Chapter 17

When I met Sally she looked terrific. She really did. After the movie we went skating. But by the time we finished skating and having drinks we hated each others gut. I’d suddenly asked her to practically run away with me to Massachusetts and Vermont. God, I shouldn’t have done it because it ended up in a big argument and I called her a pain in the ass. She started crying and I apologised but she didn’t accept it so I left without her. The terrible part though is that when I asked her I actually meant it. I swear to God I’m a madman.

Chapter 16

It was only noon and I wasn’t meeting Sally till 2 o’clock. I started walking over towards Broadway. There was this record I wanted to get Phoebe, called ‘Little Shirley Beans.’ I knew it would knock her out. As I walk walking I noticed a family that had just come out of some church. They looked sort of poor. The kid was walking in the street instead of on the sidewalk, but right next to the curb. The whole time he kept singing and humming. He was singing that song ‘If a body catch a body comin’ through the rye.’ He had a pretty little voice, too. It made me feel better. Not so depressed anymore.
I got Phoebe the record and made me my to the park to see if she was around so I could give it to her. She wasn’t there though. So what I did was I walked over to the museum. When I was a kid we used to go there all the time with school. I love that damn museum. The best thing was that everything always stayed right where it was. You could go there a hundred thousand times and everything would be right where it had always been. Nothing would be different. The only thing different would be you.
When I got there I didn’t want to go in. So I got a cab to go meet Sally. I didn’t feel much like going though.

Chapter 15

It was about 10 o’clock when I woke up. I felt like giving old Jane a buzz, but I wasn’t in the mood. I gave old Sally Hayes a buzz instead. I wasn’t too crazy about her, but I’d known her for years. We arranged to go see a movie and I told her not to be late. She was always late.
I had loads of time so I told the cab driver to take me to Grand Central Station. I went and had some breakfast in this little sandwich bar. While I was eating, these 2 nuns came and sat down next to me. We ended up speaking. I gave them 10 bucks as a contribution. As they were going I said I’d enjoyed speaking to them. I really did too. When they left I was sort of sorry that I’d only given them 10 bucks for their collection. I needed some money for the date with Sally though. Goddamn money. It always ends up making you blue as hell.

Chapter 14

After she’d gone I got undressed and got in bed. All of a sudden I heard a knock on the door. I hoped it wasn’t my door they were knocking on, but I knew damn well it was. I knew who it was too. I’m psychic. I finally opened the door and old Sunny, the girl from before and Maurice were stood there. When I spoke my voice was shaking like hell. It was about the 5 bucks they said I owed them. God, my heart was damn near beating me out of the room. They acted like they owned the place. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t had my pyjamas on. He kept asking for the money but I wouldn’t give it to him. Next thing, Sunny got my wallet and got 5 bucks out. All of a sudden I started to cry. I’d give anything if I hadn’t., but I did. Maurice gave me a shove. I called him a goddamn dirty moron and then he smacked me.
After they’d gone I was imagining going downstairs with an automatic and shooting Maurice. It was like something out of a goddamn movie. They can ruin you. I’m not kidding.
I finally got back into bed, but I felt like committing suicide. Just jumping out of the window. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rednecks looking at me when I was all gory though.

Chapter 13

I walked all the way back to the hotel. I wish I knew who stole my goddamn gloves at Pencey - not that I would have done anything about it. I'm yellow like that. The more I thought about it, the more depressed I got. The whole lobby was empty and smelt like fifty million dead cigars. I was feeling sort of lousy. Depressed and all. I almost wished I was dead.
That's when I got in this big mess. The elevator guy asked me if innarested in having a good time. I asked him what he meant and said okay. I was feeling so depressed I didn’t even think.
I went up to my room and put on a clean shirt. I was a little nervous. If you want to know the truth, I’m a virgin. I really am. I’ve had a few opportunities,. But I’ve never got round to it yet. I figured this was my big chance, in a way.
When I opened the door to her I said, suave as hell, “How do you do.” She came in and chucked her coat on the bed right away. She seemed very nervous for a prostitute. Probably because she was young as hell. Around my age.
In the end I backed out of sleeping with her. It didn’t feel right. I told her I’d just had an operation on my clavichord. I thanked her and all and gave her the 5 dollar bill. She told me that it costs ten and I said Maurice said it was 5 for a throw. She sort of just shrugged her shoulders. She was a bit of a spooky kid. As she went she said “So long, crumb bum.”

Playlist

New York New York
A Thousand Miles
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing
I will always love you
Sex bomb
I’ll be missing you
I’m in the mood for dancing
Somewhere else
Oxygen
The Pretender
Stop the clock
Three doors down
The great escape
Let it snow
I want to break free
Yellow
Sweet child of mine
Give me shelter