The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

Chapter 15Chapter 15 Holden wakes up at around ten Holden wakes up at around ten

o’clock on Sunday morning, surprised o’clock on Sunday morning, surprised not to have slept later. not to have slept later.

““I felt pretty hungry as soon as I had I felt pretty hungry as soon as I had a cigarette. The last time I'd eaten a cigarette. The last time I'd eaten was those two hamburgers I had with was those two hamburgers I had with Brossard and Ackley when we went Brossard and Ackley when we went in to Agerstown to the movies.” in to Agerstown to the movies.”

““That was a long time ago. It seemed That was a long time ago. It seemed like fifty years ago.” like fifty years ago.”

He is about to call room service, but He is about to call room service, but his fear that Maurice will deliver the his fear that Maurice will deliver the food makes him change his mind. food makes him change his mind.

He also thinks about calling Jane He also thinks about calling Jane Gallagher, but calls a girl he used to Gallagher, but calls a girl he used to know named Sally Hayes instead know named Sally Hayes instead

Sally HayesSally Hayes ““She went to Mary A. Woodruff, and I She went to Mary A. Woodruff, and I

knew she was home because I'd had knew she was home because I'd had this letter from her a couple of weeks this letter from her a couple of weeks ago.” ago.”

““I wasn't too crazy about her, but I'd I wasn't too crazy about her, but I'd known her for years.” known her for years.”

““I used to think she was quite I used to think she was quite intelligent, in my stupidity.” intelligent, in my stupidity.”

““The reason I did was because she knew The reason I did was because she knew quite a lot about the theater and plays quite a lot about the theater and plays and literature and all that stuff.” and literature and all that stuff.”

““If somebody knows quite a lot about If somebody knows quite a lot about those things, it takes you quite a while to those things, it takes you quite a while to find out whether they're really stupid or find out whether they're really stupid or not.” not.”

““It took me years to find it out, in old It took me years to find it out, in old Sally's case.”Sally's case.”

““I think I'd have found it out a lot I think I'd have found it out a lot sooner if we hadn't necked so damn sooner if we hadn't necked so damn much.” much.”

““My big trouble is, I always sort of My big trouble is, I always sort of think whoever I'm necking is a pretty think whoever I'm necking is a pretty intelligent person.” intelligent person.”

““It hasn't got a goddam thing to do It hasn't got a goddam thing to do with it, but I keep thinking it with it, but I keep thinking it anyway.” anyway.”

They make a date for two o’clock They make a date for two o’clock that afternoon. He realizes he does that afternoon. He realizes he does not have much money left, so he not have much money left, so he checks out of the hotel. checks out of the hotel.

Holden takes a taxi to Grand Central Holden takes a taxi to Grand Central Station. He checks his baggage into a Station. He checks his baggage into a locker there and eats breakfast in the locker there and eats breakfast in the cafeteria. cafeteria.

The NunsThe Nuns Two nuns come and Two nuns come and

sit near him and he sit near him and he talks to them; one is talks to them; one is an English teacher an English teacher and Holden discusses and Holden discusses literature with her. literature with her.

He notices their He notices their cheap suitcases, cheap suitcases, which make him which make him think of Dick Slagle, think of Dick Slagle, whom he roomed whom he roomed with at Elkton Hills. with at Elkton Hills.

Dick SlagleDick Slagle Like the nuns, “Dick Slagle had these Like the nuns, “Dick Slagle had these

very inexpensive suitcases.” very inexpensive suitcases.” ““He used to keep them under the bed, He used to keep them under the bed,

instead of on the rack, so that nobody'd instead of on the rack, so that nobody'd see them standing next to mine.” see them standing next to mine.”

““It depressed holy hell It depressed holy hell out of me, and I kept out of me, and I kept wanting to throw mine wanting to throw mine out or something, or out or something, or even trade with him.” even trade with him.”

““Mine came from Mark Mine came from Mark Cross, and they were Cross, and they were genuine cowhide and genuine cowhide and all that crap, and I all that crap, and I guess they cost quite guess they cost quite a pretty penny.” a pretty penny.”

Out of concern for Slagle, Holden Out of concern for Slagle, Holden decided to put his luggage under his decided to put his luggage under his bed, too.bed, too.

Slagle took Holden’s luggage from Slagle took Holden’s luggage from under the bed and pretended it was under the bed and pretended it was his. his.

The memory of this incident really The memory of this incident really bothers Holden, and he is not sure bothers Holden, and he is not sure why; he thinks it has something to do why; he thinks it has something to do with inequality and hypocrisy, two with inequality and hypocrisy, two things he hates. things he hates.

The NunsThe Nuns While they are eating, Holden decides While they are eating, Holden decides

to give the nuns a contribution of ten to give the nuns a contribution of ten dollars despite the fact that he is low dollars despite the fact that he is low on funds.on funds.

He even offers to pay their bill, but they He even offers to pay their bill, but they refuse. refuse.

““I took their check off them, but they I took their check off them, but they wouldn't let me pay it. The one with the wouldn't let me pay it. The one with the glasses made me give it back to her.”glasses made me give it back to her.”

"You've been more than generous," "You've been more than generous," she said. "You're a very sweet boy." she said. "You're a very sweet boy."

She certainly was nice. She certainly was nice. She reminded me a little bit of old She reminded me a little bit of old

Ernest Morrow's mother, the one I Ernest Morrow's mother, the one I met on the train. met on the train.

When she smiled, mostly. When she smiled, mostly. "We've enjoyed talking to you so "We've enjoyed talking to you so

much," she said. much," she said.

CatholicsCatholics ““I said I'd enjoyed talking to them a I said I'd enjoyed talking to them a

lot, too. I meant it, too.” lot, too. I meant it, too.” ““I'd have enjoyed it even more I'd have enjoyed it even more

though, I think, if I hadn't been sort though, I think, if I hadn't been sort of afraid, the whole time I was talking of afraid, the whole time I was talking to them, that they'd all of a sudden to them, that they'd all of a sudden try to find out if I was a Catholic.” try to find out if I was a Catholic.”

““Catholics are always trying to find Catholics are always trying to find out if you're a Catholic.” out if you're a Catholic.”

““I knew this one Catholic boy, Louis I knew this one Catholic boy, Louis Shaney, when I was at the Whooton Shaney, when I was at the Whooton School.” School.”

““He was quite interested in tennis, He was quite interested in tennis, and so was I.” and so was I.”

““He told me he went to the Nationals He told me he went to the Nationals at Forest Hills every summer, and I at Forest Hills every summer, and I told him I did too, and then we talked told him I did too, and then we talked about certain hot-shot tennis players about certain hot-shot tennis players for quite a while.” for quite a while.”

Then, after a while, right in the Then, after a while, right in the middle of the goddam conversation, middle of the goddam conversation, he asked me, "Did you happen to he asked me, "Did you happen to notice where the Catholic church is in notice where the Catholic church is in town, by any chance?" town, by any chance?"

The thing was, you could tell by the The thing was, you could tell by the way he asked me that he was trying way he asked me that he was trying to find out if I was a Catholic. He to find out if I was a Catholic. He really was. really was.

Not that he was prejudiced or Not that he was prejudiced or anything, but he just wanted to know. anything, but he just wanted to know.

““He was enjoying the conversation He was enjoying the conversation about tennis and all, but you could about tennis and all, but you could tell he would've enjoyed it more if I tell he would've enjoyed it more if I was a Catholic and all.” was a Catholic and all.”

““I'm not saying I blame Catholics. I I'm not saying I blame Catholics. I don't.” don't.”

““I'd be the same way, probably, if I I'd be the same way, probably, if I was a Catholic.”was a Catholic.”

““When they got up to go, the two When they got up to go, the two nuns, I did something very stupid and nuns, I did something very stupid and embarrassing.” embarrassing.”

““I was smoking a cigarette, and when I was smoking a cigarette, and when I stood up to say good-by to them, by I stood up to say good-by to them, by mistake I blew some smoke in their mistake I blew some smoke in their face.” face.”

““I didn't mean to, but I did it.” I didn't mean to, but I did it.” ““I apologized like a madman, and they I apologized like a madman, and they

were very polite and nice about it, but were very polite and nice about it, but it was very embarrassing anyway.”it was very embarrassing anyway.”

““After they left, I started getting After they left, I started getting sorry that I'd only given them sorry that I'd only given them ten bucks for their collection.” ten bucks for their collection.”

““But the thing was, I'd made But the thing was, I'd made that date to go to a matinee that date to go to a matinee with old Sally Hayes, and I with old Sally Hayes, and I needed to keep some dough for needed to keep some dough for the tickets and stuff.” the tickets and stuff.”

““I was sorry anyway, though.” I was sorry anyway, though.” ““Goddam money. It always ends Goddam money. It always ends

up making you blue as hell.”up making you blue as hell.”