Над пропастью во ржи

           SowhatIdid,Istartedwalkingovertothepark.IfiguredI’dgobythatlittlelakeandseewhatthehelltheducksweredoing,seeiftheywerearoundornot,Istilldidn’tknowiftheywerearoundornot.Itwasn’tfarovertothepark,andIdidn’thaveanyplaceelsespecialtogoto—Ididn’tevenknowwhereIwasgoingtosleepyet—soIwent.Iwasn’ttiredoranything.Ijustfeltblueashell.

           ThensomethingterriblehappenedjustasIgotinthepark.IdroppedoldPhoebe’srecord.Itbroke-intoaboutfiftypieces.Itwasinabigenvelopeandall,butitbrokeanyway.Idamnnearcried,itmademefeelsoterrible,butallIdidwas,Itookthepiecesoutoftheenvelopeandputtheminmycoatpocket.Theyweren’tanygoodforanything,butIdidn’tfeellikejustthrowingthemaway.ThenIwentinthepark.Boy,wasitdark.

           I’velivedinNewYorkallmylife,andIknowCentralParklikethebackofmyhand,becauseIusedtoroller-skatethereallthetimeandridemybikewhenIwasakid,butIhadthemostterrifictroublefindingthatlagoonthatnight.Iknewrightwhereitwas—itwasrightnearCentralParkSouthandall—butIstillcouldn’tfindit.Imust’vebeendrunkerthanIthought.Ikeptwalkingandwalking,anditkeptgettingdarkeranddarkerandspookierandspookier.Ididn’tseeonepersonthewholetimeIwasinthepark.I’mjustasglad.Iprobablywould’vejumpedaboutamileifIhad.Then,finally,Ifoundit.Whatitwas,itwaspartlyfrozenandpartlynotfrozen.ButIdidn’tseeanyducksaround.Iwalkedallaroundthewholedamnlake—Idamnnearfellinonce,infact—butIdidn’tseeasingleduck.Ithoughtmaybeiftherewereanyaround,theymightbeasleeporsomethingneartheedgeofthewater,nearthegrassandall.That’showInearlyfellin.ButIcouldn’tfindany.