JR (112 page)

buying it, vastness of the plains the purple hello … ? hear me … ? Can't hear me … he had the cover off holding it closer, forcing a nail under a wire, twisting —God damned bug in it… he pulled it out, —hello? screwing the cover back on, —hello Crawley? Bastard hung up …

He tossed the thing ahead of him coming down, steadied against 200 2-Ply to crush it under a heel —whole God damned place probably

bugged… the bottle tipped horizontal and he held it up to what light there was —Christ… he raised the cup —what, something move God damn it saw something move up there looked like a … he reached to Won't Bum, Smoke or Smell to pull himself up —well God damn it! and he was down picking up cigarette lighters, view of the Ghiralda, glue,

—God, suppose she… and he steadied against H-O, came down on it — what was I, typed yes get it typed Christ, get something typed … he dragged Thomas Register closer, reached the bottle over, rummaged in Won't Burn, Smoke or Smell beside him, —now … He hit R.

—Get under their God damned signal, here … he emptied the cup, hunched closer, typing —God damned apostrophe hardly see in here … the roller turned, turned again, each time more slowly till he was up abruptly shaking the punctured lampshade, rattling open the battered shopping bag from the sofa as the lamp lighted —knew they eat snails Christ but, catfood… ? The lamp went off, came on —chicken parts necks and backs, palmitate, d-activated plant sterol choline chloride pyri-doxine better not no where the, where those cigarettes… the

lamp went off.

When it came on he was sitting on Hoppin' With Flavor! staring at the vacant sill outside. He reached the bottle. The second hand sprang from NO DEPOSIT, plunged to no return and suddenly he was up digging in Won't Burn, Smoke or Smell, had the glue squeezing it on the Liberty head quarter as the lamp flickered off and on for him pressing the quarter on the sill, banging the window up steadying an arm on 2-Ply Facial Tissue Yellow —couldn't, couldn't be God suppose she … It rang again. He looked down his front, brushed at it, tripped against H-O getting through to steady against the tub, let it ring again.

—Hel, hello… ? Christ that you Tom? did, she didn't call did she … ? no no just, that's right just thought… no couldn't have missed her no been here the whole God damned day been here got Schramm's typewriter, found Schramm's typewriter been… what? Notes? find my notes told you I can't find my notes whole place is … Schramm's notes? in what typewriter … old manila folder got what spilled on it… ? Keep an eye out for it Tom I'll keep an eye out typewriter manuscript old manila spilled on God damn it … Nothing no foot just slipped on this God damned what… ? Drink two drinks yes had three drinks been up here all… well God damn it listen I … know I said that yes but God damn it look Tom she… listen say something like that listen Tom told you I haven't felt too God damned well I… no what… Didn't tell me that no, what… no which eye … No but look if it was your … heard of that happening listen Tom had a detached retina you'd really be… Wouldn't try that Christ no find a good eye man a good, eye man, not a good eye, the good eye could… the what? Called who, here? Oh called here yes she called this morning collect didn't even … visitation rights make the kid sound like John the Bap wait listen ever think of that game idea we … no just reminded me jumping for joy in the womb Mary visiting

Elisa wait Christ listen what day is it… ! no no now today what… Not the God damned date the day the day! got a God damned name like Monday Tues… Christ.

The phone swung free. His foot slipped again, recovered 24-12 Oz Btls Fragile! and he stared down at his front, brushed at it, caught his balance and grabbed for the phone, clung to QUICK QUAKER and tried again, caught it and reached his free hand up to dial. —Hello? Yes

listen I… know it yes but listen I… know it yes I know what day it is that's what I'm … Because I couldn't God damn it because I couldn't! will you lis … Don't no I don't want to tell her myself no I, look can you tell her next week tell her get the new boots for her next week can't you just … Look I know it's getting cold that's not what's God damn it couldn't you… Because I can't talk to her right now that's why! Look at me! I, can't you just once can't you, just once couldn't you, once just not have to win… ?

String came lowering a gum wad into the cast of light at the sill abruptly gone with his lurch against the punctured shade coming down on Hoppin' With Flavor! —Christ what I'm, Christ…

—Man like you didn't even bring in the mail… the door shuddered in on her wading through envelopes, kicking ahead the Journal of Business, Modern Packaging, Financial World —And like there's this big fucking box out there I can't even move it. Are you in here… ?

—In the library quick just been attacked by Cruden's Concordance…

—Man like what are you sitting in there in the dark and I mean what's with the telephone, it's just hanging here… she freed an arm, passing, to reach and hang it up.

—Got my call took it off the hook… the lamp flickered on, the gum wad took up again, bounded merrily off the quarter, drew up, —got my call won a free dance lesson…

—I mean look I'm expecting this very important call… she came in trailing mail, dumped the raincoat's pockets of cans, jars, a clothing wad as she pulled it off—like I mean this job they said they'll call me on this very short notice… she yanked at a zipper.

—Charming little frock never pictured you in a charming little frock

… he stared up from the cup's emptiness, edged over to H-O in reach of the bottle —why you taking off charming little…

—Man like this place is so filthy I can't even sit down in it, I mean they gave me this twenty dollars for it to look nice for this job like can you hold it a minute?

—Sound like a God damned fastidious horse what's the…

—No I mean hold it up off the floor man… she shook herself into a shirt —like I'm supposed to be this secretary that's got these personal problems like am I pregnant or something I said how do I know … she got through over his feet to hang the dress on the dishcloth rack, —I

mean for when this public figure grabs me in the window like you should see this place man, I mean they must all shit American flags up there it's so patriotic.

—God damned disappointment public figure thought you said a horse … the bottle tipped, wavered —like the flags though, Macy's draw a nice genteel crowd nothing vulgar…

—Man like what do you keep saying this horse I mean I just told you it's politics, I mean this Mister Cibo that hired me he's like right out of the Mafia… she paused mismatching button to buttonhole, —I mean I'm jumping out this window with these personal problems and this politician saves me to make him this big hero, like I say how his courageous act shows he cares for people and gives me this courage to face life's battles once more and they pay me this hundred bucks and I mean what's with this lamp… she shook it, got around tugging at 24-7 Oz Pkgs Flavored Loops —like there's this other lamp back here they sent him I mean have you got a quarter?

—Gave you five dollars this morn…

—Like I'm not selling it to you man … she dragged it out, set it up on Moody's —I mean it's made of this parking meter you need a quarter

to make it go for an hour.

—Take twelve minutes here's a nickel, careful that bottle…

—No look man I mean a nickel's too fat to go in the slot what do you wow, like you drank this whole bottle just today?

—Grynszpan dropped in heavy drinker he, look! See it? damn…

—Man what's, see what…

—Football up there box in front of the clock wait till the light comes back on, old football climbing out of No Dep there! See it?

—Man like that's here kitty kitty I mean that's Chairman Meow man, here kitty…

—Hell's he doing here looks like a …

—Man like where was I supposed to take him and I mean where's that opener, like I had it in here for those enchilavies… and her sharp bend away looking under the sofa snapped the shirttail up where he swallowed abruptly on nothing, licked his lips and spilled the cup over the back of his hand getting it to them. —Here it is it's still on the can I mean what a disgusting mess, like I mean these cigarette butts and enchilavies man couldn't you even put garbage out in the hall like you're supposed to?

—Little old lady comes down cleans out the tunafish cans…

—Man like we don't even have tunafish and I mean the last time she tried that they almost put her in this little green panel truck and took her with it here kitty kitty…

—This keeps up put us all in a little green panel…

—No I mean this one that comes for the trash every night man like Bast says it's some service his company must have fixed up kitty kitty kitty… she tapped the opened can on the floor.

—Company his service fixed up just found a bug on the phone that's

who…

—Man like that's what I'm telling you, I mean this place is so filthy I expect to wake up with bites come here kitty…

—Bite bug not a bedbug no a tap phone tap, on the floor in there just ripped it out of the phone I …

—What that you ripped it out? Man like why'd you do that I mean he'll just have to come back and fix it kitty kitty… ?

—He who, what…

—This spade cat that works for the phone company man, I mean like he installs these telephones and these taps he does on the side so I mean like when they don't hear anything they'll just tell him to come put on another one I mean are you hungry?

—Not that hungry … he moved a foot from the stealthy approach to the can opened on the floor, —ever see a football eating don't disturb…

—What do you have to say it with him standing right there man… she'd gone round on one knee on the sofa's edge thrusting among mail for a jar, a can, inching the shirttail up —I mean can't you look at somebody's face instead of their ass? And like didn't you find a quarter

I mean this fucking lamp going on and off I can't hardly see what… she was down biting open a transparent packet —like do you want some?

—What, some what… he tipped the bottle over the cup, shook it.

—Some what man how do I know some what I mean it says cheese type processed food product do you…

—Wait! Christ…

—Like what's the matter that's grape drink I mean I just poured you grape drink what's…

—Last of the whisky poured it right in the last of the God damned whisky…

—So now you've got like grape whisky I mean you're so stoned you won't know the difference man what are these… she held it up, pried off the lid —raviolis you want some raviolis… ? The lamp flickered, beyond her the gum wad bounded and slowly rose from sight as she licked fingers, tore an envelope —Dear Mister Eigen, it is my pleasure to inform you that the Admissions Committee of the PEN voted at its last meeting to ask you to become a …

—Wait what's … he coughed into the cup —what are you…

—What man I mean I'm reading the mail, like I mean when Bast and I eat that's what we do man… she paused parting the shirttail on a flank to scratch there, —I mean like what else is there to do.

—No look problem's just problem Mister Eigen God damned touchy sometimes might want to open his mail himself look…

—Man like what's the difference I mean it's all mail… paper tore, she licked fingers and set the jar down. —This is a periodic report which the trustee under the indenture mentioned below is required to make by reason of all this bullshit Bast gets I mean who wants to read all this

Kissinger Tax Letter, US Bureau of Mines Taxwise Methods for the Executive, Bureau of Indian Affairs U S Department of bullshit… she was digging in the heap beside her —I mean I thought I had this herrings someplace…

—Try Grynszpan had it all sorted out, what the hell happened just sorted it out…

—Like can you open this can? I mean they don't even give you this key thing anymore here's one, dear Mister Grynszpan. Since we believe you are a deeply concerned citizen whose opinions on the vital issues of the day are formed after careful and intelligent consideration, and

since the continued survival of our republic as we know it depends so heavily upon the free expression of such independent views as yours at the highest levels, a letter is enclosed for your convenience which you may rewrite in your own words and mail to your Senator and Congressman immediately dear sir, as a concerned citizen I wish my voice to be heard expressing strong support for HR three five nine seven and the companion Senate resolution sponsored by Senator Broos firmly backing nonintervention in the civil conflict in Gandia, and the earliest possible recognition for Uaso province as a sovereign and independent look out! man you're spilling…

—God damned cat what…

—What I mean he just jumped on the windowsill man like why shouldn't he look out the, what's he, what's that, I mean look there's something out there dancing up and down on this string man look…

He righted his cup, recovered his seating on H-O —went back up and reloaded looks like double bubble…

—Man look there's this quarter out there… ! the shirttail tugged up with her turn to shake the sash, raise it, a paw shot out past her at the glistening pink wad —man like hold him! She bent further —it's stuck here, I mean it's stuck here man I can't get it off… the gum wad danced above, plunged, the paw shot out —man will you get this fucking cat off my in my hair what's, oww… ! the string tautened, yanked, again, she was in, banged the window down —man who's

with that fucking gum up there and I mean if that's that my vife Mrs at the door I'm really going to hand him his … she was through past 200

2-Ply, —like who is it!

—Good evening madam … it shuddered open, —I trust I am not interrupting the dinner repast, am I addressing the lady of the house?

—Look man what do I look like the…

—I see immediately that I am speaking with someone who has enjoyed the benefits of a fine education, surely madam you would not wish to deprive your youngsters of similar advan…