Looking for Alaska

barely smell the vodka in the milk, so theEagle can't catch me unless he actuallytakes a sip. The downside is that it tasteslike sour milk and rubbing alcohol, butit's Friday night, Pudge, and mygirlfriend is a bitch. Want some?\" \"I think I'll pass.\" Aside from a fewsips of champagne on New Year's underthe watchful eye of my parents, I'd neverreally drunk any alcohol, and \"ambrosia\"didn't seem like the drink with which tostart. Outside, I heard the pay phonering. Given the fact that 190 boardersshared five pay phones, I was amazed athow infrequently it rang. We weren'tsupposed to have cell phones, but I'dnoticed that some of the WeekdayWarriors carried them surreptitiously.

And most non-Warriors called theirparents, as I did, on a regular basis, soparents only called when their kidsforgot. \"Are you going to get that?\" theColonel asked me. I didn't feel likebeing bossed around by him, but I alsodidn't feel like fighting. Through a buggy twilight, I walkedto the pay phone, which was drilled intothe wall between Rooms 44 and 45. On both sides of the phone, dozensof phone numbers and esoteric noteswere written in pen and marker(205.555.1584; Tommy to airport4:20;773.573.6521; JG — Kuffs?).Calling the pay phone required a great

deal of patience. I picked up on aboutthe ninth ring. \"Can you get Chip for me?\" Saraasked. It sounded like she was on a cellphone. \"Yeah, hold on.\" I turned, and he was already behindme, as if he knew it would be her. Ihanded him the receiver and walkedback to the room. A minute later, three words madetheir way to our room through the thick,still air of Alabama at almost-night. \"Screw you too!\" the Colonelshouted. Back in the room, he sat down withhis ambrosia and told me, \"She says Iratted out Paul and Marya. That's what