Chapter 24 - The Antolinis

When I got to Mr Antolinis he was surprised that it was just me at the door, he said he thought I was going to have a day old infant in my arms. With nowhere to turn. He’s a madman. I think they musta had a dinner party that night or something because there were highballs everywhere. They were always doing things like that the Antolinis, they’re real big entertainers. I could tell he was drunk, he’s quite a heavy drinker these days, and he’ll end up an alcoholic if he doesn’t watch his step.

Mr Antolini asked about Pencey and why I was kicked out and all. He was most interested in my English thought, understandably. I told him I passed, but that I failed in Oral Expression, that stuff drove me crazy.

Mrs Antolini came in with coffee for me; she brought everything, biscuits and all. Then Mr Antolini started to get all serious. He said he was really worried about me. He said “This fall I think you’re riding for – it’s a special kind of fall, a horrible kind.” I had no idea what he was going on about at first, I thought he had got me all wrong, but then I realised what he meant. I think what he was trying to get across was I shouldn’t give everything up before my life even starts, I mean after all im only 16, but its hard.

I like the way Mr Antolini understands me like nobody does, he tells me what to do, without actually telling me what to do. Not like my father, or old Phoeb or D.B. He really has a thing for helping me.

He went over to his desk on the other side of the room. He said he didn’t want to scare me or anything, and he wrote me something on a piece of paper. It said “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of the mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one”. I thanked him and all and put it in my pocket.

I was getting really tired but Mr Antolini wasn’t, probably because he was so oiled up. I could hardly even concentrate anymore and I had to yawn, I know is rude and all but I couldn’t help it. He carried on talking on and on about how I should apply myself at the next school I go to, I really didn’t want to listen so I sort of tuned out. After a while of me not saying anything Mr Antolini realised that I want to interest so he went and got some sheets and blankets and stuff to make a bed for me.

We both made the bed together, it wasn’t great but it was ok just for the night. He asked about Sally Hayes. We didn’t talk for long I was too tired. So he left me to go to sleep.

Then all of a sudden I woke up and I could feel something on my head, a guy’s hand. It scared the hell outta me. Mr Antolini was sat on the floor right next to the couch, in the sake and all, and he was sort of petting me or patting me on the goddam head. I jumped about a thousand feet. I got so nervous and I had to get away from him, I mean what the hell was he doing. So what I did was, it told him I was going to get my bags from the station and that I would go right back, he said my bags would be fine and that I should stay. I didn’t though. I never waited so long for a goddam elevator in my life.

When something perverty like that happens, I start sweating like a bastard. That kind of stuff’s happened to me about twenty times since I was a kid. I can’t stand it.