He visits a former English teacher, Mr. Antolini, and goes to sleep on his sofa. During the night, Holden awakens and finds Antolini patting his head. Fearful that Antolini is making a homosexual advance, Holden rushes out, promising to get his luggage and return. He spends the rest of the night in the waiting room of Grand Central Station. Holden decides to leave home and go west.
Phoebe arrives with a suitcase and begs to go along.
He refuses, but takes her to the zoo and the park, where he watches her ride the carrousel. Confused and unsure about his return to school the following fall, Holden ends his narrative from the mental institution.