Над пропастью во ржи

           IfIgetachancetorememberthatkindofstuff, Icangetagood-bywhenIneedone —atleast,mostofthetimeIcan. AssoonasIgotit, Iturnedaroundandstartedrunningdowntheothersideofthehill,towardoldSpencer’shouse. Hedidn’tliveonthecampus. HelivedonAnthonyWayneAvenue. 

           Iranallthewaytothemaingate, andthenIwaitedasecondtillIgotmybreath. Ihavenowind,ifyouwanttoknowthetruth. I’mquiteaheavysmoker,foronething—thatis,Iusedtobe. Theymademecutitout. Anotherthing,Igrewsixandahalfincheslastyear. That’salsohowIpracticallygott.b.andcameouthereforallthesegoddamcheckupsandstuff. I’mprettyhealthy,though. 

           Anyway,assoonasIgotmybreathbackIranacrossRoute204. ItwasicyashellandIdamnnearfelldown. Idon’tevenknowwhatIwasrunningfor—IguessIjustfeltlikeit. AfterIgotacrosstheroad,IfeltlikeIwassortofdisappearing. Itwasthatkindofacrazyafternoon,terrificallycold,andnosunoutoranything, andyoufeltlikeyouweredisappearingeverytimeyoucrossedaroad. 

           Boy,IrangthatdoorbellfastwhenIgottooldSpencer’shouse. Iwasreallyfrozen. MyearswerehurtingandIcouldhardlymovemyfingersatall. "C’mon,c’mon,"Isaidrightoutloud,almost, "somebodyopenthedoor." FinallyoldMrs.Spenceropenedit. Theydidn’thaveamaidoranything, andtheyalwaysopenedthedoorthemselves. Theydidn’thavetoomuchdough. 

           "Holden!"Mrs.Spencersaid. "Howlovelytoseeyou! Comein,dear! Areyoufrozentodeath?" Ithinkshewasgladtoseeme. Shelikedme. Atleast,Ithinkshedid.