Rebel in the Rye Page #3

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make a buck at.

Try not to worry about

anything this week, dear.

It's a vacation,

and you should relax.

[instrumental music]

[music continues]

She had immense eyes

that always seemed

in danger

of capsizing

in their own innocence.

She was with a small

boy, unmistakably

her brother

and it was only when

his sister spoke to him

that he came around

and applied

the small of his back

to his chair.

Now, there are two kinds

of femme fatale..

The noisy young people

she'd invited..

[indistinct chatter]

Jerry, your sister

didn't drive

all the way up here

to watch you write

in a lobby for five days.

Now, put that away

I will, in -- in one hour.

I'm almost done, okay?

What makes you think

you have anything

to say to people?

[scoffs]

Grow up!

[instrumental music]

Oh, Jerry, why don't you,

uh, hang back

for a minute?

Yeah, thanks.

Now that you have made

a true commitment

to your craft,

I think it's time.

Time for what?

For you to be published.

In..

[laughing]

This is the first

damned story I gave you.

Oh, I loved it

right away.

I just had to be sure

you were a real writer

before I published it.

So..

This is your first check

as a real writer.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

You're welcome.

Now go write

another story.

- To publishing!

- To publishing!

Oh, your old man

finally impressed?

No, when I showed him

the check, he told me

I could finally afford

a suit to get a real job.

To hell with him.

He's just jealous because

you're a paid writer

he's nothing but a lousy

Jew pig-seller.

You know, he hides

the fact that he's Jewish

from our neighbors?

Always has.

The first phony I ever met

was on the day I was born.

What the hell

are they doing?

The Stork Club

advertises

that Oona comes here

'cause of her dad

but they only photograph

her drinking milk

because she's underage.

That could be the most

pathetic thing

I've ever seen.

[laughing]

Alright, that's my cue.

- Going in.

- Ooh!

- Oona.

- Hmm!

So lovely

to see you again.

Carol. Blythe.

- I'm Blythe!

- Great.

If you don't mind,

I'm going to give

the most beautiful girl

in the world a twirl.

Alright.

I read your piece

in "Story."

- You read "Story?"

- I read everything.

And what did you think?

I thought

it was marvelous.

No, it was simply

marvelous.

Thank you,

you're without a doubt

the most special girl

I've ever seen.

[laughing]

And you're very handsome

Jerome David Salinger.

- What do you think?

- I love it.

Just a few months.

But I don't think

I'll be here much longer.

Why? Where are you

going to go?

Hollywood.

If I want to get

into pictures, that's

the place to be, right?

Yeah.

You know, I -- I used to

want to be an actor.

- Really?

- But I hate Hollywood.

It's a bunch

of jaguar-driving jerks

making crap

for knuckleheads

that can't read.

You're funny.

And you're so talented.

I love talent.

- Don't go to California.

- Why?

I -- I think it's better

if you stay here.

Stay here

and do theatre.

Have you asked your dad

to put you

in any of his plays?

Mnm-mnm.

Why?

We don't speak.

We don't speak very often.

I'm -- I'm sorry.

I didn't..

It's alright.

You know, I haven't

seen him since I was

a little girl, actually.

You know, I don't know

why he doesn't love me.

I never did

anything wrong.

You know, my -- my -- my

dad doesn't

love me either.

- I -- I should -- I

should probably go now.

- Jerry.

- No, I..

- Jerry, you

don't have to.

I.. If I -- if I get back

to my writing

I can get

a lot done tonight.

- Okay.

- Um..

- Do you want to

go dancing, Friday?

- Yes.

- Yes?

- Yes.

- I'd love to.

- Alright, me too.

Okay.

- Good.

- Okay.

That's the thing

about girls.

Every time they do

something pretty

you fall half in love

with them.

And then you never know

where the hell you are.

Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!

Hang in there, my love.

I know it can be a slog,

but you've got

to stick out

these dry spells.

Everyone

loves the writing.

I get terrific feedback

every time I submit you.

That's terrific,

but I haven't

had a story published

in eight months.

Well, have you thought

about writing something

with a little more

pop to it?

More "Post"

than "New Yorker?"

No, I hate the "Post,"

it's a bunch

of sentimental crap.

- I know.

- I wanna be

a "New Yorker" writer.

And you will be, but it's

never easy, my love.

And there's no harm

in dumbing it down

once in a while.

We just got to get you

published again.

Publishing

is everything.

Oh, I don't even know

what I should write about.

Oh, Jerry.

First of all,

you need to relax.

You're not gonna

do better work

being so stressed.

Take that pretty

girlfriend of yours

on a date.

Have some fun.

[whispering]

How's it going with her?

[doorbell buzzing]

Hey, Pearl.

I'm sorry, Jerry,

but Oona isn't here.

She left for the Hamptons

this morning.

She did what?

- We had a date.

- You know Oona.

Yeah. Okay. Thanks.

Maybe I'm just

not capable

of experiencing happiness

like the fella that works

at a lousy job

and has a pretty wife,

and a bunch

of stupid kids.

Maybe I didn't

lose my mind at all.

Maybe I never had it

in the first place.

You should get

out of here, kid.

He made his way

into the men's room

and filled both washbowls

with cold water.

"You want a towel,

fella?" asked

the piano player.

"Not me," said Holden.

"Why don't you

go home, kid?"

Holden Caulfield

went on drinking.

Hello, it's me,

Jerry Salinger, I just

wanna speak to Oona.

She's asleep. Why are you

calling so late?

"This is me,

Holden Caulfield, can I

speak to Sally, please?"

It doesn't have

to be anything serious.

- You're just

such a phony! You are!

- No. I'm not a phony.

You go to hell!

Don't say that..

- Oona?

- What?

Oona,

can I call you tomorrow?

His teeth

chattering violently

Holden Caulfield

stood on the corner

and waited for

the Madison Avenue bus.

It was..

...a long wait.

No, we -- we didn't

order champagne.

I did.

I asked you here

so we could celebrate.

Uh, ce -- celebrate

what?

I have some

exciting news.

"The New Yorker" read

"Slight Rebellion

Off Madison."

And they want

to publish it.

- "The New Yorker?"

- Yes!

They love your

Holden Caulfield character

they feel he's

completely original.

I'm so happy

for you, Jerry.

"The New Yorker."

I can't believe it!

Well, believe it,

my love.

To publishing.

It really is everything.

Now, they have

a couple of notes

that they want you

to address.

- Notes?

- Yes.

All writers have to

go through this

with every magazine

and "The New Yorker"

has more notes than most.

They want all their

stories to have

a "New Yorker"

signature to them.

What if I don't want

to do the notes?

They told me their

problems with the story.

Should I tell you?

Sure. Sure. Okay.

Tell me their problems.

First off, they think

Holden's drinking

comes out of nowhere.

They want it to be clearer

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