William Gaddis - Carpenter's Gothic

— Nothing… she turned from the window — I just thought, I mean if your car…

— All right you read it, here… He was up thrusting the page at her, — foot of the column right there at the end, want to see what it sounds like then you read it. He got by her to push open the door under the stairs, — go ahead I can hear you…

She sat down to it. — Three people were killed and fourteen injured here late this evening when a school bus went out of control and plunged into a ravine on route one eleven, according to state police. The passengers, all students at the nearby Christian Recovery Bible Mission School, owners of the bus, were among the last of a crowd estimated by authorities at over five hundred who had attended prayer services following the funeral of…

— What the hell is that! The toilet seat banged down behind him — here give me it, where is it…

— Here, right where you…

— Well Christ. He pulled up his belt, — didn't see it there, tucked it down in the corner where you don't even see it, look. Says he couldn't be reached for comment, preparing for a speaking engagement in Texas Reverend Ude was in seclusion seeking spiritual guidance, according to a spokesman… The paper went down in a heap, — see him get out of this one, just got their indoor plumbing paid for now he'll have the whole God damn state highway safety commission in there on these broken down school buses… He'd seized the empty glass and sat down, — all the pieces falling into place suddenly the whole God damn what are you doing!

— Just, I thought I'd get you another drink.

— Drink all you think s I want a drink! He wrenched the glass down hard on the coffee table. — Get something to, thought you're getting me something to eat I better get something to eat, food they give you on these God damn planes where you going…

— There's some chicken, some cold chicken if you want it with, I'll get it… She was already in the kitchen, — Paul? It's somebody calling about the flights from LaGuardia, it's the weather they canceled your flight, they… what? hello…? Paul? They want to know if you want a place on a helicopter from LaGuardia to Newark, Paul…? He was drumming his fingers on the chair arm. — Do you…

— I heard you!

— Do you want them to hold…

— I said no! his voice gone hoarse, hand suddenly gripping tight to the arm as though it were the chair itself lurching abruptly, dropping away from under him, the tendons standing out hard under the bursting course of the veins — can't, can't do that… sinking back, raising both hands in the air, looking up at them as the veins subsided, and they came down and he reached out to seize something, anything, Natural History magazine staring fixed at its cover. — Looks like my God damn crew chief. Liz…? He dropped it face down, reached for Town & Country — where'd these magazines come from? turning it about for the address label, — bring magazines home from the doctor's waiting room why the hell do you take Town & Country? why don't you bring home Time and Newsweek? Read about something real not a lot of, this the doctor you just saw? Kissinger?

— I can't hear you Paul, I'll be in in a minute.

— This your famous Doctor Kissinger? What are you seeing him for he's a proctologist, got asthma why the hell are you seeing a proctologist.

— Paul? Do you want mayonnaise?

— Why do I want mayonnaise! He had his glass in one hand, swept up the newspaper with the other coming through to the kitchen — picture in the paper here he, what are you doing.

— I just sliced this chicken, do you…

— Told you I'd eat on the plane look, this the same Kissinger? Picture here on his way to operate on some sheikh what are you seeing him for.

— He's a consultant Paul, the one I tried to see last week Jack Orsini sent me to, he's supposed to be the best diagnost…

— Here it is look, picture of him with the Ogodai Shah and his wife Christ take a look at her, Empress Shajar looks like a high class belly dancer, ugly old bastard isn't he? Says Kissinger's in there to do a colostomy on him probably bill him for a cool million, what's he charging you?

— I don't…

— Probably had his bill in the mail before you got out the door, did you sign an insurance form? Get this insurance straightened out Liz, got to get this God damn medical insurance straightened out before we, that the door? My car look, I'll try to call you from… he broke off. He just stood there. She was into the room behind him before he managed — You don't even bother to knock?

— Hey, Bibb… came past him without a glance, without a word for him into the brief flurry of her embrace.

— What a beautiful suit she said, stepping back her arm's length. It was a glen plaid, cut long at the vent. — Paul… her hand still on the sleeve, her other out as though she'd just introduced them — Paul's just going to the airport, we thought it was his car.

— You look good Bibbs.

— Told you let's try to keep this God damn door locked Liz… he was over forcing it closed, swollen with dampness against the doorframe, looking out where the streetlight glinted on a dark car pulled up still against the hedge beyond the corner. He stood there tapping a foot, his back to their voices in the kitchen till a shock of laughter, her laughter brought him round — Liz? his voice sharp as his step — look, if McFardle calls in the morning tell him to tell the senator…

— With a B, and a U…

— Paul I'm sorry, what is it?

— Nothing! He was over filling his drink, — finish your jokes.

— No it's nothing, he was just telling me about Sheila running down the aisle at Saint Bartholomew's in a sweater with a big letter B on it shouting today is Buddha's birthday, let's hear it for Buddha, with a…

— B? and a U? The bottleneck came pressed down hard on the glass, — says he's a God damn Buddhist can't even spell it? It's crap anyway that story, I saw it in the paper. What's he doing here, the usual? stops in to piss on the floor and borrow some money?

— Give you good karma, Paul. Doing you a favour, ask you for ten bucks I give you the chance to do a kind deed, earn yourself a little good karma man you're going to need it.

— See that Liz? doing me a favour? Like fixing my car he God damn near got me killed look Billy, take your karma and shove it. He raised the glass and brought it down, as he did so following down the draped ease of glen plaid lounged before him. — What's the new suit. A little good karma for Adolph? squeeze some more money out of Adolph?

— Oh, man… the glen plaid shifted wearily. — What is it with him anyhow, Bibb? Her hand lay still across her forehead sheltering her eyes, and did not move. — Look man… the folds shifted again, — I didn't get a fucking nickel out of Adolph. What I got out of Adolph is you trying to take over Longview, turn it into some media center for your redneck evangelist.

— You see that Liz? see that? Same thing, jump to conclusions same God damn thing look, they're selling Longview to get it off the books before this lawsuit comes up, ever hear of it? Twenty three stockholders' suits consolidated into one thirty four million dollar suit against VCR and your old man's estate ever hear of it? Grimes Sneddiger all your old man's buddies signed up with these Belgians moving in on VCR, they'll sit up there and perjure themselves blind before they'll hand over thirty four million to these God damn stockholders. How the hell did they think we did business there anyhow.

— You tell them, Paul. You carried the bag.

— There. See that Liz? Who was out doing the work while he was smashing up cars and screwing anything with legs, walks in here in a four hundred dollar suit and wants to borrow ten dollars reminds me, wait. Anything in the till there Liz I just need carfare get out to the airport, take this check down to the bank in the morning see if they'll cash it.