Chapter 9

As soon as I get off the train I went to a phone booth. There were a few people I planned on calling, but I ended up not calling anyone. After coming out of the phonebooth, it took about 20 minutes untill I ended up walking over to get a cab.

I gave the cab driver my usual address, you know out of habit and all. It took me a while to realise and I finally asked him if he could turn round, he was a wise guy and told me how he couldn't turn round there. As we drove by the lake in Central Park I asked the cab driver where the ducks went in winter. He looked at me as though I was a madman and thought I was kidding him, so I let it drop. I decided I didn't want to stay anywhere at the East Side incase I bumped into anyone I knew, so I went back downtown. I asked him to join me but he didn't, I put on my red hunting hat and got out of the cab. I took it off before I checked in, I didn't want to look like a idiot or anything, which was ironic as the place was full of them!

I was given this really crumby room, it was very depressing. Some of the views I saw through the windows. The hotel was full of perverts. For example there was this couple squirting water at eachother out of their mouths. And this other guy got out loads of women’s clothes, and put them on! I was probably the only normal bastard in the whole goddam place!

I was so bored that I decided to ring this girl, she was sort of a prostitute. I forgot what time it was. She answered the phone and I could tell I had woken her up. I gave her some crumby name and said I was a friend of that guy who give me the number. She said she was tired so she couldn't come over tonight. She offered to go out for a drink tomorrow but I said I was leaving first thing. Boy, I really fouled that up.