Chapter 9

           ThefirstthingIdidwhenIgotoffatPennStation,Iwentintothisphonebooth. Ifeltlikegivingsomebodyabuzz. IleftmybagsrightoutsidetheboothsothatIcouldwatchthem,butassoonasIwasinside,Icouldn’tthinkofanybodytocallup. MybrotherD.B.wasinHollywood.MykidsisterPhoebegoestobedaroundnineo’clock—soIcouldn’tcallherup. Shewouldn’t’vecaredifI’dwokeherup,butthetroublewas,shewouldn’t’vebeentheonethatansweredthephone. Myparentswouldbetheones. Sothatwasout. ThenIthoughtofgivingJaneGallagher’smotherabuzz,andfindoutwhenJane’svacationstarted,butIdidn’tfeellikeit. Besides,itwasprettylatetocallup. ThenIthoughtofcallingthisgirlIusedtogoaroundwithquitefrequently,SallyHayes,becauseIknewherChristmasvacationhadstartedalready—she’dwrittenmethislong,phonyletter,invitingmeovertohelphertrimtheChristmastreeChristmasEveandall—butIwasafraidhermother’danswerthephone. Hermotherknewmymother,andIcouldpictureherbreakingagoddamlegtogettothephoneandtellmymotherIwasinNewYork. Besides,Iwasn’tcrazyabouttalkingtooldMrs.Hayesonthephone. SheoncetoldSallyIwaswild. ShesaidIwaswildandthatIhadnodirectioninlife. ThenIthoughtofcallingupthisguythatwenttotheWhootonSchoolwhenIwasthere,CarlLuce,butIdidn’tlikehimmuch. SoIendedupnotcallinganybody. Icameoutofthebooth,afterabouttwentyminutesorso,andgotmybagsandwalkedovertothattunnelwherethecabsareandgotacab. 

           I’msodamnabsent-minded,Igavethedrivermyregularaddress,justoutofhabitandall—ImeanIcompletelyforgotIwasgoingtoshackupinahotelforacoupleofdaysandnotgohometillvacationstarted.