Chapter 7

I could see him lying in bed. I knew damn well he was wide awake. It was pretty dark, and I step on somebody’s shoe on the floor and damn near fell on my head. He had a lot of white stuff on his face, for his pimples. He looked sort of spooky in the dark. I told him I had a goddam tiff with Stradlater, then sat down on the floor. They never had any chairs in their room. I never discussed my personal life with him. In the first place he was even more stupid than Stradlater. Stradlater was a good damn genius next to Ackley. He’s a prince old Ackley he really is. I got up and went over and looked out the window. I felt so lonesome, all of a sudden. I wished I was dead. ‘what was the fight about anyhow’ Ackley said for the fiftieth time. ‘About you’ I said. I was defending your goddam honour. Stradlater said Ackley had a lousy personality. I couldn’t let him get away with that stuff. I told him I was only kidding and then I went over and laid down on Ely’s bed. Boy, did I feel rotten. I felt so damn lonesome.