William Gaddis - J R

— Five what do you, you didn’t bring them to me I didn’t ask you for them look I’ve got a suit to pick up at Tripler’s why the hell would I want…

— Man like walk into Triplets like that I mean they’d call the police, I mean look man these cost eleven ninety-seven look at the tag and I mean I need cab fare they said come right down for this inter…

— Christ here take the five dollars… he straightened up from the last bundle of newspapers — well now wait what, you just sold them to me what the hell are you putting them back on for.

— Man like I’m borrowing them I just said I have to go to this interview, it’s like some publicity thing I mean how do I know what they want me to do… her leg gaped fighting a foot back into the plaid from 24–12 Oz Btls Fragile! — screw a horse in Macy’s window?

— God damndest customer loyalty to Macy’s… he heaved the last bundle toward Appletons’, lifted the door closed — how they ever earned it from such a discriminating…

— Man like once I bought this rug there you know…? She got the other foot in, got up pulling them high — and I mean when it came the color really stank so like I returned it and then they keep sending me these fucking bills for it, like I mean I write to them and I go in there and I mean they won’t stop man… she was down rolling a cuff up inside — so like it’s a year later I’m trying to get this real job someplace working I mean I even buy these clothes and everything for it, so when I come in they say they’re informed I have this lousy credit reference for this fucking rug I never paid for and like I don’t get the job I mean that was the last time man, I mean the last time… she fought the clasp — I mean this way I save them all this grief of some spaced out old bag writes these sales slips and sending you these bills and lawyer letters it’s like simpler for everybody I mean what’s wrong with that…

— Can’t argue with you no… he pulled off his shirt, — Grynszpan has a similar arrangement here with the Edison Company… he leaned close over the torrent at the sink looking into the cookie tin top — Christ…

— Oh wow, man I mean turn around a little… she paused closer pulling on the raincoat, — like I mean that must have been some screwing man…

— What are, what do you think you…

— Man like what do you think I think, you were out picking blackberries? Like all these old fingernail scars right down your back man I mean she was really hanging in, like who was it that black haired chick?

He shuddered at her blunt finger run down from his shoulder, turned abruptly backed against the sink there — but what do you, how did you…

— Man like what’s wrong I mean ljust asked was it that black haired chick you were balling that time… she got the door, — I mean I bet she really stayed screwed…

He turned back slowly to the sink gripping its edge — Christ, what… reached suddenly up to seize his shoulder and try to bring it under his twisted gaze, then as abruptly thrust his head under the torrent, banged it on the tap coming up — God damn it… wiping his face, trampling film cans, reaching up a wet hand — hello…? No he’s… said he was having calls transferred to this number yes but he’s not here, who… who? Can’t accept a collect call from Mrs Eigen no, I… look operator I’ll tell Mister Eigen she’s trying to reach him but… said I can’t no! goodbye…

The gum wad bounded off the sill, rose, dropped again. He tipped the bottle over the empty cup — all I need right now little encouragement from Marian… he came down on H-O with the blue folder, set the cup aside emptied again — just need to loosen up a little, run through the rest of this before I type it where the, one eyed, good eye yes the good eye could now peer into Aris tripods here, tripods of Hephaestus which, says the poet, of their own accord entered the assembly of the gods, if, in like manner, the shuttle would weave and the plectrum touch the lyre without a hand to guide them, chief workmen would not want servants, nor masters slaves. For though the tale how for art’s sake Wilde had faced Leadville’s bullies to a standoff continued to amuse long after he’d withdrawn to join the compost smoldering in Europe with Pater’s recipe for, fueled by Pater’s no. The tale no. For though, and though the, for now the tale…

Long hand drove short toward the summit, descended into NO RETURN. Gum wad bounded, withdrew, dropped again — still smoldering in, no the compost ignited by, lit no, hell’s that God damned dictionary… He tipped the bottle over the cup, edged closer to the sill as he raised it, put it down empty on Moody’s watching the gum wad bound, rise again, gradually reached to raise the window, chin on the sill blowing gently. The curler wavered. The gum wad hesitated, dropped rose and bounded off. The curler wavered to the edge, rolled back, the gum wad rose. The long hand climbed from NO DEPOSIT. At the sill’s edge the curler trembled and was gone, the gum wad swung aimless and slowly rose from sight.

— Get anything done here God damn it… he grabbed up the shirt coming through — catch pneumonia this way, hello…? No now wait who do you… no company spokesman here right now no, goodb… never heard of Teletravel no, now… Frigi what? Look… no listen… look I don’t know a God damned thing about filing an environmental impact statement on the… effect on marine life of disposing of what sound shards at sea look I don’t know what you’re talking ab… Yes well look if that’s what their head of R and D testified before the Armed Services Committee what else do you want, if I was a tuna fish I’d… because I’m not a God damned tuna fish! now… President of who you mean the president of the company? here? are you out of your… Well look if he called you and… look if he gave you all that in a phone statement what are you calling… Look I’d like to be in Honduras myself, now… because I don’t know God damn it, good… no comment yes goodbye…!

He ducked to Hoppin’ With Flavor! to tip the bottle over the cup — just stop answering the God damned thing call Tom work out some kind of Christ, try to call him there they’ll tell me to call him here… he set the cup down emptied — now. For though, for now the tale how God damned tomato and cheese right down the, wonder how old that pizza is… he got a cheese clot off Wilde with a thumbnail, bit, blew it out — should have brought something in damn it, shoot the pianist just get to the end of this God damned sentence shoot the pianist. For thow, damn it God damn it! His hands went white against his face, drawn down for fingertips to press his eyes, dig at them, fall away to leave them staring — find the God damned typewriter should have done this in the first place… he dragged the case from behind Thomas Register of Manufacturers, squared it on top and snapped it open — retype the whole thing right from, be God damned… he caught the stained manila folder sliding off the keyboard — wondered what the hell happened to this… he opened it and turned a page, sank down on H-O with it and turned another, found a cigarette and brought the enchilada can closer tapping ashes, settling back against Won’t Burn, Smoke or Smell tapping ashes, leaning forward to tip the bottle, back to where the sun streaked down one margin crossing closer to the other with each turning page till it had left them altogether when the peal of the phone brought him up steadied against Hoppin’ With Flavor! — coming God damn it… against 200 2-Ply as he passed it on the fourth ring.

— Yes hello…? Not back yet no goodb… oh it is? Put him on yes thought I forgot his, hello? Thought I forgot your message didn’t you, sonorous torns of hone and kettle… the who…? No no nope boss company president whatever the hell he is not here either hasn’t called no, not a… you what…? Wouldn’t say that Mister Crawley, he prob… no no wouldn’t think he’d do a thing like that good Christ see a fine man like you go under just for a little margin money, company like this one he must hold enough stock to cover any… closed down four points? God damned shame, what’s… They what…? Who filed it Piscat… God damned shame atmosphere of mistrust these days isn’t it, old Piscator files an affidavit accepting service of the summons these lenders go ahead and attach his stock anyhow tell you what it is Crawley whole God damned decline from status to contract what’s wrong with the whole God damned modern… Sounds like to me see them attach his stock to guarantee his court appearance sounds like they’re trying to grab off his company what it sounds like, what’s wrong with the whole God damned country atmosphere of mistrust say incidentally Crawley, don’t happen to be planning a trip to Honduras…? Honduras yes, just happened to think you might bump into him down there, newspaper called says there’s a rumor wait, listen… no no listen… hear a funny nose in this phone? noise…? He held it up and shook it, started unscrewing the mouthpiece — what? Why not sounds like a God damned exciting place Honduras might be thinking of buying it, vastness of the plains the purple hello…? hear me…? Can’t hear me… he had the cover off holding it closer, forcing a nail under a wire, twisting — God damned bug in it… he pulled it out, — hello? screwing the cover back on, — hello Crawley? Bastard hung up…