Над пропастью во ржи

           Hesteppedback,andsteppedrightonthelady’sfootbehindhim.Heprobablybrokeeverytoeinherbody.Hesaidtheplayitselfwasnomasterpiece,butthattheLunts,ofcourse,wereabsoluteangels.Angels.ForChrissake.Angels.Thatkilledme.ThenheandoldSallystartedtalkingaboutalotofpeopletheybothknew.Itwasthephoniestconversationyoueverheardinyourlife.Theybothkeptthinkingofplacesasfastastheycould,thenthey’dthinkofsomebodythatlivedthereandmentiontheirname.Iwasallsettopukewhenitwastimetogositdownagain.Ireallywas.Andthen,whenthenextactwasover,theycontinuedtheirgoddamboringconversation.Theykeptthinkingofmoreplacesandmorenamesofpeoplethatlivedthere.Theworstpartwas,thejerkhadoneofthoseveryphony,IvyLeaguevoices,oneofthoseverytired,snobbyvoices.Hesoundedjustlikeagirl.Hedidn’thesitatetohorninonmydate,thebastard.Ieventhoughtforaminutethathewasgoingtogetinthegoddamcabwithuswhentheshowwasover,becausehewalkedabouttwoblockswithus,buthehadtomeetabunchofphoniesforcocktails,hesaid.Icouldseethemallsittingaroundinsomebar,withtheirgoddamcheckeredvests,criticizingshowsandbooksandwomeninthosetired,snobbyvoices.Theykillme,thoseguys.

           IsortofhatedoldSallybythetimewegotinthecab,afterlisteningtothatphonyAndoverbastardforabouttenhours.Iwasallsettotakeherhomeandall—Ireallywas—butshesaid,"Ihaveamarvelousidea!"Shewasalwayshavingamarvelousidea."Listen,"shesaid."Whattimedoyouhavetobehomefordinner?Imeanareyouinaterriblehurryoranything?Doyouhavetobehomeanyspecialtime?"

           "Me?No.Nospecialtime,"Isaid.Truerwordwasneverspoken,boy."Why?"