William Gaddis - J R

— Jack God damn it will you just take that off and let Mister Beamish get…

— No this ah, this sounds interesting Mister Eigen, I…

— Getting all this down Beamish? Wait damn it…

— Look now you’ve split it, what the hell did you…

— Three million Beamish can’t be right, inventory three million Beamish?

— Yes I’m afraid inventory control had been rather poor until…

— Poor must have been God damned nonexistent, all right you take ninety percent of that two point seven million get eighty percent of the difference back on taxes for two hundred forty thousand add it up… here Tom, drop in on Mrs Schramm give her these… he’d reached under the bed, — still plenty of good wear in them…

— What in hell is…

— Add it up your asking price is four and a half million and four and a half back on taxes you’ve got nine all you’d get anyhow, write off some of those accounts receivable as bad debts and you might cut off another half a million, how’s that.

— Yes in fact it ah, it looks very interesting Mister Gibbs…

— Damned strong elastic too, God damned out of fashion hardly see them anymore right Beamish? Where the hell they came from must have been…

— You know God damned well where they came from, that dimwitted little piece Rhoda what do you…

— Wait forgot good will Beamish have to get paid for good will, problem Tom you’ve got no God damned good will, little good will for Rhoda ought to get yourself one…

— What the hell do you mean good will for Rhoda, if she’d been here waiting for him like she was supposed to that night we wouldn’t be here now.

— Been here that night he probably would have painted one ball orange and hung her up there instead all just God damned revenge, I’m his friend wasn’t here God damned revenge, you let him leave alone God damned revenge, wants to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery more God damned revenge right Beamish? Decline from status to contract, right?

— Well ah, it’s simply a wish Mister Gibbs, not legally binding on the family or executors and if…

— No God damn it wants to be buried there that’s where he goes, out there holding the point of the whole God damned defense perimeter that’s where he goes, wait turn that light back on get that cup…

— Hurry up then, what…

— Get this God damned manuscript wait a minute, Beamish ever see Schramm’s movie Beamish? One God damned thing he ever wrote a Western didn’t even have his name on it, movie Dirty Tricks didn’t even have his name on it…

— I’m afraid not Mister Gibbs I, I don’t usually go to…

— Jack damn it will you…

— Same God damned thing as all this but a Western, God damned general in there above the battle taking bets just like the Lord, Schramm out there holding the point while everybody praised the Duke who this great fight did win, want to get these shirts wait a minute…

— Damn it Jack will you hurry up?

— But what good came of it at last quoth little Peterkin, wait get that book quick little God damned red book on the floor can’t lose it again, why that I cannot tell said he but ’twas a famous victory know who wrote that? Same man Southey, same man who wait…

— Well what the hell are you bringing one shoe for.

— Got a friend needs one shoe, same man who wrote my name is Death, the last best friend am I, how’s that. Put that on Schramm’s stone, how’s that…

— Just move so I can lock the door will you? Watch your step here in the dark Mister Beamish…

— Thank you yes I, I want to thank you both, Mister Gibbs for your interesting approach on Triangle and…

— What? Oh that’s you Beamish, haven’t got a free hand listen, stone in Arlington cemetery here’s what it says, es ruht im Feindesland how’s that Beamish.

— And I’d watch that throat Mister Gibbs, it sounds…

— Never see a German military cemetery Beamish? Got them all over the God damned place, bury them where they fall same God damned thing revenge, es ruht im Feindesland point is who asked the bastard there in the first place…

— Yes I’m ah; afraid I don’t understand German but of course…

— Means forgot those panties Tom, means he rests in the land of the enemy, thought you wanted to take them up to Mrs…

— Jack look out, can you see the stairs there Mister Beamish? I’m on my way downtown and I’d be glad to drop you off if you…

— Wait I’m coming too Tom, just have to stop and pick up some research material, Beamish? Es ruht im Feindesland how’s that. Name rank serial number es ruht im Feindesland how’s that.

— Well it ah, I think we’d have to discuss it Mister Gibbs, the cemetery authorities might consider the sentiment somewhat inappro…

— God damn what I’m trying to do discuss it, Tom can’t discuss a God damned thing standing around out here in the dark let him in, got this book here Beamish wants to discuss the Malleus Maleficarum, Hexenhammer Beamish fifteenth-century legal mind at work questions and answers Tom said he wants to discuss the questions and answers how can I read him the God damned thing out here in the dark…

— Jack damn it you’re dropping everything will you just wait here till I…

— Listen… hear that? Sound like a telephone hear that?

— Just wait here till I get that door…

— Sound like a telephone…

— Just… the door shuddered, — wait…

— No I can’t now goodbye…!

— Bast…? Oh, I didn’t see you up there, sorry to bother you again but there’s something Jack wants to…

— No come in it’s all right I… he eased down to 24–12 Oz Btls Fragile! — I was just, looking for something…

— Little like Pittsburgh isn’t it Beamish, pull up Moody’s Industrials and sit down, gentleman wants to discuss something Bast, Bast? Manuscript in a blue cover where the hell is it, promised to give me an expert opinion you think it’s so God damned difficult here’s an expert opinion, man who reads legalese where the hell is he?

— Yes it’s, it’s up on top of those boxes Mister Gibbs, the one that says Flakes up by the refrigerator, I put it up there so it wouldn’t get…

— Jack will you just put that stuff down and get what you came for?

— Here brought you a shoe Bast, go around flapping that sole’s ready to come off so I brought you a shoe.

— Yes it, in fact it came off this afternoon but, one shoe?

— Left one’s all right isn’t it? Thought you just needed a right one, damn fine shoe belonged to the late King George V where’s that bottle Bast, hold these a minute…?

— Look Jack you’re not going to take all that stuff downtown, what did you stop to get.

— Bottle Tom, just have to do a little research Raindance and Mister Fred…

— Well look I can’t wait for you, I…

— No wait wait coming down with you God damn it, stay here with Bast and we’d both end up where the God damned bright waters meet like Paul and Virginia, just one thing… he got past Mazola New Improved, — asked me about Stella Bast got the book here tells all about it… and he came down heavily on the armless sofa. — Listen, got it marked right here listen, it may be asked, as to illusions in respect of the male organ, whether, granted that the devil cannot impose this illusion on those in a state of grace in a passive way, he cannot still do so in an active sense, the argument being that the man in a state of grace is deluded because he ought to see the member in its right place, when he who thinks it has been taken away from him, as well as other bystanders, does not see it in its place…

— Mister Gibbs I, I think Mister Eigen is ready to…