William Gaddis - J R

— Mister Bast I’m afraid you no sit up! You’ve, there’s simply not room for you to lie down in the front seat here while I’m…

— Not pissed off at me are you Mister Coen?

— Why why, why no but…

— I mean why is everybody always getting mad at me!

— I, I’m sure they’re not Mister Bast but I do find it difficult to drive in this wind and sleet, if you could…

— Rain or hail fire or snow rift the hills and roll the, get to roll these here marbles around in this piepan board the place up she tell you that?

— No I, I’m afraid not Mister Bast she, the last time I spoke with your aunts on the telephone I got the impression you were away on a business trip and I have a number of matters I had hoped we…

— Shoe business she tell you that? Place called Trib, Trib, place where the muck runs down to the sea…

— Mister Bast I think, I think under the circumstances…

— Import export place called Burmesquik where they make the crooked…

— I think it might be wise to postpone your seeing Mrs Angel, considering her present condition and of course having met your please! be careful of your foot, had the pleasure of dealing with your aunts of course I should have been aware that stability is perhaps not your family’s most promin…

— All got pissed off because their bellies dropped I mean what’s so erotic about that.

— I, I’m sure I don’t know Mister Bast why don’t you just rest for a few minutes, perhaps we can find some music to…

— Soothe the savage dot dot dot, get to wed some savage woman she will…

— Rest your head back yes I believe we share an interest in your knee Mister Bast if you can move your knee, in fine music…

— She shall rear my dusty race want to say scrotum in Danish Mister Coen?

— Not, not particularly if I can, if I can just find some music yes if there’s one thing I dislike Mister Bast it’s disorder I don’t like surprises, the caterwauling on most of radio that’s why I felt the expense of having this FM here here listen! it’s, I think we have Handel that’s better isn’t it yes Jephtha? Handel’s Jephtha I remember this part yes when I was a child, I thought the soprano here was singing get away! get no no stop! stop! we almost what made you do that! We we could have been killed no get your foot down!

— Up yours Mister Coen.

— But you, you put your foot right through the…

— Up mine up mine du haaaassest mich!

— No no listen Mister Bast stop it stop singing! I can’t no, no you’ll have to sit still I can’t drive if you…

— Help each other out Mister Coen make seventy-five dollars?

— Why why what…

— Ever handle a bankrup?

— Mister Bast I…

— Believing and shitting are two very different things Mister Coen.

— I see yes I, I’m sure they are Mis…

— Two very different things.

— I’m sure yes I, I’d never really thought in precisely those terms now please…

— Better think in precisely those terms Mister Coen drive in walk out, two very different things.

— I will yes Mister Bast now sit back or we’ll have to…

— What’s that what’s that! that, that white thing that round white thing…

— It’s simply the knob to control the ventilator, now please…

— Bet her ass if there’s this here millionaire for that like to win that bet wouldn’t you Mister Coen? Once just get a good look at it winked at you just this once get a divorce just like everybody wouldn’t you?

— I’m sure I would Mister Bast that’s better yes, settle back…

— Win the Finders Keepers award get to go to that banquet, where you shipping them all there in American bottoms?

— I think we’ll go directly to the hospital where they’ve taken Mister Angel, I’m sure his physician will have you admitted you’re here get the coat over you you’re shivering where’s the, that cloth you’re perspiring heavily yes, yes I had thought if Mrs Angel should go to Bellevue I could certainly have you admitted there too but getting you out again might prove somewhat more diff…

— Open a bank there wouldn’t you? Shrewd downstate interest lead the parade open the bank there first national bank of Burmesquik no deposit no return, wouldn’t you?

— I’m sure I would Mister Bast yes, yes we won’t be long now… and his hand dropped from wiping the inside of the glass before him to lift away the foot renewing its errant threat to join his on the accelerator, rose to wipe again where the bursts of passing lights became more frequent, gave way finally to the sheltered giare of the tunnel, the open glows of green’s consent and red alerts in BAR, DRY CLEANING, EAT, EMERGENCY — yes here we oh…! where the glass doors hung still behind his haste through them as though content to reflect the novelty of the fender crumpled in his fervor of arrival until they were swept wide on the pursuit of a wheelchair — wait yes I think he’s still asleep, here let me…

— No I can lift him he don’t weigh nothing, just get the blanket… and the doors outside returned to their diversion, inside deflected — he go to admissions?

— Where the trees…

— He wha’d he say?

— He, no no I think that won’t be necessary I just arranged his admission with Miss, Miss…?

— Is this the new boy? He’ll have to tell me all about it…

— I don’t think he can he’s quite feverish, he became incoherent on the way in he’s been using language I’m sure he never…

— Don’t worry he can’t shock me I just came here from working at a public school, oh this man in intensive care you just asked about, this Mister Angel? They said his condition’s unchanged, this bullet entered beside the eye it’s lodged in the brain if you want to stay awhile maybe they…

— No I can’t no I have to get over to the nineteenth precinct if he should, if his condition should change they should be notified immediately and, Mister Bast? Goodnight I have to leave, I’ll look in tomorrow perhaps we’ll have a clearer picture of things…

— Off we go, Mister Bast is it? We’re going for a little ride…

— Walk out drive in.

— Yes we’ll get those wet things off and something to help us sleep won’t we, Joe? Tell the doctor room three nineteen you better see about an oxygen tent too just in case… and the wheels spun through bull’s eye doors for the lull of an elevator, down corridors of greens unknown in nature. — Here we are…

— Where the trees.

— Silly there aren’t any trees… only the flurry of hands and sheets, the rattle of carts and trays and finally of a shade coming down on the glow at a wall socket indifferently exchanging day for night, night for day.

— I’m telling you this place is a dream after where I was at, did I ever tell you what was…

— Wait, hello…? He’s in three nineteen yes wait here’s Miss Waddams she can…

— Hello…? Oh hi… last night yeah but I just went on days this morning, he’s coming along fine he didn’t even wake up since you… now? with him? No we got him in a tent he’s not even… no an oxygen tent Mister Coen he’s got enough trouble breathing already without trying to talk on the tele… I know yeah he really hit the jackpot double pneumonia nervous exhaus… what? Malnutrition yeah I don’t know a couple of days maybe, they always worry about complications with this you know? So how’s your other patient… No I mean your friend they got here in the intensive care… You really got your hands full haven’t you Mister Coen… I sure will Mis… you bet Mister Coen goodbye, anyway this place is a dream after where I was at…

— No lunch for three nineteen either?