It was one of those interminable winter days. Like always, right about five p.m., I was running out the turbulent post office (Boy, was it hectic in there.) I can briefly remember what had happened. After taking a breath, I derived that I had crashed into someone. It was this tall, skinny young boy, clad in his black coat, and this red hunting hat. He seemed like a very affable person because he wouldn’t stop saying, “I’m so damn sorry.” He gingerly helped me up, and spontaneously asked me to go out for a drink or watch a movie. I thought it was very strange to ask me that since we just meet.
That crash was excruciating, I think my knee was bleeding, but I didn’t say anything so I pretended that I was okay. I told him that I could only join him for a brief stop at the bar or something. He told me that he had to meet some old friend so I surmised that it was fine with him.
“Hey, do you happen to know where the ducks go when the lake freezes?” He asked in a imperative tone.
What was he thinking? How old is he anyways? And his name, I completely forgot that.
“Oh, I don’t know, I think they, well, it really makes me despondent…” I said softly, “Oh and I missed your name?”
“Oh, I’m Holden, Holden Caulfield.” He said, “What do you mean it makes you despondent?”
Who asks these questions? I noticed that his breath smelled abhorrent. My conjecture is that he was an avid smoker because of that, and because he was going on his 5th cigar since we bumped into each other.
We entered the bar and I had an inkling that he was going to keep on asking about the ducks.
“So, you don’t know where they go?” he said.
“No.” I said very irascibly.
“Care to dance?” he asked in a harsh tone. But his eyes seemed genuine so I could be amiss.
In fact I was a marvelous dancer, so I said yes.
“Hey, do you want to come with me to the west, and I’ll get a job and stuff, and you could come with me and we would recluse our self and modify our lives!” he said as fast as he would.
“Wait, Holden, hold on, you seem like a very nice person, but I just meet you and that is just an audacious choice and it’s slovenly thought out!” I said, “I don’t want you to rankle yourself, you seriously thought I was going to say yes?”
“Just shut up!” he yelled, “You really are a pain in the ass.”
Iwas shocked and said, "Ugh, never talk to me again!”
I gave him my word grimace and rudely walked away.
“Hey, Bartender, give me another drink!” Holden shouted with anger.
