldhim. "Ididn’texactlyflunkoutoranything. Ijustquit,sortof." 

           "Why,mayIask?"