The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

Chapter 9Chapter 9

Arriving at Penn Station in New Arriving at Penn Station in New York,York,

Holden considers calling someone.Holden considers calling someone.

““I felt like giving somebody a buzz. I I felt like giving somebody a buzz. I left my bags right outside the booth left my bags right outside the booth so that I could watch them, but as so that I could watch them, but as soon as I was inside, I couldn't think soon as I was inside, I couldn't think of anybody to call up.”of anybody to call up.”

He mentally runs through a list of He mentally runs through a list of people, but after twenty minutes, he people, but after twenty minutes, he emerges from the phone booth emerges from the phone booth having called no one.having called no one.

He walks to the taxi stand and hails He walks to the taxi stand and hails one. one.

““I'm so damn absent-minded, I gave the I'm so damn absent-minded, I gave the driver my regular address, just out of driver my regular address, just out of habit and all.”habit and all.”

““I mean I completely forgot I was going I mean I completely forgot I was going to shack up in a hotel for a couple of to shack up in a hotel for a couple of days and not go home till vacation days and not go home till vacation started.” started.”

““I didn't think of it till we were halfway I didn't think of it till we were halfway through the park.” through the park.”

““Then I said, "Hey, do you mind turning Then I said, "Hey, do you mind turning around when you get a chance? I gave around when you get a chance? I gave you the wrong address.” you the wrong address.”

““I want to go back downtown."I want to go back downtown."

The driver was sort of a wise guy. "I The driver was sort of a wise guy. "I can't turn around here, Mac. This can't turn around here, Mac. This here's a one-way. I'll have to go all the here's a one-way. I'll have to go all the way to Ninetieth Street now."way to Ninetieth Street now."

I didn't want to start an argument. I didn't want to start an argument. "Okay," I said. "Okay," I said.

Then I thought of something, all of a Then I thought of something, all of a sudden. sudden.

"Hey, listen," I said. "You know those "Hey, listen," I said. "You know those ducks in that lagoon right near Central ducks in that lagoon right near Central Park South? That little lake? By any Park South? That little lake? By any chance, do you happen to know where chance, do you happen to know where they go, the ducks, when it gets all they go, the ducks, when it gets all frozen over? Do you happen to know, frozen over? Do you happen to know, by any chance?" by any chance?"

I realized it was only one chance in a I realized it was only one chance in a million.million.

He turned around and looked at me He turned around and looked at me like I was a madman. "What're ya like I was a madman. "What're ya tryna do, bud?" he said. "Kid me?"tryna do, bud?" he said. "Kid me?"

"No--I was just interested, that's all.""No--I was just interested, that's all."

Holden has the driver take him to the Holden has the driver take him to the Edmont Hotel, which is cheap and Edmont Hotel, which is cheap and sleazy.sleazy.

For lack of anything better to do, Holden For lack of anything better to do, Holden looks out the window of his room and looks out the window of his room and notices the "perverts and morons" in the notices the "perverts and morons" in the windows across from his.windows across from his.

Bored with the view, Holden thinks about Bored with the view, Holden thinks about calling Jane Gallagher. Instead, he calls a calling Jane Gallagher. Instead, he calls a woman named Faith Cavendish, whose woman named Faith Cavendish, whose telephone number he was given from telephone number he was given from some “guy that went to Princeton”.some “guy that went to Princeton”.

Cool Teacher Site

coolteacher.iwarp.com