Над пропастью во ржи

           Hekepttalkingtousthewholetime,tellingushowwhenhewasatPenceytheywerethehappiestdaysofhislife,andgivingusalotofadviceforthefutureandall.Boy,didhedepressme!Idon’tmeanhewasabadguy—hewasn’t.Butyoudon’thavetobeabadguytodepresssomebody—youcanbeagoodguyanddoit.Allyouhavetodotodepresssomebodyisgivethemalotofphonyadvicewhileyou’relookingforyourinitialsinsomecandoor—that’sallyouhavetodo.Idon’tknow.Maybeitwouldn’thavebeensobadifhehadn’tbeenalloutofbreath.Hewasalloutofbreathfromjustclimbingupthestairs,andthewholetimehewaslookingforhisinitialshekeptbreathinghard,withhisnostrilsallfunnyandsad,whilehekepttellingStradlaterandItogetallwecouldoutofPencey.God,Phoebe!Ican’texplain.Ijustdidn’tlikeanythingthatwashappeningatPencey.Ican’texplain."

           OldPhoebesaidsomethingthen,butIcouldn’thearher.Shehadthesideofhermouthrightsmackonthepillow,andIcouldn’thearher.

           "What?"Isaid."Takeyourmouthaway.Ican’thearyouwithyourmouththatway."

           "Youdon’tlikeanythingthat’shappening."

           Itmademeevenmoredepressedwhenshesaidthat.

           "YesIdo.YesIdo.SureIdo.Don’tsaythat.Whythehelldoyousaythat?"

           "Becauseyoudon’t.Youdon’tlikeanyschools.Youdon’tlikeamillionthings.Youdon’t."

           "Ido!That’swhereyou’rewrong—that’sexactlywhereyou’rewrong!Whythehelldoyouhavetosaythat?"Isaid.Boy,wasshedepressingme.