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- "I thought maybe you weren't coming," I said. "What the hell's in that bag? I don't
need anything. I'm just going the way I am. I'm not even taking the bags I got at the
station. What the hellya got in there?"
She put the suitcase down. "My clothes," she said. "I'm going with you. Can I?
Okay?"
"What?" I said. I almost fell over when she said that. I swear to God I did. I got
sort of dizzy and I thought I was going to pass out or something again.
"I took them down the back elevator so Charlene wouldn't see me. It isn't heavy.
All I have in it is two dresses and my moccasins and my underwear and socks and some
other things. Feel it. It isn't heavy. Feel it once. . . Can't I go with you? Holden? Can't I?
Please."
"No. Shut up."
I thought I was going to pass out cold. I mean I didn't mean to tell her to shut up
and all, but I thought I was going to pass out again.
"Why can't I? Please, Holden! I won't do anything-- I'll just go with you, that's all!
I won't even take my clothes with me if you don't want me to--I'll just take my--"
"You can't take anything. Because you're not going. I'm going alone. So shut up."
"Please, Holden. Please let me go. I'll be very, very, very--You won't even--"
"You're not going. Now, shut up! Gimme that bag," I said. I took the bag off her. I
was almost all set to hit her, I thought I was going to smack her for a second. I really did.
She started to cry.
"I thought you were supposed to be in a play at school and all I thought you were
supposed to be Benedict Arnold in that play and all," I said. I said it very nasty.
"Whuddaya want to do? Not be in the play, for God's sake?" That made her cry even
harder. I was glad. All of a sudden I wanted her to cry till her eyes practically dropped
out. I almost hated her. I think I hated her most because she wouldn't be in that play any
more if she went away with me.
"Come on," I said. I started up the steps to the museum again. I figured what I'd
do was, I'd check the crazy suitcase she'd brought in the checkroom, andy then she could
get it again at three o'clock, after school. I knew she couldn't take it back to school with
her. "Come on, now," I said.
She didn't go up the steps with me, though. She wouldn't come with me. I went up
anyway, though, and brought the bag in the checkroom and checked it, and then I came
down again. She was still standing there on the sidewalk, but she turned her back on me
when I came up to her. She can do that. She can turn her back on you when she feels like
it. "I'm not going away anywhere. I changed my mind. So stop crying, and shut up," I
said. The funny part was, she wasn't even crying when I said that. I said it anyway,
though, "C'mon, now. I'll walk you back to school. C'mon, now. You'll be late."
She wouldn't answer me or anything. I sort of tried to get hold of her old hand, but
she wouldn't let me. She kept turning around on me.
"Didja have your lunch? Ya had your lunch yet?" I asked her.
She wouldn't answer me. All she did was, she took off my red hunting hat--the
one I gave her--and practically chucked it right in my face. Then she turned her back on
me again. It nearly killed me, but I didn't say anything. I just picked it up and stuck it in
my coat pocket.
"Come on, hey. I'll walk you back to school," I said.
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