He was back at the sofa spearing a sharp pencil into an open jar — choice of fancy snails or a rotting classic of Imperial Old Christ where was I when that idiot… he got the folder, came down on Hoppin’ With Flavor! — clear line of thought going bastard comes in with his sonorous tones of horn and millions here, through a glass eye, darkly the one eyed, had that God damn it had it last wait the good eye yes, the good eye… he licked the pencil’s point, — the good eye could now peer into Aristotle’s kingdom where if every instrument could accomplish its own work, obeying or anticipating the will of others, like the statues of Daedalus, or the tripods of Hephaestus, which, says the poet God damned cheese and tomato right down the which, says the poet, of their own accord have to type the whole God damned thing over anyhow… he reached for the punctured can — Jesus…! purple dripped from his chin — Christ what did I think I, go anywhere like this… he was up brushing at his trouserfront, each stroke slower until he was simply standing there staring through the blind below — poor bastards got all five of them fixing a tire so they can push their God damned clubhouse across the street almost envy them, all that senseless God damned energy look at them… He came down more slowly on Hoppin’ With Flavor! — problem just no God damned energy… and where his gaze fell short to the sill, a clothespin dropped. The long hand peaked to lap the short between NO DEPOSIT and NO RETURN — half the God damned day gone… and his head came slowly back to rest against 24-7 Oz Pkgs Flavored Loops, where the sun more slowly left it.
— What have you done for your mouth lately?
— Wha… he sat up abruptly, brought a hand up.
— continental mouthwash with the djstinc…
— Get that God damned thing… and he was up, crested the plateau of Musical Couriers and seized the mop handle, put his ear to the crevice and pounded the mop handle up and down.
— really time to do something nice for your mouth…
— Do something nice for your mouth God damn you, you…
— like sending your mouth on a vacation…
— Send your mouth on a vacation you son of a bitch there!
— actually helps shrink painful hemorrhoidal…
— Bastard!
— prompt temporary relief by reducing painful swelling…
— Oh you bastard you bastard! he plunged the mop handle, pounded it up and down.
— what America is today, so look for volume one of this exciting new children’s encyclopedia at your neighborhood supermar…
— God damn you Christ! how do people… he was on all fours up there back against the ceiling — have one thought one God damned thought one God damned civilized thought in this whole God damned get that God damned thing once for all God damn it…! he flung the mop handle pulled aside 1899’s bound Musical Couriers, Trade Extra 1902, 1911, 1909—no place to put the God damned things… 1903, 1908—must weigh twenty pounds…
— product. A service. A promise of human bet…
— Little bastard you… he heaved at the volumes, dragged up 24–10 Pad Pkgs, 2 Dozen 57 The World’s Largest Selling Ketchup, Tonic Water Twist Cap — hell that ironing board get down there… he yanked at 48 № 1 Cans Beef Gravy and books slithered across the heap — can’t do it God damn it no place to put them…
— join the biggest savings bank fam…
— God damned ironing board… he pulled, yanked, finally ripped at the next one sending papers streaming down — good, Christ… and he followed, holding together the torn sides of Tootsie Roll 12 Count, moving more slowly with each sheet after pasted sheet of paper he picked up — God hundreds of them… finally coming to rest on H-O with the torn carton drawn close — started with eighteen seventy-six have to get them all back in, Christ how did I, look at that what did I think I was doing!
The long hand pressed the short ahead till only the sweep of the second hand crossed the arc up behind him, hunched there on H-O turning up page after page — ANI, LEM abbreviated all these God damned references can’t remember what they, go through every book in the place again Christ, how I worked on this…
He turned the pages more slowly, finally hunched toward the sill for the failing light — must have thought I could, like Diderot good God how I ever thought I could do it…
Oh the sill where the clothespin lay, a string had appeared lowered from above bobbing a wad of gum. He stared at it, picked up another page and stared at that — done it then Christ gone ahead and done it then, written it ten years ago with no pressure on me but now…?
He was watching the gum wad bounce off the clothespin when the phone rang — God suppose she… He got up slowly, in past 200 2-Ply, hesitated before he reached up — yes hello…? He cleared his throat — not here no, oh it’s you Mister Bris… not disturbing me no that’s all right, Mister Bast’s still off on some sort of business… oh you are? Didn’t realize you and he were business associates Mister Brisboy thought it was more ah… no no didn’t mean you didn’t regard him as a dear friend, I… just wouldn’t get this upset Mister Brisboy I’m sure he wouldn’t let that happen, now… No I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you talked to the president of the company, best thing to… here? Sorry I can’t no, I… wait no you don’t under… Look Mister Brisboy I’d be glad to switch you over if I could but… because I don’t know where the hell he is no look I’m just not that familiar with the company’s activit… Haven’t seen his statement in the paper about franchising out the entire health plan but you can’t believe everything you read in the… Rumors of what…? No I heard the stock was sagging a little but… well I’m sure it really is a fun company Mister Brisboy what I’ve seen so far it certainly… to tell your mother what…? Good God wouldn’t want that to happen no, look I’d just… listen I’d just wait till Mister Bast gets back and… I’m sure he will yes no reason some story about these Indians having a clouded title to this reservation means he’d be… I’m sure he’ll bring his Indian costume back yes never mentioned playing dress up but of course Mister Bast seems to have a number of talents I nev… he certainly is yes, now… No no I wouldn’t do that no, no don’t bother to come up here to wait for him no telling when he… No no very land of you but I… yes good, auf Wiedersehen that is yes…