The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

Chapter 12Chapter 12

On the way to the bar in a taxi, a On the way to the bar in a taxi, a depressed Holden mentally depressed Holden mentally complains that he always gets "those complains that he always gets "those vomity kind of cabs." vomity kind of cabs."

Once again Holden tries to strike up Once again Holden tries to strike up a conversation with the driver and a conversation with the driver and find out where the ducks take refuge find out where the ducks take refuge in winter. in winter.

"Well, you know the ducks that swim "Well, you know the ducks that swim around in it? In the springtime and all? around in it? In the springtime and all? Do you happen to know where they go Do you happen to know where they go in the wintertime, by any chance?“in the wintertime, by any chance?“

"Where who goes?""Where who goes?" "The ducks. Do you know, by any "The ducks. Do you know, by any

chance? I mean does somebody come chance? I mean does somebody come around in a truck or something and around in a truck or something and take them away, or do they fly away take them away, or do they fly away by themselves--go south or by themselves--go south or something?"something?"

Old Horwitz turned all the way Old Horwitz turned all the way around and looked at me. He was a around and looked at me. He was a very impatient-type guy. He wasn't a very impatient-type guy. He wasn't a bad guy, though. bad guy, though.

"How the hell should I know?" he "How the hell should I know?" he said. "How the hell should I know a said. "How the hell should I know a stupid thing like that?"stupid thing like that?"

I stopped having a conversation with I stopped having a conversation with him, if he was going to get so damn him, if he was going to get so damn touchy about it. But he started it up touchy about it. But he started it up again himself. again himself.

He turned all the way around again, He turned all the way around again, and said, "The fish don't go no place. and said, "The fish don't go no place. They stay right where they are, the They stay right where they are, the fish. Right in the goddam lake."fish. Right in the goddam lake."

"The fish--that's different. The fish is "The fish--that's different. The fish is different. I'm talking about the different. I'm talking about the ducks," I said.ducks," I said.

                

"What's different about it? Nothin's "What's different about it? Nothin's different about it," Horwitz said.different about it," Horwitz said.

Everything he said, he sounded sore Everything he said, he sounded sore about something. "It's tougher for about something. "It's tougher for the fish, the winter and all, than it is the fish, the winter and all, than it is for the ducks, for Chrissake. for the ducks, for Chrissake.

Use your head, for Chrissake.“Use your head, for Chrissake.“

As earlier, Holden asks the taxi-driver As earlier, Holden asks the taxi-driver to have a drink with him and is again to have a drink with him and is again rejected. rejected.

Even though it was so late, old Even though it was so late, old Ernie's was jampacked. Ernie's was jampacked.

It was pretty quiet, though, because It was pretty quiet, though, because Ernie was playing the piano. It was Ernie was playing the piano. It was supposed to be something holy, for supposed to be something holy, for God's sake, when he sat down at the God's sake, when he sat down at the piano. Nobody's that good. piano. Nobody's that good.

About three couples, besides me, About three couples, besides me, were waiting for tables, and they were waiting for tables, and they were all shoving and standing on were all shoving and standing on tiptoes to get a look at old Ernie tiptoes to get a look at old Ernie while he played. while he played.

He had a big damn mirror in front of He had a big damn mirror in front of the piano, with this big spotlight on the piano, with this big spotlight on him, so that everybody could watch him, so that everybody could watch his face while he played. his face while he played.

You couldn't see his fingers while he You couldn't see his fingers while he played--just his big old face. played--just his big old face.

You should've heard the crowd, You should've heard the crowd, though, when he was finished. You though, when he was finished. You would've puked. would've puked.

They went mad. They were exactly They went mad. They were exactly the same morons that laugh like the same morons that laugh like hyenas in the movies at stuff that hyenas in the movies at stuff that isn't funny. isn't funny.

I swear to God, if I were a piano player I swear to God, if I were a piano player or an actor or something and all those or an actor or something and all those dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. dopes thought I was terrific, I'd hate it. I wouldn't even want them to clap for I wouldn't even want them to clap for me.me.

People always clap for the wrong People always clap for the wrong things. things.

If I were a piano player, I'd play it in the If I were a piano player, I'd play it in the goddam closet. goddam closet.

Anyway, when he was finished, and Anyway, when he was finished, and everybody was clapping their heads everybody was clapping their heads off, old Ernie turned around on his off, old Ernie turned around on his stool and gave this very phony, stool and gave this very phony, humble bow. humble bow.

Like as if he was a helluva humble guy, Like as if he was a helluva humble guy, besides being a terrific piano player. besides being a terrific piano player.

It was very phony--I mean him being It was very phony--I mean him being such a big snob and all. such a big snob and all.

While Holden sits there smoking and While Holden sits there smoking and drinking, a girl named Lillian Simmons drinking, a girl named Lillian Simmons comes up to him and asks about his comes up to him and asks about his brother D.B., whom she once dated. brother D.B., whom she once dated.

She introduces the sailor who is with She introduces the sailor who is with her and asks Holden if he would like to her and asks Holden if he would like to join them. Holden refuses the offer, join them. Holden refuses the offer, saying he is about to leave. saying he is about to leave.

Holden is immediately sad that he told Holden is immediately sad that he told this lie, for he now feels compelled to this lie, for he now feels compelled to leave since he has said he was going. leave since he has said he was going.

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