William Gaddis - J R

— Amy listen…

— And it’s begun to rain Jack please, please take care of yourself and, not so, Jack please I can’t breathe…

— When you’re back Amy listen instant you’re back…

— And Jack do get yourself a raincoat too oh I hope your suit’s ready… her hand gone white holding his — I, I’d so wanted to see you in it…

— Amy…! he came a step after the slam of the door, the bottle in the paper bag under his arm threatened by elbows as the light changed, stung there by a horn, abruptly nuzzled by a yellow fender to recover the curb and mount the sheer affront of his reflection against crisp shirtings displayed with discreet worsteds and unworn shoes beyond the glass.

— Mister Gibbs? that’s not you is it?

— Me?

— May not remember me my name’s Beamish? on the Schramm estate? I, trust I haven’t made a mistake…?

— Ay Beamis sí! No es mí no pero que importa, verdad? Porque me acuerdo de ti sí Señor, y la rubia? es tu Señora? Coño…

— Good heavens I, excuse me sir we…

— Que culo muy rico, mira como tiene el culo en los bolsillos…!

— No no please good heavens, Mrs Schramm quickly I think we’d better…

— Y el pecho tan bueno también pero falta simpatía, me permites tocar adentro Señora?

— No no good heavens! Excuse us sir yes let’s cross right here Mrs Schramm, quickly while we have the light, Mister Duncan you’re with us?

— Espérame! espérame…!

— He’s not coming after us? I can’t imagine what, you’re still with us Mister Duncan? Mrs Schramm please let me apologize yes let’s turn up this way, is he gone? I’m afraid I put you in danger Madame but he did look exactly like Mister Gibbs one of the executors but good heavens! There’s a cab Mister Duncan could you hail it, I know Mrs Schramm wants to get home, Madame again please accept my apologies. Since the other executor Mister Eigen failed to drop off those papers, I was a bit hasty when I thought that was Mister Gibbs and hoped he might speed things along but the resemblance was remarkable, and right in front of Tripler’s! Goodbye and I’ll get another set of those papers right up to you no no Mister Duncan wait, where are you going…

— See the lady home…

— No I think she’ll be quite safe now Mister Duncan let’s walk this way, the Waldorf’s just a block or so…

— I thought you were fixing me up with Mrs Schramm.

— In a manner of speaking Mister Duncan yes but since her position is merely that of a legatee, let’s cross here while we have the light, I think your interests will be best served by talking with someone directly concerned with the corporate…

— I just want to get fixed up and get back to Zanesville.

— I quite understand yes, there’s the Waldorf up ahead, I was going to say in case none of the principals from the parent company is here I’m sure Mister Davidoff will be able to fix you up as you say, but I should prepare you for him, let’s go right in this entrance. He’s merely their public relations account executive but he seems to have taken a good many prerogatives in the operations area upon himself and if you find him a bit high-handed I would simply counsel patience, the elevators are right over here yes I’ve the suite number written down somewhere. Apparently they’ve scheduled some sort of meeting of division heads and even though I’ve been retained as counsel by the parent company in the course of this Triangle acquisition, I must be frank to say I’m as yet unfamiliar with the entire extent of their holdings which appear quite diverse, this is our floor yes, down this way. In fact the entire situation is moving with a rapidity to which I’m quite unaccustomed but then times change don’t they Mister Duncan, that door next after the armed guard I believe. I’m a bit old-fashioned but I put it all down to the decline from status to contract, oh is it locked? Just knock yes, the key to the whole thing I believe, the decline from status to contract…

— Come in, is that room service Virginia?

— No sir it’s just, oh it’s you Mister Beamish did Mister Davidoff expect you?

— I believe I gave you a message for him to that effect when I called yes, we…

— That you’re bringing up Mister Brisboy that’s right I forgot I told him, anyway he’s over there on the telephone and the other gentlemen are having something, would you gentlemen like a sandwich or a shot or anything while you wait?

— No I think not Virginia thank you, this is Mister Duncan and I believe he’s in rather a hurry let’s just wait right over here Mister Duncan…

— Maybe you could just fix me up with her.

— Pardon? Virginia? I hardly think so Mister Duncan, I understand she’s been with the parent company for some time but she’s hardly in a position to resolve your problem, she’s only a sort of secretary receptionist after all and hardly the most brilliant one at that, this is Mister Davidoff here and I’m sure he’ll be off the phone in a moment or two…

— Sir…? Correct General affirmative yes sir an honorary doctor of laws sir they… of what sir? of humane letters? I’ll ask them immediately sir I’m sure they… that they may not have been aware that you painted yes sir they… in Life Magazine yes sir but of course that was some years… Yes sir the university is fully aware of your help in placing these government research contracts there sir but our new head of R and D at Ray-X is still working out Virginia take Mister Brisboy’s coat there excuse me sir, sir…? Yes sir the government contracts with Ray-X are all bought in sir they just have to come up with some products to… one called Frigicom yes sir a new method of… Cost overruns of course sir Virginia get me that backgrounder on Frigicom to read to the General over the… Oh to send your aide for it yes sir we… subject to a onceover by our legal eagle here yes sir you know what a stickler the Boss is for… When he called this morning yes sir he… yes I have trouble understanding him on the phone sometimes too sir but this was in a written memo he… his handwriting yes I do too sir but… Can do yes sir, Virginia run this last memo from the Boss through the typewriter for General Haight better make eight copies Beamish here will want one too and… sir? Yes sir you bet your… I said affirmative yes sir goodbye sir, oh and Virginia show me that before you send it out the last time I gave you dictation and you typed dental for oriental where did these scrambled eggs come from, see what it’s like trying to run the store camped out in a hotel suite with no exec on board Brisboy oh and Virginia, that black sitting over in the corner if he’s here to put in this other phone line tell him to get to it, he’s not being paid to sit there looking at what’s he looking at, an old Ray-X toy catalog?

— I just gave him it to look at Mister Davidoff, it’s got all these pictures and he don’t read any English he…

— Well who is he what’s he doing here and while you’re over there Virginia look in the box under that blue chaise longue, the file marked Health Package Mister Brisboy here will want a look at it for the cemetery tie-in that reminds me Brisboy you’ve got an apology coming, when the press boys called about your Wagner Funeral Homes chain joining up with the J R Corp Family of Companies here I was busy on these Indians and put Virginia there on the phone with some notes of mine where I’d abbreviated funeral fun, gave them the idea we’d picked up a string of massage parlors to work into this whole nursing home to cemetery package, really hit the fan if we don’t clear it up I thought we could put you onto them later for a statement got somebody working on it now Beamish I know she’s been with the Boss since he got started, the only reason I kept her on when he closed down the midtown office and sent her along I thought she had an inside look at operations maybe you can talk Mister Bast into using her at uptown headquarters I couldn’t, look at that beam she fills half the room when she stoops over in that print dress takes off her earring every time she answers the phone and then stops to put it back on see what I mean Beamish, I’ve got to get a gal in here who can see what it’s like Mister Brisboy trying to keep score with what is it now Virginia?