The Graduate Read Online Free PDF

walked, sometimes stopping in a park or on a bus bench to rest a few minutes, but usually walking slowly past houses and stores, looking down at the sidewalk ahead of him.
    Late in the afternoon he returned to his own block and to his house.
    He walked up toward the front door but then stopped as he noticed several people sitting in the living room. He turned around and walked back toward the sidewalk but before he reached it the front door opened and his mother stepped out onto the porch.
    “Ben?”
    “What.”
    “Come on in.”
    “I’m going on a walk,” Benjamin said.
    Mrs. Braddock hurried down toward the sidewalk to where he was standing. “It’s your birthday,” she said.
    “I know that. I’m going for a walk on my birthday.”
    “Well the Arnolds came over from next door,” she said.
    “I said you’d fix Peter and Louise some fruit juice as soon as you got back.”
    Benjamin took a deep breath, then turned around and walked with his mother slowly back to the house.

    The Graduate
    35
    “I invited the Robinson over,” she said, “but Elaine had to stay up in Berkeley for summer school and I—”
    Benjamin had stopped and was staring at her. “Are they in there?” he said, pointing at the house.
    “What?”
    “Are Mr. and Mrs. Robinson in that house?”
    “No.”
    “Are they coming?”
    “No.”
    “Are you sure, Mother?”
    “Of course I’m sure,” she said. “Is anything wrong?”
    “No,” Benjamin said. He walked the rest of the way to the house and inside and to the living room.
    Mrs. Arnold, seated in the middle of the sofa, began waving one of her hands back and forth through the air and singing the moment she saw him. “Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear...”
    “Benjamin, it’s good to see you,” Mr. Arnold said, standing up and shaking his hand.
    Peter and Louise ran up to him and wrapped their arms around his legs.
    Benjamin’s father was sitting on one of the chairs beside the fireplace, a drink in his hand. “Go out and get the kids some fruit juice,” he said.
    “Then come on back and we have a little surprise for you.”
    Benjamin walked slowly across the living room with Peter and Louise still hanging onto his legs and laughing. He pushed open the door of the kitchen and walked inside.
    “Get off my legs,” he said when the door was closed.
    They smiled up into his face.
    “Get off my legs, I said!”
    They released his legs and walked slowly to one of the corners of the room. Benjamin shook his head and opened the door of the refrigerator and looked inside. “What do you want,” he said. “Grape juice or orange juice.”

    The Graduate
    36
    They stared at him from the corner without answering.
    “Grape juice or orange juice!” Benjamin said, clenching his fist.
    “Grape juice.”
    “All right then.” He reached into the refrigerator for a bottle of grape juice and filled two small glasses. Peter and Louise walked across the kitchen to take them.
    “Thank you.”
    Benjamin poured himself a glass of grape juice and carried it back into the living room.
    “Ben?” his father said, grinning at him. “I think you’ll get a real big kick out of your present this year.”
    Benjamin nodded and sat down on the sofa beside Mrs. Arnold.
    “We’ve been hearing all about it,” Mrs. Arnold said. “I can’t wait to see it.”
    “Shall I bring it in now?” his father said.
    “What.”
    “Your present.”
    Benjamin nodded and took a sip of the grape juice.
    Mr. Braddock stood and left the room. When he came back several moments later he was carrying a large square box wrapped in white paper. “Many happy returns,” he said, placing it on the rug at Benjamin’s feet.
    “I can’t wait,” Mrs. Arnold said.
    Benjamin looked at her a moment, then reached down to break two strips of Scotch tape holding the paper together. Inside was a brown cardboard box. Mr. Arnold crossed the room to stand over him and watch him open it.