Над пропастью во ржи

           "‘AChristmasPageantforAmericans.’Itstinks,butI’mBenedictArnold.Ihavepracticallythebiggestpart,"shesaid.Boy,wasshewide-awake.Shegetsveryexcitedwhenshetellsyouthatstuff."ItstartsoutwhenI’mdying.ThisghostcomesinonChristmasEveandasksmeifI’mashamedandeverything.Youknow.Forbetrayingmycountryandeverything.Areyoucomingtoit?"Shewassittingwaythehellupinthebedandall."That’swhatIwroteyouabout.Areyou?"

           "SureI’mcoming.CertainlyI’mcoming."

           "Daddycan’tcome.HehastoflytoCalifornia,"shesaid.Boy,wasshewide-awake.Itonlytakesherabouttwosecondstogetwide-awake.Shewassitting—sortofkneeling—wayupinbed,andshewasholdingmygoddamhand."Listen.Mothersaidyou’dbehomeWednesday,"shesaid."ShesaidWednesday."

           "Igotoutearly.Notsoloud.You’llwakeeverybodyup."

           "Whattimeisit?Theywon’tbehometillverylate,Mothersaid.TheywenttoapartyinNorwalk,Connecticut,"oldPhoebesaid."GuesswhatIdidthisafternoon!WhatmovieIsaw.Guess!"

           "Idon’tknow—Listen.Didn’ttheysaywhattimethey’d—"

           "TheDoctor,"oldPhoebesaid."It’saspecialmovietheyhadattheListerFoundation.Justthisonedaytheyhadit—todaywastheonlyday.ItwasallaboutthisdoctorinKentuckyandeverythingthatsticksablanketoverthischild’sfacethat’sacrippleandcan’twalk.Thentheysendhimtojailandeverything.Itwasexcellent."