It was the last game of the year and you were supposed to commit suicide or something if old Pencey didn't win.

There's a marvelous peace in not publishing, there's a stillness. When you publish, the world thinks you owe something. If you don't publish, they don't know what you're doing. You can keep it for yourself.

People never notice anything.

People never believe you.

Why are you breaking down, incidentally? I mean if you’re able to go into a collapse with all your might, why can’t you use the same energy to stay well and busy?

Did you ever get fed up?' I said. 'I mean did you ever get scared that everything was going to go lousy unless you did something?

The goddam movies. They can ruin you. I'm not kidding