The Stranger

The Stranger
He felt an alien in the civilian world and knew he had to stay so until he found a way to tell Vincent's wonderful girl how Vincent had died
Status
Original Publication Date	December 1, 1945
Salinger.org Rating

He felt an alien in the civilian world and knew he had to stay so until he found a way to tell Vincent's wonderful girl how Vincent had died

Babe Gladwaller and his little sister, Mattie go to visit Vincent Caulfield’s girl, Helen Beebers, after the war to tell her how he died. Get this one. This is yet another story I wish I had written.

“I’m sorry I have to be a stranger with hay fever and on my way to lunch and a matinee. It seems lousy. Everything seems lousy. I didn’t think it would be any good, but I came anyway. I don’t know what’s wrong with me since I’m back.”

Salinger is careful to name Vincent’s girl only in passing. Her name, apparently, is Helen Beebers and she married Bob Polk but still loved Vincent.