Elaine

Elaine
Status
Original Publication Date	March 1, 1945
Salinger.org Rating

Fairly forgettable, this one left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

She had no girl friends of her own age, and she knew no boys. Boys whistled at her, boys wrote clean or dirty notes to her, boys said “Hiya, beautiful” to her in hallways, in drugstores, on street corners; but she didn’t go out with any of them, or even know any of them. If they asked her to go for a walk; or to a movie, she said she couldn’t, that her mother wouldn’t let her. This was not true.
Sources

Elaine is difficult to locate. It only appeared in a single volume, Story magazine, which thankfully was at least somewhat plentiful and preserved. I was able to locate a copy at a well-stocked University library and others will likely have the same luck if they persevere. Although it is not of sufficient quality to warrant a trip on its own, any library with Elaine is likely also to have copies of Once a Week Won’t Kill You, The Long Debut of Lois Taggett, and The Young Folks.