didn't care. Phoebe was much more cheerful now.

"I'm glad we're both going home now, Holden", she said.

"I'm just ready to get this over with", I said "Mom and dad will cry ) and yell. I don't care."

"Don't worry, Holden. It'll be okay", Phoebe said. She squeezed my hand-she was holding my hand-and smiled the cutest smile at me. It just about killed me.

We walked into the huge lobby in Grand Central. As we walked over to where the lockers were, we passed the bench where I'd sort of slept for a few hours after I had to leave Mr. Antolini's. I'd never tell Phoebe about it, of course. It seemed like so long ago, but it was actually just this morning.

We just had most of Phoebe's Christmas dough, so we got my Gladstones, and took the Madison Avenue bus to 72nd street. There were a bunch of kids around Phoebe's age in the back of the bus. They were all

"Baby? What happened?", my mom said.

"Damn it, Holden", dad yelled. Now you see where I get my swearing from. "You're going to that goddam military school!! Maybe they can whip you into shape. I can't take it anymore!"

was just a blind date, b I was jealous. I wondered if they horsed around. I bet they didn't. Well, I'm giving her a buzz tomorrow if it's not too crazy here.

Mom came in my room at around 10 o'clock. I guess she'd heard me coughing a lot, and it brought out the mother in her, and she was nicer to me. "Honey?" she said, "you sound really sick"

"Well", I said, "I... I sort of got kicked out again. I'm really sorry. I-"

Boy, was he mad. His face was all red, and all these veins were sticking out in his neck. He almost looked like he was going to hit me. After being knocked around by Stradlater and Maurice in the last few days, I was used to it. I knew he wouldn't hit me, though. Our family was always very non-violent and anti-violen Allie. He would always go into fights at school and try to separate the two guys going at it. He didn't even care if he got hurt or punched or nything. He got a black eye once that way. They weren't trying to hurt Allie suddenly he was there and he got in the way. That's the kind of persO Allie was. Anyway, we're a pretty non-violent family. I was thinking about Allie while Dad was yelling on and on at me. I don't know how long the whole thing lasted.

I heard some kid say, "Phoebe, your brother found you" I looked across the bus. It was that little girl I met in the park yesterday, whose roller skates I'd tightened and all, that I told you about. I guess she and

Some common words found in the essay are:
Normally I'm, DB Phoebe, Stradlater Hers, Holden Frankly, Huck Jim, Madison Avenue, Yes Susie, Antolini They're, Grand Central, Dad Holden, mom dad, didn't care, bus 72nd street, don't worry, i'm sorry, i'd sort, military school, ago actually, don't understand, bus 72nd, lay bed,
Approximate Word count = 2092
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)