JR (126 page)

later, she said he confronted her at the door insisting he was his own sister on a trip through town and just wanted to say hello. Unmoved by her demand that he come in and stop the nonsense, she said he suddenly turned and left and she has heard nothing from him since. In recounting her discovery, Mrs Teets appeared most annoyed by the

variety of silk underthings she found hidden in his shirt drawer, since she had been restricted to cotton and synthetics throughout their marriage to save money. Mister Teets is being sought in connection with a subpoena for …

—Have we used the bedpan today?

—Think it'll hold us both? Let's wait, don't go away Waddles I've got a stiff proposition here for you…

—Now now…

—Real spoilsport isn't she, listen to this one. For a fifth straight day, the brave little fourth grader trapped in the soaring steel sculpture Cyclone Seven patiently awaits court settlement in a case that promises to set precedents in art and insurance circles alike. As tightlipped members of the local fire department stand their lonely vigil with acetylene torches ready, prepared to free the boy from what has been called one of the most outstanding contemporary sculptural comments on mass space, insurance company attorneys continue to work around the clock assembling briefs covering interpretations of the health, accident, life and property provisions contained in the numerous subclauses of the policies directly and indirectly involved in the controversy. Prospects for the out of court settlement rumored yesterday were suddenly dimmed by the intervention of a group calling itself the Modern Allies of Mandible Art. Through its attorneys, MAMA is seeking an injunction against what it terms willful destruction of a unique metaphor of man's relation to the universe, stating its contention that altering the massive work in the smallest detail would permanently destroy the arbitrary arrangement of force and line that pushes Cyclone Seven beyond conventional limits of beauty to celebrate in the virile and aggressive terms of raw freedom the triumphant dignity of man. Braving the sleet and freezing rain that continue to sweep the bare expanse of the Cultural Plaza where Cyclone Seven stands, protesters picketing within a stone's throw of the makeshift

tent hastily suspended by friends and neighbors of the boy's parents to give him some protection from Bast? Look at that picture looks like he's being eaten alive, what's this Waddles. Fish?

—It's your supper.

—It's fish.

—Mister Bast? Suppertime, let's wake up and eat.

—Cheer up Bast the worst is yet to come. Wait till you try this fish, remember anything you told me last night? not to bring fresh flowers into the cemetery? You don't even know what failure is at your age how can you call yourself one when you've never done anything, talking about your father picking the wrong boy what you're worried about inheriting from him I've been trying to get out of the wallpaper business for fourteen years how do you like that, these great plans he had for you to be somebody? get your picture in the paper wearing a tuxedo? I never tasted anything like this before I don't see how you can get it down, I'll tell you a story about my boy. Tell me about this limited

reliability you found in the trash I'll tell you a story about him. That war those same son of a bitches were running when they ran the whole country into the ground ten years ago he met a girl overseas and brought her back she was pregnant all right, I think this fish is going to make me vomit. He finally told me he couldn't swear it was his I could have told him that with one look at her he told me it didn't matter, he just wanted to save somebody love somebody help make up for some

of the hands and feet we blew off over there it wouldn't matter, there didn't anybody ever need to know if it was his he married her and she had the baby it was black as your hat, how do you like that. A little boy now he's in second grade as black as your hat see what I mean? It's taken me fourteen years to get out of the wallpaper business people think winning's what it's all about just ask those son of a bitches who ran that war, ran the whole country into the ground while they were

at it where's that woman, Waddles? Come in and get this tray it's the worst meal I ever ate.

—Did we take our medication?

—What medication just get this tray out of here.

—This little white cup yes you took it didn't you, if milk of magnesia doesn't help we may need an enema.

—Just crank me down a little I thought it was the sauce for the fish, here give me those papers read about other people's troubles see what I mean Bast? Can't get her mind off enemas here's one, remember the shelter fad? Here's one somebody built on Long Island it's got such a fancy big waste disposal system the whole district's sewer assessment's in trouble look at that, afraid of losing federal funding so they're condemning the whole thing turning it into a public convenience look at it, make a nice fifty holer won't it Waddles, ever been to Long Island? It says here the water table's so high the whole island's turning into a leaching field it may have to be declared a disaster area, one look at it I could have told them that…

—Are you finished too Mister Bast?

—If that fish didn't finish him nothing will you better take his pulse see if he still has one, here's a Senate subcommittee that still thinks winning's what it's all about holding hearings on a project part of a company the same son of a bitches that got me out of the wallpaper business listen to this. Testifying before the Broos committee on operational difficulties, Doctor Vogel stated that the only remaining problems appear to be those encountered in handling the noise or sound shards as they are called, and in perfecting the timing element in the thawing process. In what Doctor Vogel described as perhaps too ambitious a trial in this early state of the art, the shards comprising Beethoven's Fifth Symphony proved more difficult to handle than had been anticipated, and the sequential thaw technique was not entirely reliable. Appearing before the committee with his left arm in a cast

and his face partially hidden by bandages, the colorful research director stated that the injuries sustained by himself and three of his technicians

occurred when the entire first movement thawed in an unscheduled four seconds, ascribing the damage mainly to the strident quality of the musical work's opening bars…

—Move your feet let me tuck this in here, I don't think Mister Bast hears a word you're saying I think he's gone back to sleep.

—He knows how to get along with people he's a good listener aren't you Bast, pass me his orange drink he never touches it. The next test series will be conducted with a selection from The Red Mill by Victor Herbert, which Doctor Vogel chose as being less hazardous to personnel in the event of a repeated malfunction in the thawing process. Initiated by the Defense Department for reasons that remain unclear, the Frigicom project is being carried on in conjunction with noise environment studies in several cities and has attracted the interest of the recording industry due to the complete absence of friction associated with conventional transcription. Concluding his testimony with a jocular reference to turning the other cheek, Doctor Vogel was believed to be referring to cost overrun and feasibility studies in connection with a highly secret project said to involve a revolutionary method of transportation which is the focus of acute military interest. Informed sources stated that his abrupt departure for Texas this evening signaled the probability of a trial run of the new what are you looking for under there Waddles.

—Nothing silly I'm just checking your dressing.

—Check a little further you may get a surprise.

—No now Mister Duncan let's act our age…

—Just want to get fixed up and get back to Zanesville, crank me down a little will you … ? came from the tumult of newspaper, and she drew the door behind her on —here's a nice one, Bast? you awake?

Here's a politician who pushed a girl out an office window he says she told him she could fly …

And down the corridor, —there's a call for you on two I think it's that same lawyer…

—Hello Mister Coen… ? Sure he's much better this eve … no he sleeps a lot but he seems much more… no, no he didn't have any visitors yet but he's got this real character in there with him now, they really … tomorrow? Sure, you … you bet Mister Coen yes see you tomorrow then…

Through bull's eye doors from the lull of an elevator, down those greens lost to the morning sun already failed elsewhere for the decline of afternoon's —excuse me nurse, I'm looking for…

—You the man to fix the diathermy? It's right in …

—No no I, I've come to see a patient is Miss Wad…

—It's not visiting time, Miss Waddams… ?

—Oh hi Mister Coen you finally made it, he's down this way. So how's your other patients.

—I just stopped at intensive care yes they, his condition's unchanged of course they don't dare operate but…

—I know they really hang on sometimes don't they there's no …

—Yes well how is Mister Bast, has he …

—Oh he's fine he ought to be out in a couple of days, he woke up this morning he wanted fifty sharp pencils he's been in here drawing pictures all day no right in here, wait till you meet his friend…

—Across supermarket counters today following what was explained as an unfortunate lapse in inventory control by a spokesman for the Triangle Paper same son of a bitches who got me out of the wallpaper business how do you like that…

—Mister Bast… ?

—Intended for eventual distribution to novelty and mail order houses, sixteen thousand cases of toilet tissue appearing on supermarket shelves in many parts of the nation are the novelty roll variety, so called because alternate sheets bearing ribald messages…

—Mister Bast look you have a visitor!

—We've got a case of that they sent us in Zanesville you know what the message is?

—Mister Bast? I'm glad to see you recovered, you look…

—Who are you.

—It's your friend Mister Coen.

—It's your friend Mister Cohen Bast maybe he brought your pencils, you know what the message is on these…

—Yes you probably don't remember our drive in together Mister Bast, I must say I'm greatly relieved to see you up and, what is this you're doing…

—He's writing a piece for the unaccompanied cello because all they'll give him is a crayon, he said he has to finish something before he dies.

—Silly he's not going to die, now let Mis…

—Well then give him his fifty pencils, how do you know who's going to die Waddles you give him this drawing paper and one purple crayon all he can write is something for one instrument, give him his fifty sharp pencils he can probably write us a whole concert and bring me some more newspapers… !

—Mister Bast? You may not recall my telling you about Mrs Angel, your cousin Stella? She's still, still somewhat uncommunicative I saw her downtown last evening where I believe I mentioned she might go for observa…

—Before you sit down Cohen reach across him in that night table and just hand me that urinal?

—Why why, yes excuse me Mister Bast no go ahead with what you're doing just let me, there. Now. About your aunts Mister Bast I've been making every effort to learn what became of them, it occurred to me they might even have returned to Indiana? Recalling their devotion to their local newspaper out there fortunately I remembered the name of it and placed an ad urging them to get in touch with us, I've also renewed my efforts to reach their attorney out there a Mister Lemp?

Their position seems to have assumed particular urgency since…

—Mind putting this back Cohen? careful… ! just got the cuff you won't even notice it when it dries, listen to this one…

—Excuse me Mister Bast if I might borrow that washcloth yes now, yes in looking into the complications implicit in Mister Angel's present condition and possibly also that of his wife as affecting your aunts' position with regard to settlement of the estate and attempting to verify their original holding in the family company, I learned that they appear to have had the bulk of their securities in a discretionary account where they have already suffered substantial losses through unsound investment decisions on their part, and since what stock remained was being held by this broker in a street name, in all likelihood it was included in the collateral he put up for very substantial loans he now appears unable to…

—Listen to this here's a couple of wetbacks one of them got a new Cadillac for five dollars, the other one's got an eighty foot yacht for ten how do you like that.

—To, I assume you've, Mister Bast? I assume you've had no word from the, from your father?

—I can help you out on that one Cohen.

—Pardon?

—Is that it? Cohen? with an h? You a lawyer Cohen?

—Why why yes, yes that's…

—Try this one on tell me if I can sue the city, walking down the street here a chippy came up she said she'd fix me up right there in the doorway for five dollars all I had was a ten, you know what she said?

She said she'd go upstairs and get her sister to change it for me I'm not that dumb, I said I'd go up with her, hallway up there black as your hat and wham! That's what I'm doing here, ruptured spleen three broken ribs a torn…

—Frankly I doubt if you would have any success in attempting to sue the city Mis…

—Duncan Isadore Duncan, maybe you heard of my…

—The name sounds familiar yes but I'm afraid I …

—Just want to get fixed up and get back to Zanesville.

—I see yes I, I can hardly blame you and now, Mister Bast? Yes what was I, Mrs Angel yes, as I assumed the results of the paraffin test proved negative as of course so did the prints when they dusted the weapon an old octagonal barrel twenty-two, a sort of relic of Mister Angel's boyhood I believe. Of course I had had no doubt that the wound was self inflicted, I don't know whether you were aware of the growing despondency that had overtaken him lately but for a man of his fiercely independent nature seeing the comp…

—A man in the paper shot himself performed a perfect lobotomy, you read about that one Cohen? Held the gun up to his temple and fired put it down and walked away, the bullet went right through his head performed a perfect lo…