Над пропастью во ржи

           Theygavemefrequentwarningtostartapplyingmyself —especiallyaroundmidterms,whenmyparentscameupforaconferencewitholdThurmer —butIdidn’tdoit. SoIgottheax. TheygiveguystheaxquitefrequentlyatPencey. Ithasaverygoodacademicrating,Pencey. Itreallydoes. 

           Anyway,itwasDecemberandall,anditwascoldasawitch’steat, especiallyontopofthatstupidhill. Ionlyhadonmyreversibleandnoglovesoranything. Theweekbeforethat,somebody’dstolenmycamel’s-haircoatrightoutofmyroom, withmyfurlinedglovesrightinthepocketandall. Penceywasfullofcrooks. Quiteafewguyscamefromtheseverywealthyfamilies, butitwasfullofcrooksanyway. Themoreexpensiveaschoolis,themorecrooksithas—I’mnotkidding. Anyway,Ikeptstandingnexttothatcrazycannon,lookingdownatthegameandfreezingmyassoff. Only,Iwasn’twatchingthegametoomuch. WhatIwasreallyhangingaroundfor,Iwastryingtofeelsomekindofagood-by. ImeanI’veleftschoolsandplacesIdidn’tevenknowIwasleavingthem. Ihatethat. Idon’tcareifit’sasadgood-byorabadgoodby, butwhenIleaveaplaceIliketoknowI’mleavingit. Ifyoudon’t,youfeelevenworse. 

           Iwaslucky. AllofasuddenIthoughtofsomethingthathelpedmakemeknowIwasgettingthehellout. Isuddenlyrememberedthistime,inaroundOctober,thatIandRobertTichenerandPaulCampbellwerechuckingafootballaround,infrontoftheacademicbuilding. Theywereniceguys,especiallyTichener. Itwasjustbeforedinneranditwasgettingprettydarkout, butwekeptchuckingtheballaroundanyway. Itkeptgettingdarkeranddarker,andwecouldhardlyseetheballanymore, butwedidn’twanttostopdoingwhatweweredoing. Finallywehadto. Thisteacherthattaughtbiology,Mr.Zambesi,stuckhisheadoutofthiswindowintheacademicbuilding andtoldustogobacktothedormandgetreadyfordinner.