Над пропастью во ржи

           "IthoughtyouweresupposedtobeinaplayatschoolandallIthoughtyouweresupposedtobeBenedictArnoldinthatplayandall,"Isaid.Isaiditverynasty."Whuddayawanttodo?Notbeintheplay,forGod’ssake?"Thatmadehercryevenharder.Iwasglad.AllofasuddenIwantedhertocrytillhereyespracticallydroppedout.Ialmosthatedher.IthinkIhatedhermostbecauseshewouldn’tbeinthatplayanymoreifshewentawaywithme.

           "Comeon,"Isaid.Istartedupthestepstothemuseumagain.IfiguredwhatI’ddowas,I’dcheckthecrazysuitcaseshe’dbroughtinthecheckroom,andthenshecouldgetitagainatthreeo’clock,afterschool.Iknewshecouldn’ttakeitbacktoschoolwithher."Comeon,now,"Isaid.

           Shedidn’tgoupthestepswithme,though.Shewouldn’tcomewithme.Iwentupanyway,though,andbroughtthebaginthecheckroomandcheckedit,andthenIcamedownagain.Shewasstillstandingthereonthesidewalk,butsheturnedherbackonmewhenIcameuptoher.Shecandothat.Shecanturnherbackonyouwhenshefeelslikeit."I’mnotgoingawayanywhere.Ichangedmymind.Sostopcrying,andshutup,"Isaid.Thefunnypartwas,shewasn’tevencryingwhenIsaidthat.Isaiditanyway,though,"C’mon,now.I’llwalkyoubacktoschool.C’mon,now.You’llbelate."

           Shewouldn’tanswermeoranything.Isortoftriedtogetholdofheroldhand,butshewouldn’tletme.Shekeptturningaroundonme.

           "Didjahaveyourlunch?Yahadyourlunchyet?"Iaskedher.

           Shewouldn’tanswerme.Allshedidwas,shetookoffmyredhuntinghat—theoneIgaveher—andpracticallychuckeditrightinmyface.Thensheturnedherbackonmeagain.