William Gaddis - J R

— But the lesson, the Mozart? Did, nothing went wrong did it? that could affect the testing I mean, it’s all preprogrammed statewide…

— Yes well Dan he ahm, he departed pretty severely from the curriculum.

— a point that’s right, when we talk this special investors’ language we don’t say dollar do we, we say…

— But I heard he’s in music I gave him her script and he, she set it up right from the teacher’s guide he…

— Yes well they had some ahm, some technical difficulties Dan this program specialist from the Foundation pointed out several ahm…

— railroads we could buy three shares of Erie Lackawanna, or cars? We can’t afford General Motors can we, but…

— In simple straightforward terms Dan, you might say that he structured the material in terms of the ongoing situation to tangibilitate the utilization potential of this one to one instructional medium in such a meaningful learning experience that these kids won’t forget it for a hell of a long time, how’s that Whiteback.

— Yes well that’s ahm, I think Mister Gibbs has put it quite clearly Dan of course…

— for Disney at forty and a half we’d have Mick…

— What he said about superstitious Italians, you heard that.

— I certainly did Senator, you heard that didn’t you Gibbs? Mister Gibbs?

— Oh I certainly did Major, I…

— Well what are you sitting there with a, looking like you think something’s funny about all this, you think our Congressman came all the way out here to be insulted?

— Know just how he must feel Major, that’s your car out there Congressman? The white Cadillac with the bumpersticker that says keep God in America?

— or Campbell Soup at twenty-seven…?

— Now look Gibbs…

— Didn’t know he was trying to get out Major, that’s all I…

— Look Whiteback, this has…

— Wouldn’t blame him of course but…

— Yes well I think what Mister Gibbs means is ahm…

— All right then just tell me this, what about this report he’s leaving under God out of his proscribed openings, what about it Gibbs.

— or be part owners of a movie company…

— Afraid I can’t help you, it sounds a little more like Dan’s…

— Dan’s what I’m not talking about Dan’s anything, I’m talking about a report that you use a proscribed opening for your class like the pledge of allegiance you leave out under God, one nation under God I’m talking about all these smart remarks you’ve been making, I’m trying to have a serious discussion with these Foundation people on closed-circuit broadcast and you butt in with arms and legs flying around somebody’s eyes looking for their forehead what was all that supposed to be!

— He was asking about one of the preSocratics, Major, the rule of love and the rule of strife in the cosmic cycle of Emp…

— They didn’t come here to talk about comic cycles look at this. Just one budget item, look at this. Camera, film chains, test equipment, videotape, needed to replace obsolete equipment prevent breakdowns and lost instructional time and improve lesson quality, ninety-two thousand four hundred and you think that’s a comic cycle? The taxpayers what do you think they think it is!

— Someone said chewing gum? Well Wrigley at thirty-nine is a little out of our reach, let’s…

— That pail Major be, be careful yes of course the ahm, that lintel over the entrance I think Mister Gibbs was explaining the lettering over the ahm, the Greek letters that is to say since of course he’s the only one who can ahm, who suggested that solution to Mister Schepperman’s unfortunate ahm, of course since he recommended Mister Schepperman to us in the first place yes or was it Mister Schepperman who ahm, who’s no longer with us that is to say yes he’s probably just ahm, probably still…

— Been selling his blood for money to buy paint.

— That’s disgusting Gibbs, sounds like somebody you’d bring in, now let’s get back to this budget…

— Why because his work, because he thinks one painting’s worth more than his own…

— Fine let him! Who asked him to paint it anyhow!

— That’s the point, Major. Nobody.

— mond Cable or some other growth stock…

— What did she say? what stock?

— But without them where do you get art.

— Get it? Art? You get it where you get anything you buy it, listen Gibbs don’t try to tell me in this day and age there isn’t enough around for everybody great art, pictures music books who’s heard all the great music there is, you? You read all the great books there are? seen all these great pictures? Records of any symphony you want reproductions you can get them that are almost perfect, the greatest books ever written you can get them at the drugstore your friend here selling his blood he’s crazy that’s all, like the one that just enriched the countryside here with the Mozart, pick up the paper the only time you read about them they’re making trouble for somebody, for themselves or somebody else that’s the only time you hear about them.

— The only time you hear about anybody.

— that we’re ready to vote for our share in Am…

— What do you mean do I go around with narcotics signing petitions painting slop writing books full of dirty words with a beard? They just want something for nothing half of them are crazy anyhow what about the one he just said he was afraid his head would fall off? Or your big name painter that cut off his ear what about him.

— But that’s what I said, without them where do you get the…

— Wait be quiet!

— Yes well of course we don’t really ahm…

— Look that’s my company! Did you hear that? They’re buying a share in my company Diamond Cable did you see that? That’s my company…!

— I saw it, from the show of hands it looked like they wanted to buy the…

— The what Gibbs, the what. The show of hands you didn’t even see it, you’ve been standing there trying to look down her dress they bought what they wanted to buy. You saw it Whiteback?

— why we call it corporate democracy isn’t it class…

— There did you hear that? Corporate democracy did you hear that Gibbs? This share in America it’s my company they just bought a share in my company, I didn’t get where I am slopping paint on the floor and cutting off my ear either run this school system along corporate lines Whiteback you’d have these strike threats complaints over harassment cleared up in no time, you’d…

— Yes well of course Vern ahm, I don’t think Vern would…

— That’s what they’re whining about isn’t it Dan? this harassment?

— The, the yes the directives the forms, the rules, regulations, guidelines…

— Yes well of course the ahm, you teachers get them from me, I get them from the District Superahm, Vern that is to say yes and he gets them from…

— Start an investigation find out who’s behind it, the…

— The harassment?

— No behind the complaints, the…

— And of course we all get them from the state and the state gets them from the federal education office in…

— The complaints?

— No the directives that is to say, guidelines, forms, regulations, Title Four…

— Title Four’s a hell of a big investment the government’s just protecting their investment see it at the corporate level all the time, that’s what you’re…

— Yes well of course we ahm, in terms of the ongoing situation in order to correlate the ahm, correlations Dan you can ahm…

— The, the correlations the correlations require standardization which, which requires standards…

— Go ahead Dan I’m listening, just let me get Whiteback’s phone in there…