Old Spencer

Before I left Pencey I headed over to Old Spencer's house. Old Spencer's was my History teacher, he and his wife were both around seventy-years-old, or even more then that. I used to think about Old Spencer allot, it's strange, if you thought about him too much you ended up wondering, what the hell he was still living for. I mean, like I said he was in his seventies, he was all stooped over and had terrible posture. But if you thought about him, and not too much, you could figure out that he wasn't doing too bad for himself. He still got a bang out of life, for instance he had this Navajo blanket that he bought in Yellowstone park, he got a real bang out of buying it. It reminded me of my red hunting hat that I bought for a buck in New York. It's something to hide behind, something innocent. I guess in a way I kinda' appreciate that. I can always relate to Old Spencer.

Anyway, I knocked on the door, it was open but I still knocked, just to be polite. He invited me in. He was wearing his pajamas. I hate to see old guys in their pajamas and their dressing gowns. Their bumpy old chests are always showing. And their legs. Old guys legs, at beaches and places, they always look so white and unhairy. I hate the idea of getting old.

I sat down on the bed. It was like cement. He looked terrible, he was all wrapped up in that Navajo blanket I told you about and the whole room smelled of Vicks Nose Drops. It was pretty depressing.

"So you're leaving us ey?" he asked, he knew I was leaving but you know old guys, they always have to ask. Just to make shure that they aren't loosing their memories or somethin'.

So I told him yes and we shot the bull for a while, he was going on about being kicked-out and all, then he asked me if my parents knew.

If the truth be told, I didn't really want them to know. This was the third school that I'd gotten the boot from and each time they had all been posh private institutes that were full of phonies. And they cost like a million bucks a term or somethin'! My parents wouldn't care about me, oh no. It's all about the money!

He talked on. I wasn't really listening. Not to be rude or nothin' it's just I don't really like to listen to Old Spencer's lectures. Finally, I told him that I had to get going.

"I'll drop you a line sir, take care now."

After I shut the door and headed out, he yelled something to me, but I couldn't exactly hear him. I'm pretty shure that is was 'Good luck!' I shure as hell hope not, it sounds terrible, when you think about it.

The day I left Pencey

Okay, first of all, this ain't an autobiography, this is me, me telling the truth to you. The truth about my crappy life, the truth about my crappy school and the truth about this crappy mental institute that my parents dumped me in coz I have T.B. Anyway, my crappy school. They booted me out. Pencey Prep, 'Since 1888 they have been molding boys into into splendid, clear-thinking young men.' That's a goddam lie! I don't know anyone who's 'splendid' and 'clear-thinking' that goes to that place. Well, maybe one or two, but they came to Pencey that way. It ain't the first school that I've been given the boot from.

It's full of phoneys, like my Brother, D.B, he's a writer, he wrote this great book called 'The Secret Goldfish'. It killed me. He's prostituting himself in Hollywood now. Writing movies. I hate movies. They're just phoney stories about phoney people, leading phoney lives. He comes and visits me out here, practically every weekend. Goddam phoney.

Anyway, Pencey. Like I said, they kicked me out. They're goddam phoneys too you know. The day I left Pencey Prep was the day of the big game with Saxon Hall. I was standing on top of this big hill. Well away from the game. It was one of those games where you were supposed to commit suicide if Pencey didn't win. Like it was a big deal or somethin'. Anyway, I was on the hill, everyone else was down in the field being all phoney. I was alone. I like to think of myself as a pretty isolated kinda guy. I like it that way. I don't have to interact with all the phoneys.