Holden takes a train to New York City after being expelled from school. On the train, he meets Mrs. Morrow, the mother of his former classmate Ernest Morrow. Holden lies to Mrs. Morrow about his name and situation, telling her he has to have a minor brain tumor operation. He continues lying to avoid questions and stop the conversation. Mrs. Morrow is concerned for Holden but believes his lies. Holden has no intention of actually visiting the Morrow family and dislikes Ernest, thinking he is insensitive.

1. The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye

2. Chapter 8Chapter 8

3. ►Since it is too late to call for a taxi, HoldenSince it is too late to call for a taxi, Holden
walks to the train station.walks to the train station.
►““Usually I like riding on trains, especially atUsually I like riding on trains, especially at
night, with the lights on and the windows sonight, with the lights on and the windows so
black, and one of those guys coming up theblack, and one of those guys coming up the
aisle selling coffee and sandwiches andaisle selling coffee and sandwiches and
magazines. I usually buy a ham sandwichmagazines. I usually buy a ham sandwich
and about four magazines.and about four magazines.

4. Mrs. MorrowMrs. Morrow
►At Trenton station, a ladyAt Trenton station, a lady
boards the train and strikes upboards the train and strikes up
a conversation with Holden,a conversation with Holden,
recognizing his school’srecognizing his school’s
insignia on one of hisinsignia on one of his
suitcases.suitcases.
►It turns out that she is theIt turns out that she is the
mother of one of Holden’smother of one of Holden’s
classmates, a boy namedclassmates, a boy named
Ernest Morrow.Ernest Morrow.

5. Ernest MorrowErnest Morrow
►Her son was doubtless the biggestHer son was doubtless the biggest
bastard that ever went to Pencey,bastard that ever went to Pencey,
in the whole crumby history of thein the whole crumby history of the
school.school.
►He was always going down theHe was always going down the
corridor, after he'd had a shower,corridor, after he'd had a shower,
snapping his soggy old wet towelsnapping his soggy old wet towel
at people's asses. That's exactlyat people's asses. That's exactly
the kind of a guy he was.the kind of a guy he was.

6. ►““Oh, how nice!” the ladyOh, how nice!” the lady
said. But not corny. She wassaid. But not corny. She was
just nice and all. “I must telljust nice and all. “I must tell
Ernest we met," she said.Ernest we met," she said.
"May I ask your name,"May I ask your name,
dear?”dear?”
►““Rudolf Schmidt,” I told her. IRudolf Schmidt,” I told her. I
didn't feel like giving her mydidn't feel like giving her my
whole life history.whole life history.
►Rudolf Schmidt was theRudolf Schmidt was the
name of the janitor of ourname of the janitor of our
dorm.dorm.

7. ► Then I started shooting the old crap around a littleThen I started shooting the old crap around a little
bit. "He adapts himself very well to things. Hebit. "He adapts himself very well to things. He
really does. I mean he really knows how to adaptreally does. I mean he really knows how to adapt
himself."himself."
► "Do you think so?" she asked me. She sounded"Do you think so?" she asked me. She sounded
interested as hell.interested as hell.
► "Ernest's father and I sometimes worry about him,""Ernest's father and I sometimes worry about him,"
she said. "We sometimes feel he's not a terriblyshe said. "We sometimes feel he's not a terribly
good mixer."good mixer."
► "How do you mean?""How do you mean?"
► "Well. He's a very sensitive boy. He's really never"Well. He's a very sensitive boy. He's really never
been a terribly good mixer with other boys.been a terribly good mixer with other boys.
Perhaps he takes things a little more seriouslyPerhaps he takes things a little more seriously
than he should at his age."than he should at his age."
► Sensitive. That killed me. That guy Morrow wasSensitive. That killed me. That guy Morrow was
about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat.about as sensitive as a goddam toilet seat.

8. ►Then she looked at me and askedThen she looked at me and asked
me what I was afraid she wasme what I was afraid she was
going to ask me. "Ernest wrote thatgoing to ask me. "Ernest wrote that
he'd be home on Wednesday, thathe'd be home on Wednesday, that
Christmas vacation would start onChristmas vacation would start on
Wednesday," she said.Wednesday," she said.
►"I hope you weren't called home"I hope you weren't called home
suddenly because of illness in thesuddenly because of illness in the
family."family."
►She really looked worried about it.She really looked worried about it.
She wasn't just being nosy, youShe wasn't just being nosy, you
could tell.could tell.

9. More LiesMore Lies
► "No, everybody's fine at home," I said. "It's"No, everybody's fine at home," I said. "It's
me. I have to have this operation."me. I have to have this operation."
► "Oh! I'm so sorry," she said. She really"Oh! I'm so sorry," she said. She really
was, too. I was right away sorry I'd said it,was, too. I was right away sorry I'd said it,
but it was too late.but it was too late.
► "It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little"It isn't very serious. I have this tiny little
tumor on the brain."tumor on the brain."
► "Oh, no!" She put her hand up to her"Oh, no!" She put her hand up to her
mouth and all. "Oh, I'll be all right andmouth and all. "Oh, I'll be all right and
everything! It's right near the outside. Andeverything! It's right near the outside. And
it's a very tiny one. They can take it out init's a very tiny one. They can take it out in
about two minutes."about two minutes."

10. ►Then I started reading this timetable I had inThen I started reading this timetable I had in
my pocket. Just to stop lying. Once I getmy pocket. Just to stop lying. Once I get
started, I can go on for hours if I feel like it.started, I can go on for hours if I feel like it.
No kidding. Hours.No kidding. Hours.
►We didn't talk too much after that. SheWe didn't talk too much after that. She
started reading this Vogue she had with her,started reading this Vogue she had with her,
and I looked out the window for a while. Sheand I looked out the window for a while. She
got off at Newark. She wished me a lot ofgot off at Newark. She wished me a lot of
luck with the operation and all.luck with the operation and all.
►She kept calling me Rudolf.She kept calling me Rudolf.

11. ►Then she invited me to visit Ernie during theThen she invited me to visit Ernie during the
summer, at Gloucester, Massachusetts.summer, at Gloucester, Massachusetts.
►She said their house was right on theShe said their house was right on the
beach, and they had a tennis court and all,beach, and they had a tennis court and all,
but I just thanked her and told her I wasbut I just thanked her and told her I was
going to South America with mygoing to South America with my
grandmother.grandmother.
►Which was really a hot one, because myWhich was really a hot one, because my
grandmother hardly ever even goes out ofgrandmother hardly ever even goes out of
the house, except maybe to go to a goddamthe house, except maybe to go to a goddam
matinee or something.matinee or something.
►But I wouldn't visit that sonuvabitch MorrowBut I wouldn't visit that sonuvabitch Morrow
for all the dough in the world, even if I wasfor all the dough in the world, even if I was
desperate.desperate.

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