Над пропастью во ржи

           Amongotherthings,you’llfindthatyou’renotthefirstpersonwhowaseverconfusedandfrightenedandevensickenedbyhumanbehavior.You’rebynomeansaloneonthatscore,you’llbeexcitedandstimulatedtoknow.Many,manymenhavebeenjustastroubledmorallyandspirituallyasyouarerightnow.Happily,someofthemkeptrecordsoftheirtroubles.You’lllearnfromthem—ifyouwantto.Justassomeday,ifyouhavesomethingtooffer,someonewilllearnsomethingfromyou.It’sabeautifulreciprocalarrangement.Anditisn’teducation.It’shistory.It’spoetry."Hestoppedandtookabigdrinkoutofhishighball.Thenhestartedagain.Boy,hewasreallyhot.IwasgladIdidn’ttrytostophimoranything."I’mnottryingtotellyou,"hesaid,"thatonlyeducatedandscholarlymenareabletocontributesomethingvaluabletotheworld.It’snotso.ButIdosaythateducatedandscholarlymen,ifthey’rebrilliantandcreativetobeginwith—which,unfortunately,israrelythecase—tendtoleaveinfinitelymorevaluablerecordsbehindthemthanmendowhoaremerelybrilliantandcreative.Theytendtoexpressthemselvesmoreclearly,andtheyusuallyhaveapassionforfollowingtheirthoughtsthroughtotheend.And—mostimportant—ninetimesoutoftentheyhavemorehumilitythantheunscholarlythinker.Doyoufollowmeatall?"

           "Yes,sir."

           Hedidn’tsayanythingagainforquiteawhile.Idon’tknowifyou’veeverdoneit,butit’ssortofhardtositaroundwaitingforsomebodytosaysomethingwhenthey’rethinkingandall.Itreallyis.Ikepttryingnottoyawn.Itwasn’tthatIwasboredoranything—Iwasn’t—butIwassodamnsleepyallofasudden.

           "Somethingelseanacademiceducationwilldoforyou.Ifyougoalongwithitanyconsiderabledistance,it’llbegintogiveyouanideawhatsizemindyouhave.