Chapter 5

           WealwayshadthesamemealonSaturdaynightsatPencey. Itwassupposedtobeabigdeal,becausetheygaveyousteak. I’llbetathousandbucksthereasontheydidthatwasbecausealotofguys’parentscameuptoschoolonSunday,andoldThurmerprobablyfiguredeverybody’smotherwouldasktheirdarlingboywhathehadfordinnerlastnight,andhe’dsay,"Steak. "Whataracket. Youshould’veseenthesteaks. Theyweretheselittlehard,dryjobsthatyoucouldhardlyevencut. Youalwaysgottheseverylumpymashedpotatoesonsteaknight,andfordessertyougotBrownBetty,whichnobodyate,exceptmaybethelittlekidsinthelowerschoolthatdidn’tknowanybetter—andguyslikeAckleythatateeverything. 

           Itwasnice,though,whenwegotoutofthediningroom. Therewereaboutthreeinchesofsnowontheground,anditwasstillcomingdownlikeamadman. Itlookedprettyashell,andweallstartedthrowingsnowballsandhorsingaroundallovertheplace. Itwasverychildish,buteverybodywasreallyenjoyingthemselves. 

           Ididn’thaveadateoranything,soIandthisfriendofmine,MalBrossard,thatwasonthewrestlingteam,decidedwe’dtakeabusintoAgerstownandhaveahamburgerandmaybeseealousymovie. Neitherofusfeltlikesittingaroundonourassallnight. IaskedMalifhemindedifAckleycamealongwithus. ThereasonIaskedwasbecauseAckleyneverdidanythingonSaturdaynight,exceptstayinhisroomandsqueezehispimplesorsomething. Malsaidhedidn’tmindbutthathewasn’ttoocrazyabouttheidea. Hedidn’tlikeAckleymuch. Anyway,webothwenttoourroomstogetreadyandall,andwhileIwasputtingonmygaloshesandcrap,IyelledoverandaskedoldAckleyifhewantedtogotothemovies.