Над пропастью во ржи

           Theywerenew.Theywerethesedarkbrownloafers,sortoflikethispairIhave,andtheywentswellwiththatsuitmymotherboughtherinCanada.Mymotherdresseshernice.Shereallydoes.Mymotherhasterrifictasteinsomethings.She’snogoodatbuyingiceskatesoranythinglikethat,butclothes,she’sperfect.ImeanPhoebealwayshassomedressonthatcankillyou.Youtakemostlittlekids,eveniftheirparentsarewealthyandall,theyusuallyhavesometerribledresson.IwishyoucouldseeoldPhoebeinthatsuitmymotherboughtherinCanada.I’mnotkidding.

           IsatdownonoldD.B.’sdeskandlookedatthestuffonit.ItwasmostlyPhoebe’sstuff,fromschoolandall.Mostlybooks.TheoneontopwascalledArithmeticIsFun!Isortofopenedthefirstpageandtookalookatit.ThisiswhatoldPhoebehadonit:

           PHOEBEWEATHERFIELDCAULFIELD

           4B-1

           Thatkilledme.HermiddlenameisJosephine,forGod’ssake,notWeatherfield.Shedoesn’tlikeit,though.EverytimeIseehershe’sgotanewmiddlenameforherself.

           Thebookunderneaththearithmeticwasageography,andthebookunderthegeographywasaspeller.She’sverygoodinspelling.She’sverygoodinallhersubjects,butshe’sbestinspelling.Then,underthespeller,therewereabunchofnotebooks.Shehasaboutfivethousandnotebooks.Youneversawakidwithsomanynotebooks.Iopenedtheoneontopandlookedatthefirstpage.Ithadonit: