Над пропастью во ржи

           "Goodnight.Gorighttosleepnow.Ihaveasplittingheadache,"mymothersaid.Shegetsheadachesquitefrequently.Shereallydoes.

           "Takeafewaspirins,"oldPhoebesaid."Holden’llbehomeonWednesday,won’the?"

           "SofarasIknow.Getunderthere,now.Waydown."

           Iheardmymothergooutandclosethedoor.Iwaitedacoupleofminutes.ThenIcameoutofthecloset.IbumpedsmackintooldPhoebewhenIdidit,becauseitwassodarkandshewasoutofbedandcomingtotellme."Ihurtyou?"Isaid.Youhadtowhispernow,becausetheywerebothhome."Igottagetamoveon,"Isaid.Ifoundtheedgeofthebedinthedarkandsatdownonitandstartedputtingonmyshoes.Iwasprettynervous.Iadmitit.

           "Don’tgonow,"Phoebewhispered."Wait’llthey’reasleep!"

           "No.Now.Now’sthebesttime,"Isaid."She’llbeinthebathroomandDaddy’llturnonthenewsorsomething.Now’sthebesttime."Icouldhardlytiemyshoelaces,Iwassodamnnervous.Notthattheywould’vekilledmeoranythingifthey’dcaughtmehome,butitwould’vebeenveryunpleasantandall."Wherethehellareya?"IsaidtooldPhoebe.ItwassodarkIcouldn’tseeher.

           "Here."Shewasstandingrightnexttome.Ididn’tevenseeher.

           "Igotmydamnbagsatthestation,"Isaid."Listen.Yougotanydough,Phoeb?I’mpracticallybroke."

           "JustmyChristmasdough.Forpresentsandall.Ihaven’tdoneanyshoppingatallyet."