Catcher in the Catcher in the RyeRye

Chapters 12-14Chapters 12-14

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.

Chapter 13Chapter 13

Holden walks back towards his hotel Holden walks back towards his hotel in the cold, lamenting the loss of his in the cold, lamenting the loss of his gloves, which he thinks were stolen gloves, which he thinks were stolen by someone at Pencey. He explains by someone at Pencey. He explains that he is “yellow.”that he is “yellow.”

To regain some of his warmth, To regain some of his warmth, Holden puts on his hunting hat and Holden puts on his hunting hat and decides to stop in another bar. decides to stop in another bar.

He changes his mind when he sees He changes his mind when he sees two tough looking guys emerging two tough looking guys emerging from the bar and goes back to his from the bar and goes back to his hotel.hotel.

The first thing when I got in the The first thing when I got in the elevator, the elevator guy said to me, elevator, the elevator guy said to me, "Innarested in having a good time, "Innarested in having a good time, fella? Or is it too late for you?"fella? Or is it too late for you?"

"How do you mean?" I said. I didn't "How do you mean?" I said. I didn't know what he was driving at or know what he was driving at or anything.anything.

"Innarested in a little tail t'night?""Innarested in a little tail t'night?" "Me?" I said. Which was a very dumb "Me?" I said. Which was a very dumb

answer, but it's quite embarrassing answer, but it's quite embarrassing when somebody comes right up and when somebody comes right up and asks you a question like that.asks you a question like that.

    

"How old are you, chief?" the "How old are you, chief?" the elevator guy said.elevator guy said.

"Why?" I said. "Twenty-two.""Why?" I said. "Twenty-two." "Uh huh. Well, how 'bout it? "Uh huh. Well, how 'bout it?

Y'innarested?Y'innarested? Five bucks a throw. Fifteen bucks the Five bucks a throw. Fifteen bucks the

whole night." whole night." He looked at his wrist watch. "Till He looked at his wrist watch. "Till

noon. Five bucks a throw, fifteen noon. Five bucks a throw, fifteen bucks till noon."bucks till noon."

Holden agrees to the offer, but Holden agrees to the offer, but regrets his decision almost regrets his decision almost immediately. He cleans up and then immediately. He cleans up and then paces nervously around the room, paces nervously around the room, waiting for the girl. waiting for the girl.

Sunny (the prostitute) soon Sunny (the prostitute) soon arrives, and Holden arrives, and Holden introduces himself as Jim introduces himself as Jim Steele. Steele.

He tries to act suave, but no He tries to act suave, but no matter how hard he tries, matter how hard he tries, Holden, still a virgin, is still Holden, still a virgin, is still extremely uncomfortable. extremely uncomfortable.

The girl’s businesslike The girl’s businesslike manner only makes him feel manner only makes him feel more awkward. more awkward.

When he tries to strike up a When he tries to strike up a conversation, Sunny wants conversation, Sunny wants to know what he is waiting to know what he is waiting for. for.

She came over to me, with this funny She came over to me, with this funny look on her face, like as if she didn't look on her face, like as if she didn't believe me. "What'sa matter?" she said.believe me. "What'sa matter?" she said.

"Nothing's the matter." Boy, was I "Nothing's the matter." Boy, was I getting nervous. "The thing is, I had an getting nervous. "The thing is, I had an operation very recently."operation very recently."

"Yeah? Where?""Yeah? Where?" "On my wuddayacallit--my clavichord.""On my wuddayacallit--my clavichord." "Yeah? Where the hell's that?""Yeah? Where the hell's that?" "The clavichord?" I said. "Well, actually, "The clavichord?" I said. "Well, actually,

it's in the spinal canal. I mean it's quite it's in the spinal canal. I mean it's quite a ways down in the spinal canal."a ways down in the spinal canal."

The ClavichordThe Clavichord An early keyboard instrument An early keyboard instrument

producing a soft sound by means of producing a soft sound by means of metal blades attached to the inner metal blades attached to the inner ends of the keys gently striking the ends of the keys gently striking the strings.strings.

She sits on his lap and tries to She sits on his lap and tries to seduce him. seduce him.

It is more than Holden can handle. It is more than Holden can handle. He apologizes, pays her five dollars, He apologizes, pays her five dollars,

and tells her to leave. Sunny tells and tells her to leave. Sunny tells Holden the price is ten dollars. Holden the price is ten dollars.

He refuses to pay her more than he He refuses to pay her more than he agreed on with Maurice, and she agreed on with Maurice, and she leaves with an insult and a veiled leaves with an insult and a veiled threat. threat.

Chapter 14Chapter 14

After Sunny leaves, Holden smokes a After Sunny leaves, Holden smokes a few cigarettes and thinks about a few cigarettes and thinks about a time he refused to take his little time he refused to take his little brother Allie with him somewhere. brother Allie with him somewhere.

The thought depresses him, and he The thought depresses him, and he unexpectedly gets into bed with the unexpectedly gets into bed with the urge to pray. urge to pray.

““I felt like praying or something, when I I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like it.” always pray when I feel like it.”

““In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist. In the first place, I'm sort of an atheist. I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too I like Jesus and all, but I don't care too much for most of the other stuff in the much for most of the other stuff in the Bible.” Bible.”

““Take the Disciples, for instance. They Take the Disciples, for instance. They annoy the hell out of me, if you want to annoy the hell out of me, if you want to know the truth. They were all right after know the truth. They were all right after Jesus was dead and all, but while He Jesus was dead and all, but while He was alive, they were about as much use was alive, they were about as much use to Him as a hole in the head.” to Him as a hole in the head.”

““All they did was keep letting Him All they did was keep letting Him down.”down.”

““Anyway, when I was in bed, I Anyway, when I was in bed, I couldn't pray worth a damn.” couldn't pray worth a damn.”

““Every time I got started, I kept Every time I got started, I kept picturing old Sunny calling me a picturing old Sunny calling me a crumb-bum.”crumb-bum.”

““Finally, I sat up in bed and smoked Finally, I sat up in bed and smoked another cigarette. It tasted lousy.” another cigarette. It tasted lousy.”

““I must've smoked around two packs I must've smoked around two packs since I left Pencey.”since I left Pencey.”

All of a sudden, while I was laying All of a sudden, while I was laying there smoking, somebody knocked there smoking, somebody knocked on the door.on the door.

I kept hoping it wasn't my door they I kept hoping it wasn't my door they were knocking on, but I knew damn were knocking on, but I knew damn well it was.well it was.

I don't know how I knew, but I knew. I don't know how I knew, but I knew. I knew who it was, too. I knew who it was, too. I'm psychic. I'm psychic.

Maurice demands another five Maurice demands another five dollars from Holden, insisting that dollars from Holden, insisting that the price was ten dollars. the price was ten dollars.

Holden refuses to pay in a voice that Holden refuses to pay in a voice that was "shaking like hell". was "shaking like hell".

As Maurice threatens him, Sunny As Maurice threatens him, Sunny goes into the room and takes an goes into the room and takes an additional five dollars from Holden’s additional five dollars from Holden’s wallet. wallet.

Totally frustrated, Holden bursts into Totally frustrated, Holden bursts into tears and challenges Maurice to a tears and challenges Maurice to a fight. fight.

Maurice punches Holden in the Maurice punches Holden in the stomach.stomach.

He falls to the floor, crying and hurt, He falls to the floor, crying and hurt, as Maurice and Sunny leave. as Maurice and Sunny leave.

When Holden gets off the floor and When Holden gets off the floor and collects his thoughts, he imagines collects his thoughts, he imagines himself killing Maurice in the himself killing Maurice in the elevator. elevator.

He also fantasizes that he is a tough He also fantasizes that he is a tough guy from the movies, who has been guy from the movies, who has been shot in the abdomen, and he pictures shot in the abdomen, and he pictures himself committing suicide by himself committing suicide by jumping from the window. jumping from the window.

Holden tries to calm himself by Holden tries to calm himself by taking a bathtaking a bath

He then attempts to go to sleep. He then attempts to go to sleep.