CLINT WILLIAMS

Go to Army-Navy Store and buy that duffel bag and money belt.

IMPORTANT. Do not say anything to Annabel until bus ticket has already been bought.

Do not let on about sending money to Berry-berry.

On Saturday, when he had carried out this plan, Clinton made another entry in his notebook:

[Clinton’s Notebook]

My last night at White Tower. It’s now 2 A.M. I got home at midnight and did a very smart thing. But I don’t actually feel so hot about it. I got Annabel and Ralph together in her bedroom and told them both at once. My psychology was that Annabel would lose any argument that came up. Namely, Ralph would have to be on my side, because he always lectures about how families should be disbanded when the offspring get through puberty, say at about fourteen. So, with me being sixteen, my psychology was that if I announced a mere trip, he’d have to back me up. As far as Annabel goes, I figured she would raise a stink about it even if I was two hundred years old, because of her having the change of life, etc.

Well, actually everything’s okay now, but was it ever a weird thing to go through. To begin with, Ralph was the one that started making up all kinds of objections, and Annabel acts like she wants me to go. She acts like I’m going to spend a weekend with Aunt Imelda in Tecumseh or to Boy Scout camp or some damn place. Whereas, Ralph said it was a screwball idea and how did I know what kind of a mess I’d run into down there. So I had to bring up the families being disbanded business myself. He didn’t put his foot down of course, or pull any parents and children crap, because he knew I had the goods on him. Besides, it would kill him to do anything real cheap like pulling his rank, etc., so he just left the room and that was that.

Then I had this very peculiar talk with Annabel. She can’t wait for me to get on that bus! Which is completely out of character and I don’t know what to think. Is she having her goddam menopause or isn’t she?

This book by Doctor Wilhelm Levi explains all the weird things women get wrong with them, like frigidity and menstruation and jealousy about not having a penis, and so on. For a long time I’ve been positive Annabel fitted into the part about change of life. But she is not at all thrown about me going to Key Bonita, which is absolutely nuts.

I tried to stop using those words, nuts and insane and crazy, because I thought I was too intelligent, but I may go back to it and give up psychology altogether. For a long time I used to think everybody in the world was insane and I was scared to death on account of it and had nightmares about all these maniacs being on the loose everyplace. But now that I know better I just get depressed. Because they still act like they’re crazy.