Над пропастью во ржи

           Shewouldn’tanswerme,soIsaiditoveragain."IfIletyouskipschoolthisafternoonandgoforalittlewalk,willyoucutoutthecrazystuff?Willyougobacktoschooltomorrowlikeagoodgirl?"

           "ImayandImaynot,"shesaid.Thensheranrightthehellacrossthestreet,withoutevenlookingtoseeifanycarswerecoming.She’samadmansometimes.

           Ididn’tfollowher,though.Iknewshe’dfollowme,soIstartedwalkingdowntowntowardthezoo,ontheparksideofthestreet,andshestartedwalkingdowntownontheothergoddamsideofthestreet,Shewouldn’tlookoveratmeatall,butIcouldtellshewasprobablywatchingmeoutofthecornerofhercrazyeyetoseewhereIwasgoingandall.Anyway,wekeptwalkingthatwayallthewaytothezoo.Theonlythingthatbotheredmewaswhenadouble-deckerbuscamealongbecausethenIcouldn’tseeacrossthestreetandIcouldn’tseewherethehellshewas.Butwhenwegottothezoo,Iyelledovertoher,"Phoebe!I’mgoinginthezoo!C’mon,now!"Shewouldn’tlookatme,butIcouldtellsheheardme,andwhenIstarteddownthestepstothezooIturnedaroundandsawshewascrossingthestreetandfollowingmeandall.

           Thereweren’ttoomanypeopleinthezoobecauseitwassortofalousyday,buttherewereafewaroundthesealions’swimmingpoolandall.IstartedtogobybutoldPhoebestoppedandmadeoutshewaswatchingthesealionsgettingfed—aguywasthrowingfishatthem—soIwentback.Ifigureditwasagoodchancetocatchupwithherandall.Iwentupandsortofstoodbehindherandsortofputmyhandsonhershoulders,butshebentherkneesandslidoutfromme—shecancertainlybeverysnottywhenshewantsto.