In the beginning of The Catcher in the Rye, we learn that Holden is being expelled from his fancy boarding school for failing multiple subjects and being an irresponsible student.

In Chapter Seven, Holden returns to his dormitory so that he can pack up his things and slip out early. He decides on a big plan: he will go book an inexpensive hotel room in New York City where he can "take it easy" and get "rested up" until Wednesday. Once Wednesday comes, he will return to his parents' house; by this time, his parents should have received Headmaster Thurmer's letter of expulsion and would have had time to think it over. This will allow Holden to miss out on his mother's hysterical behavior, since "[s]he's not too bad after she gets something thoroughly digested." Holden feels that his "nerves were shot" and that he needed a vacation. He packs, counts out his money, and exits the building, screaming, "Sleep tight, ya morons!"

Holden, from The Catcher in the Rye, decides to go to New York City before going home.  He has recently been kicked out of Pency.  He knows that he cannot stay at Pency; he must leave by Wednesday.  So, after his fight with Stradlater, Holden decides that he will leave that very evening and go to New York City. Holden decides that what he needs is to go to the City, get a cheap hotel room, and "take it easy" until he goes home on Wednesday.  Holden does not want to go home before Wednesday in hopes that the letter kicking him out of school might arrive before he gets home.  He wants his parents to have the news of his removal from the school "till they got it and thoroughly digested it and all".