OK, let's try & move on beyond the "smart" concept. This occured to me while I was at work, so I'll lay it out & see who can hang with me. No, I do not believe Teddy is a real person. My suspension of disbelief isn't THAT strong. I don't believe Valentine Michael Smith from Stranger in a Strange land, either, yet it's one of my favourite five books. Why? Because a character doesn't have to be real to say something real. We'd expect this behavior from a Fakir or ancient swami, but a kid? Salinger made it unbelievable so that it could be believed in a real-world context. You with me here? Teddy isn't a character, he's a caricature, with a point. Thor _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com