Над пропастью во ржи

           Idon’tevenlikeoldcars.Imeantheydon’teveninterestme.I’dratherhaveagoddamhorse.Ahorseisatleasthuman,forGod’ssake.Ahorseyoucanatleast—"

           "Idon’tknowwhatyou’reeventalkingabout,"oldSallysaid."Youjumpfromone—"

           "Youknowsomething?"Isaid."You’reprobablytheonlyreasonI’minNewYorkrightnow,oranywhere.Ifyouweren’taround,I’dprobablybesomeplacewaythehelloff.Inthewoodsorsomegoddamplace.You’retheonlyreasonI’maround,practically."

           "You’resweet,"shesaid.Butyoucouldtellshewantedmetochangethedamnsubject.

           "Yououghttogotoaboys’schoolsometime.Tryitsometime,"Isaid."It’sfullofphonies,andallyoudoisstudysothatyoucanlearnenoughtobesmartenoughtobeabletobuyagoddamCadillacsomeday,andyouhavetokeepmakingbelieveyougiveadamnifthefootballteamloses,andallyoudoistalkaboutgirlsandliquorandsexallday,andeverybodystickstogetherinthesedirtylittlegoddamcliques.Theguysthatareonthebasketballteamsticktogether,theCatholicssticktogether,thegoddamintellectualssticktogether,theguysthatplaybridgesticktogether.EventheguysthatbelongtothegoddamBook-of-the-MonthClubsticktogether.Ifyoutrytohavealittleintelligent—"

           "Now,listen,"oldSallysaid."Lotsofboysgetmoreoutofschoolthanthat."

           "Iagree!Iagreetheydo,someofthem!Butthat’sallIgetoutofit.See?That’smypoint.That’sexactlymygoddampoint,"Isaid."Idon’tgethardlyanythingoutofanything.I’minbadshape.I’minlousyshape."