Holden leaves the club and thinks about Jane and his concern over what may have happened between her and Stradlater. He reminisces on how he met Jane and came to like her. He recalls a specific time when they almost kissed but Jane was crying and wouldn't let him kiss her mouth, though he kissed her face. Feeling depressed, Holden leaves the club to go to a nightclub in Greenwich Village called Ernie's, where a talented piano player named Ernie performs.

1. The Catcher in the Rye

2. Chapter 11

3. Holden leaves the club and sits in the deserted lobby thinking about Jane and Stradlater. He is still concerned about what might have happened between them. He remembers how he met Jane and thinks about why he likes her so much.

4. “The way I met her, this Doberman pinscher she had used to come over and relieve himself on our lawn, and my mother got very irritated about it.” “She called up Jane's mother and made a big stink about it.” “My mother can make a very big stink about that kind of stuff.”

5. “Then what happened, a couple of days later I saw Jane laying on her stomach next to the swimming pool, at the club, and I said hello to her.” “I knew she lived in the house next to ours, but I'd never conversed with her before or anything.”

6. “ She gave me the big freeze when I said hello that day, though. I had a helluva time convincing her that I didn't give a good goddam where her dog relieved himself.” “ He could do it in the living room, for all I cared.”

7. “Anyway, after that, Jane and I got to be friends and all.” “I played golf with her that same afternoon.”

8. “I remember this one afternoon. It was the only time old Jane and I ever got close to necking, even.” “It was a Saturday and it was raining like a bastard out, and I was over at her house, on the porch--they had this big screened-in porch.”

9. “We were playing checkers.” “All of a sudden this booze hound her mother was married to came out on the porch and asked Jane if there were any cigarettes in the house.”

10. “Jane wouldn't answer him when he asked her if she knew where there was any cigarettes.” “So the guy asked her again, but she still wouldn't answer him. She didn't even look up from the game.”

11. “Then all of a sudden, this tear plopped down on the checkerboard. On one of the red squares--boy, I can still see it.” “She just rubbed it into the board with her finger. I don't know why, but it bothered hell out of me.”

12. “So what I did was, I went over and made her move over on the glider so that I could sit down next to her.” “Then she really started to cry, and the next thing I knew, I was kissing her all over--anywhere--her eyes, her nose, her forehead, her eyebrows and all, her ears--her whole face except her mouth and all.” “She sort of wouldn't let me get to her mouth.” “Anyway, it was the closest we ever got to necking.”

13. “I never did find out what the hell was the matter. Some girls you practically never find out what's the matter.”

14. “ There was hardly anybody in the lobby any more. Even all the whory-looking blondes weren't around any more, and all of a sudden I felt like getting the hell out of the place.” “ It was too depressing.” “ And I wasn't tired or anything.”

15. “So I went up to my room and put on my coat.” “I also took a look out the window to see if all the perverts were still in action, but the lights and all were out now.” “I went down in the elevator again and got a cab and told the driver to take me down to Ernie's.”

16. “Ernie's is this night club in Greenwich Village that my brother D.B. used to go to quite frequently before he went out to Hollywood and prostituted himself.” “He used to take me with him once in a while.”

17. Ernie's a big fat colored guy that plays the piano. He's a terrific snob and he won't hardly even talk to you unless you're a big shot or a celebrity or something, but he can really play the piano.

18. He's so good he's almost corny, in fact. I don't exactly know what I mean by that, but I mean it. I certainly like to hear him play, but sometimes you feel like turning his goddam piano over. I think it's because sometimes when he plays, he sounds like the kind of guy that won't talk to you unless you're a big shot.

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