Lunchtime read: The Catcher in the Rye

In his quest for companionship things take a nasty turn for Holden as he gets involved in a scam with a prostitute in the hotel. The way he reacts to the initimdation and theft of his money reminds you sharply of his real age and how vunerable he really is.

Highlights from chapters 12 - 15

* Holden heads out to a bar he knows and finally gets his hands on some booze as he sists in the corner but his evening is disrupted by an old friend of his brothers who askes him to join her at her table so he says he is leaving to get away from her

* Back at the hotel the lift boy asks him if he is finished for the night or fancies a girl for $5 and after Holden agrees he says he will send her up to his room but the girl who comes is not too friendly and Holden agrees to pay without having sex

* But there is a disagreement over the money, which the woman claims should be $10, and then after he refuses to pay he is visted by the girl and the lift boy who punches Holden in the stomach and takes the money despite the tears and protestations from the student

* He checks out of the hotel and calls up an old girlfriend planning to go to the movies and he bumps into a couple of nuns who ask him about his tudies and try to get an idea of if he is a catholic or not - which leads to some musings on his beliefs and the reason for the lack of them

More tomorrow...