Saturday, September 26, 2015

What did Holden think of the Radio City show, why did he call Carl Luce, and what did they talk about?

Holden says that going to the show at Radio City "was probably the worst thing I could've done...don't see it if you don't want to puke all over yourself" (Ch.18, paragraphs 3-5).  The only thing he likes about the show is "the guy that plays the kettle drums in the orchestra".  Holden calls Luce because he can't reach Jane, and he doesn't have the phone number of anyone else whom he thinks "might want to have dinner...and...a slightly intellectual conversation" (Ch.18, paragraph 2).

Holden asks Luce about his sex life, as well as other inane questions.  Luce doesn't really want to talk, and ends up recommending that Holden see a psychoanalyst (Ch.19, paragraph 5 to end).  Holden goes home before Wednesday because he is lonesome, drunk, and depressed, and, as he sits freezing on a park bench, he begins to wonder "how old Phoebe would feel if I got pneumonia and died...I figured I'd better sneak home and see her in case I died and all" (Ch.20, last 3 paragraphs).

Phoebe is delighted to see Holden; she cries, "'Holden!'...(and) she put her arms around my neck and all" (Ch.21, middle).  She gets very angry when she finds out he has been expelled.  She yells, "'You did get kicked out!  You did'...then she hit me on the leg with her fist...she smacked me again with her fist" (Ch.21, 6 and 7 paragraphs from the end).

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