Epilogue
It's been many years since Pencey. As I got older, I realised life isn't always easy; adult life, that is. I remember how stupid I was, thinking that I could just run away and live on a ranch and all. I was really going to do it if it wasn't for old Phoebe. She's in L.A. as a nurse now.
After I completed school, I spent a few years in turmoil. I then eventually landed a job as a paperwork monkey at an elementary school. The pay and benefits were surprisingly good. Not that it mattered to me anyway. After a few years, one of the old headmasters, Mr Saddler, helped me become an assistant teacher because he saw "how much I liked kids" or something. The work hours are crumby as hell, but it beats sorting through filing cabinets. I'm lucky though, I mean, I could just be with those kids all day long, and the workload isn't demanding at all.
Anyways, I'd just gotten off work, and I was at the bus stop having a smoke. I was thinking about the lesson on ducks and different farm animals I had taught earlier in the day. I never did find out where the ducks went during the winter. As I was standing there minding my own damn business, someone tapped me on the shoulder. "Yeah, what?" I snapped as I turned around. "Hey, Holden .'' I immediately knew who it was. It was Stradlader. A greeting like that is something only a stupid moron like him would do. I mean, how was I meant to know it wasn't a bum wanting smokes for chrissake. "After I saw that hat, I thought what were the chances," said Stradlater. After we finished greeting each other, we struck up a conversation reminiscing about the old years at Pencey.
After visiting old memories for a while, he asked if I wanted to join him for dinner, which I agreed to. We got inside a cab and continued to reminisce until we arrived at an elegant 5-star restaurant. When we got there, a waiter took us to a table, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Seated at the table was old Jane Gallagher; I knew it was her. Why in the hell was she here meeting with that bastard? I guess the shock showed on my face because Stradlader laughed out, "Sorry, I thought I would keep it a surprise." That fucking goddam bastard.
I tried to play it cool, but I was fucking fuming. We made some small talk and ordered our food when old Jane said: "So Holden, What happened to you after you got kicked out of Pencey?" I responded, "After I got kicked out of Pencey, my parents sent me to get psychoanalysis because it was the 4th time I failed school. At the institute's request, I then got homeschooled for the last year, and before I knew it, I'd finished high school. I then got a job as an assistant teacher. It was either that, or I would've joined the military." I tried to make it sound all exciting and great, but you could tell they weren't too impressed.
I asked what they'd been up to these years, which I regretted. Stradlater got a massive grin on his face and yapped on how he'd graduated Pencey with flying colours and got some stupid job with retirement and stock benefits. Jane talked about how she got into some preppy university and all that crap. I sorta zoned out in the middle of it all; it was just all very depressing. Before I knew it, dinner was over. They tried to get me to stay for drinks, but I shot some bull about needing to be home early for work. Stradlater gave me their number so we could get drinks together sometime. Still, I never wanted to see that sonuvabitch again.
I got out of the restaurant and just started walking. As I wandered through the maze of streets, I thought back to when Jane and I were really close in the old days back at Pencey. I thought about how I could have graduated with Jane and how I wouldn't have wasted 6 years of my life after school if I had just applied myself. It really did almost feel like back then... all those years ago—the experiences and feelings—the memories. I eventually reached the familiar lagoon in central park and sat down on a bench. The moonlight shone off the lagoon's calm, still water and produced a spectacular reflection that contrasted splendidly against the trees and skyscrapers in the background. I picked up a rock and skimmed it across the calm lagoon. The loud splashes were suddenly accompanied by the squawks of ducks nearby on the water. "Who gives a damn about some stupid ducks."