Name:

Name of Teacher:

Year Completed:

Assignment Commentary:

Tessa

Dr. Leona Weiss

9th Grade

In the beginning of my 9th grade year, we went on a retreat to the Gold Country. We were reading Catcher in the Rye, and my English teacher gave us and assignment to write about our experience in the voice on Holden Caulfield (main character).

The 9th Grade Retreat in Holden Caulfield's words

I had a helluva a lousy time on that retreat. You should have seen it. Kids were asking each other out everywhere I looked. It kills me when kids have to follow everyone else because they can't think of their own ideas, and this is sort of what it was. It really kills me. So anyway, these kids couldn't keep their hands off of each other, and they probably didn't even know each other's last names. What phony bastards. I was getting more depressed every minute, and it was these gorgeous jerks that I was angry about. I wanted to someone to neck with too, I really did.

This one night, we had some lousy square dancing band. We had to get in groups. The phonies swarmed together, naturally, and I was by myself. Cant'cha just picture it. Everyone dancing around like a bunch of idiots. It was like this one time my mother took me to some benefit she had organized for my father. Swanky cats everywhere. I could not walk two steps without hearing the words "grand," "terrific," or "marvelous." That kinda crap makes me sick. It really does. Anyway, all these goddam jerks were dancing together. This one girl was pretty good looking though, and boy could she dance. Even though the square dancing was corny as hell, she made it look a helluva lot better. I was starting to feel pretty sexy and all, and I got up the nerve to ask her for a dance. I was nervous as hell, but there was something about the way she smelled that made me feel a helluva lot better. She smelled like Phoebe. Boy did I miss the kid. I remember when I would take her and Allie to Central Park every Saturday. I would push them on the swings and all, and they would just get so goddam happy, like nothing else mattered. I felt myself getting even more depressed, and I think this girl Diane noticed it too. I didn't even realize it, but I was resting my goddam head all over her shoulders. I felt pretty yellow. I really did. I apologized for my crumby dancing, and went back to my goddam tent. By the way, did I tell you that I hated camping? I went this once time with my father, D.B., and Allie. It was lousy. I didn't want to go. I did anyway. Some goddam raccoons ate our food and all.

I woke up the next morning after everyone else, and I was still tired as hell. We ate some lousy pancakes, but some kids invited me over to sit with them. They looked like real jerks, but I guess I was so goddam lonely, I would have eaten with just about any bastard. Even old Ackley kid.

We had to take some lousy bus and all, and we watched some goddam history movie. It was loud and all and I felt like my head was about to screw off. I really did. All I could think about was giving old Jane a buzz.