Над пропастью во ржи

           Ididn’tevenbothertodryitoranything.Ijustletthesonuvabitchdrip.ThenIwalkedovertothisradiatorbythewindowandsatdownonit.Itwasniceandwarm.ItfeltgoodbecauseIwasshiveringlikeabastard.It’safunnything,IalwaysshiverlikehellwhenI’mdrunk.

           Ididn’thaveanythingelsetodo,soIkeptsittingontheradiatorandcountingtheselittlewhitesquaresonthefloor.Iwasgettingsoaked.Aboutagallonofwaterwasdrippingdownmyneck,gettingallovermycollarandtieandall,butIdidn’tgiveadamn.Iwastoodrunktogiveadamn.Then,prettysoon,theguythatplayedthepianoforoldValencia,thisverywavyhaired,flitty-lookingguy,cameintocombhisgoldenlocks.Wesortofstruckupaconversationwhilehewascombingit,exceptthathewasn’ttoogoddamfriendly.

           "Hey.YougonnaseethatValenciababewhenyougobackinthebar?"Iaskedhim.

           "It’shighlyprobable,"hesaid.Wittybastard.AllIevermeetiswittybastards.

           "Listen.Givehermycompliments.Askherifthatgoddamwaitergavehermymessage,willya?"

           "Whydon’tyougohome,Mac?Howoldareyou,anyway?"

           "Eighty-six.Listen.Givehermycompliments.Okay?"

           "Whydon’tyougohome,Mac?"

           "Notme.Boy,youcanplaythatgoddampiano."Itoldhim.Iwasjustflatteringhim.Heplayedthepianostinking,ifyouwanttoknowthetruth."Yououghtagoontheradio,"Isaid."Handsomechaplikeyou.Allthosegoddamgoldenlocks.Yaneedamanager?"