Harper professor recounts meeting Salinger

A lot of people have taught J.D. Salinger's books, and almost everyone with a high school education has read "Catcher in the Rye."

But Greg Herriges, an English professor at Harper College, has a personal connection with the reclusive author who died Thursday at the age of 91.

In 1978 Herriges and his girlfriend, both Chicago Public School English teachers, took a road trip specifically to meet Salinger, whom Herriges credits with changing him from a rebellious teen to an avid reader and aspiring author.

Four years ago Herriges wrote a book, "J. D: A Memoir of a Time and a Journey" (Wordcraft of Oregon), about the trip and the reactions he got from other authors like Kurt Vonnegut and John McInerney when he told of meeting Salinger.

He talked about the experience in an interview Friday.

When the teachers first showed up at Salinger's farm near the tiny town of Cornish, N.H., they were frightened off by the writer's three dogs. They had also been warned that Salinger had a shotgun.

Herriges then wrote Salinger a letter and delivered it to the post office where the author got his mail, saying they would visit in three days.

When they arrived in the girlfriend's Volkswagen Rabbit, the author came out through an automatic garage door that seemed to be his front door.

"He was sweet, firm and kind of haughty," said Herriges. "He had a sense of humor and was very articulate with his New England accent. Every once in a while he was very stern. I had never witnessed such confidence in my life. He was a major talent, and he knew it. Just a cut above with a very East Coast preppy look."

But there was no invitation to tea and cookies.

"He wouldn't let us out of the car," said Herriges. "He kept leaning against my door, and he looked in the back seat to be sure I didn't have recording equipment."

The author told the teachers he wrote for himself.

"Contact with the public hinders my work," said Salinger, and Herriges said he understood.

"No, you don't; if you did you wouldn't be here," Salinger retorted.

Herriges offered to leave a couple of times, especially because it was raining, but each time Salinger said they seemed like nice young people and might as well ask their questions.

And what is Herriges' take on the success of "Catcher in the Rye?" for more than half a century?

"It is a virtuoso performance in terms of impersonating the thoughts, voice, emotions of a disaffected 17-year-old. He spoke to decades worth of alienated youth who were coping with that very difficult stage of development."

Herriges was never very interested in Salinger's private life, but just in his art.

"I never thought there wouldn't be a J.D. Salinger. He couldn't live forever, could he?" Herriges said. "We've got his books, and there might be more. In a way he kind of does."