Над пропастью во ржи

           Youneversawsomanyphoniesinallyourlife,everybodysmokingtheirearsoffandtalkingabouttheplaysothateverybodycouldhearandknowhowsharptheywere.Somedopeymovieactorwasstandingnearus,havingacigarette.Idon’tknowhisname,buthealwaysplaysthepartofaguyinawarmoviethatgetsyellowbeforeit’stimetogooverthetop.Hewaswithsomegorgeousblonde,andthetwoofthemweretryingtobeveryblaséandall,likeasifhedidn’tevenknowpeoplewerelookingathim.Modestashell.Igotabigbangoutofit.OldSallydidn’ttalkmuch,excepttoraveabouttheLunts,becauseshewasbusyrubberingandbeingcharming.Thenallofasudden,shesawsomejerksheknewontheothersideofthelobby.Someguyinoneofthoseverydarkgrayflannelsuitsandoneofthosecheckeredvests.StrictlyIvyLeague.Bigdeal.Hewasstandingnexttothewall,smokinghimselftodeathandlookingboredashell.OldSallykeptsaying,"Iknowthatboyfromsomewhere."Shealwaysknewsomebody,anyplaceyoutookher,orthoughtshedid.ShekeptsayingthattillIgotboredashell,andIsaidtoher,"Whydon’tyougoonoverandgivehimabigsoulkiss,ifyouknowhim?He’llenjoyit."ShegotsorewhenIsaidthat.Finally,though,thejerknoticedherandcameoverandsaidhello.Youshould’veseenthewaytheysaidhello.You’dhavethoughttheyhadn’tseeneachotherintwentyyears.You’dhavethoughtthey’dtakenbathsinthesamebathtuborsomethingwhentheywerelittlekids.Oldbuddyroos.Itwasnauseating.Thefunnypartwas,theyprobablymeteachotherjustonce,atsomephonyparty.Finally,whentheywerealldoneslobberingaround,oldSallyintroducedus.HisnamewasGeorgesomething—Idon’tevenremember—andhewenttoAndover.Big,bigdeal.Youshould’veseenhimwhenoldSallyaskedhimhowhelikedtheplay.Hewasthekindofaphonythathavetogivethemselvesroomwhentheyanswersomebody’squestion.