Над пропастью во ржи

           AlsobecauseithasthisbigoldmadmandeskinitthatD.B.boughtoffsomeladyalcoholicinPhiladelphia,andthisbig,giganticbedthat’sabouttenmileswideandtenmileslong.Idon’tknowwhereheboughtthatbed.Anyway,oldPhoebelikestosleepinD.B.’sroomwhenhe’saway,andheletsher.Yououghttoseeherdoingherhomeworkorsomethingatthatcrazydesk.It’salmostasbigasthebed.Youcanhardlyseeherwhenshe’sdoingherhomework.That’sthekindofstuffshelikes,though.Shedoesn’tlikeherownroombecauseit’stoolittle,shesays.Shesaysshelikestospreadout.Thatkillsme.What’soldPhoebegottospreadout?Nothing.

           Anyway,IwentintoD.B.’sroomquietashell,andturnedonthelamponthedesk.OldPhoebedidn’tevenwakeup.Whenthelightwasonandall,Isortoflookedatherforawhile.Shewaslayingthereasleep,withherfacesortofonthesideofthepillow.Shehadhermouthwayopen.It’sfunny.Youtakeadults,theylooklousywhenthey’reasleepandtheyhavetheirmouthswayopen,butkidsdon’t.Kidslookallright.Theycanevenhavespitalloverthepillowandtheystilllookallright.

           Iwentaroundtheroom,veryquietandall,lookingatstuffforawhile.Ifeltswell,forachange.Ididn’tevenfeellikeIwasgettingpneumoniaoranythinganymore.Ijustfeltgood,forachange.OldPhoebe’sclotheswereonthischairrightnexttothebed.She’sveryneat,forachild.Imeanshedoesn’tjustthrowherstuffaround,likesomekids.She’snoslob.ShehadthejackettothistansuitmymotherboughtherinCanadahunguponthebackofthechair.Thenherblouseandstuffwereontheseat.Hershoesandsockswereonthefloor,rightunderneaththechair,rightnexttoeachother.Ineversawtheshoesbefore.