Chapter 17 Summary

Holden waits for Sally at the Biltmore Hotel and looks at all of the girls in the lobby. Although he enjoys looking at the young women, he becomes depressed thinking about the men they will marry and the lives they will eventually lead. Sally appears and Holden takes one look at her and decides he wants to marry her, even though he does not really like her. During the play's intermission, she sees a young man that she knows. He comes over and they discuss mutual friends. Holden is disgusted by their phony conversation. After the play, Sally wants to go ice-skating at Radio City. Holden agrees to take her. They try to skate, but neither one of them is any good at it, so he suggests they sit down and have a drink. While they are having their Cokes, Holden begins to...