Над пропастью во ржи

           Youcouldtellhewasveryashamedofhisparentsandall,becausetheysaid"hedon’t"and"shedon’t"andstufflikethatandtheyweren’tverywealthy.Buthewasn’tabastardoranything.Hewasaveryniceguy.ButthisRobertaWalsh’sroommatedidn’tlikehimatall.ShetoldRobertahewastooconceited—andthereasonshethoughthewasconceitedwasbecausehehappenedtomentiontoherthathewascaptainofthedebatingteam.Alittlethinglikethat,andshethoughthewasconceited!Thetroublewithgirlsis,iftheylikeaboy,nomatterhowbigabastardheis,they’llsayhehasaninferioritycomplex,andiftheydon’tlikehim,nomatterhowniceaguyheis,orhowbiganinferioritycomplexhehas,they’llsayhe’sconceited.Evensmartgirlsdoit.

           Anyway,IgaveoldJaneabuzzagain,butherphonedidn’tanswer,soIhadtohangup.ThenIhadtolookthroughmyaddressbooktoseewhothehellmightbeavailablefortheevening.Thetroublewas,though,myaddressbookonlyhasaboutthreepeopleinit.Jane,andthisman,Mr.Antolini,thatwasmyteacheratElktonHills,andmyfather’sofficenumber.Ikeepforgettingtoputpeople’snamesin.SowhatIdidfinally,IgaveoldCarlLuceabuzz.HegraduatedfromtheWhootonSchoolafterIleft.HewasaboutthreeyearsolderthanIwas,andIdidn’tlikehimtoomuch,buthewasoneoftheseveryintellectualguys—hehadthehighestI.Q.ofanyboyatWhooton—andIthoughthemightwanttohavedinnerwithmesomewhereandhaveaslightlyintellectualconversation.Hewasveryenlighteningsometimes.SoIgavehimabuzz.HewenttoColumbianow,buthelivedon65thStreetandall,andIknewhe’dbehome.WhenIgothimonthephone,hesaidhecouldn’tmakeitfordinnerbutthathe’dmeetmeforadrinkatteno’clockattheWickerBar,on54th.Ithinkhewasprettysurprisedtohearfromme.Ioncecalledhimafat-assedphony.