Sunny and Maurice — The Catcher in the Rye

Holden lies on the Edmont bed holding his stomach and replays the punch. He thinks about jumping from the window in a theatrical way, not as a firm plan, and only if someone would cover him when he landed. He does not want to hurt Phoebe or his parents by vanishing. He talks to Allie and asks not to be allowed to disappear. In the mirror he calls himself a coward for losing to Maurice, who is a grown man.

He turns over a talk he had with one of the nuns about the crucifix. He likes Jesus and finds the disciples annoying. He cannot believe comfortably, and religion will not explain the punch. He can be kind to strangers and still not protect himself. He will never tell Phoebe what happened. He will not go home. He stares at the ceiling and waits for Sunday to give him a reason to leave the room.

Judas and the crucifix keep turning in his head because he wants a moral rule that would make the punch make sense. None arrives. Morning is the only plan he can stand. The ceiling is easier than another street he does not trust. He stays anyway.