Okay, I've spent hours online searching for this book, with no luck.
I'm hoping someone has read it, has it, and can just grab it off their
shelf and tell me the title.  The book was written between 1920-1970,
and would be considered science fiction.  I remember that the main
character met a young girl, who taught him how to 'jump out of the
pattern' of life.  so instead of every morning instead of brushing
your teeth, and then taking the elevator downstairs, instead you
jumped on your bed, then ran down the stairs.  Now you are out of the
pattern of your normal life, and effectively are invisible, while your
normal body/life goes on and does its own thing.  so anyway, the guy
does this with this girl, and she has been hiding out in a library,
and they hang out there. but the one thing i remember very well, is
when the guy is walking down the street, and he's waiting at a
crosswalk, and glances across the street, and there's a gang of people
over there, and they have a panther or cougar or other type of big cat
on a leash, and they are looking at him. they see him, they are
outside of the pattern as well.  and then there's another character
who lives on a barge on the river, he's outside of the pattern as
well.  and ummm what else. some crazy guy who drives a car.  I guess
when you were out of the pattern you weren't supposed to touch other
people - it was really bad.  I think the book ended with some form of
aliens coming down and taking out the gang with the panther, but i
can't remember.

Anyone have an answer for me?  I would appreciate it!
thanks!

~Ninj