— Move a clause plump the God damned pillow doesn’t matter wave his stick doesn’t matter cut a paragraph hands on his God damned throat squeeze the whole God damned thing down to a period hate it!
— Wait don’t man I mean you’re tearing…
— Ten years late staggers out God damned pianist already shot God damned sunshine everybody step right over him God damned hurry go noplace nobody give a God damn book everything’s happened book about everybody knows hate it!
— Man like that’s what people want’s books that tell them what they already know, I mean that’s why they’re all such bullshit get my foot out of under your, ow… she drew its moccasined heel up hung on the sofa’s edge her fallen leg’s length from his perch there on H-O — like I mean look at all the fucking books in this place who asked you to write another one anyhow.
— Said I would.
— Like said to who, I mean that’s this big important call you’re waiting for?
— Said don’t answer it, only God damned thing I ever…
— Man those must have been some dance lessons, like I mean if you hate it man how can you do it.
— Can’t! told you only God damned thing I ever…
— What man ever what… her hand came down from the flexed knee scratching — I mean that’s like I always said I’ll be this model you know? Like I used to read all these dumb comic books like Millie the Model when I’m like ten and I mean I already have these little dippeldutters like her up in that picture so I’m going to grow up and be this big model you know? Like if I can’t be it I’m nothing, I mean I break my ass so like finally I’m out looking and they tell me my nose shadows wrong and my tits are too big and I mean I really came down man, I mean I’m really nothing, only like there’s always like somebody crowding me up trying to slip it in you know? I mean I even meet this big model that’s like going to help me out and I mean she’s climbing on too and I’m finally thinking like wow, like I mean which one is real, I mean like I changed and this big idea from when I’m like ten didn’t change and it’s still hanging me up, you know…? her hand dropped to scratch the dry mound, — like I mean I’m the one that ought to write this book, you know?
— Ought to teach too… he caught his struggle for the cup, reared back with it on line with her fallen knee — lecture like wow which one is real get to give neoplatonism whole God damned rebirth start a little school…
— Man like you think you’re kidding I mean I wouldn’t hand them any bullshit, I mean you can ask my friends man.
— Little book you and your friends call it Old Foes With New Faeces sell a million…
— No look man cut the bullshit I mean this book I could write like if it sells a million of it I mean that means it’s good, right? Like I mean I could write this book people would read, man… the scratching slowed from palliative to ruminative — like without all these phony big words you use I mean like, I’d communicate…
— Try that God damned Christians strip you naked tear you up with oyster shells take your Christ! he blew back into the cup, dropped it empty into Won’t Burn, Smoke or Smell dredging pages up with his foot — give you a title small words mint condition how’s that, Agapē Agape never used how’s that.
— Man like I mean I just said who wants your fucking title if nobody even knows what it means… the flexed knee sagged, — I mean look man do you want to ball?
— Drop that knee little further everybody know what it means, picture on the jacket Taine write your jacket blurb sell a million…
— Look, I mean do you?
— Told you I’m, why…
— Why, I mean like what else is there to do… her scratching fingers stilled, — I mean there’s nothing else to eat there’s nothing to even smoke so like you’re going to sit here reading this dirty book you wrote in the moonlight?
— Told you too late no, fairies spent it.
— What fairies man! she came forward to punch the punctured shade into light — I mean look, do you want to make it with me or not.
— Told you too God damned late didn’t I! Why agapē’s agape little bastards up there spent it didn’t I?
— Man like forget it… she’d undone the shirt’s button sinking back, dug in its pocket — I mean those must be some fairies.
— Didn’t mean just meant…
— I mean forget it!
— Just meant something just, just trying to hold onto something just…
— Like go hold onto it then! She sifted out a fold of white paper, stretching back — I mean go hold onto your Tootsie Roll man like I mean you’re going to end up…
— Didn’t, end up… he braced an elbow, got his feet closer — sniff what I think you’re sniffing wake up with a bloody nose…
— Man like doesn’t everybody? I mean gluing that quarter out there typing this great book with no paper in the fucking typewriter I mean you’re, you’re going to wake up like Schramm coming up the…
— What… he steadied against Thomas Register coming up — what, coming up what…
— Like you don’t want to know, man.
— What coming up what…
— Man you don’t want to know! watch your, I mean if you make me spill this…
— Wait wait listen… he tripped against Hoppin’ With Flavor! — don’t move listen…
— I hear it man it’s the fucking telephone I mean go answer it.
— Told you wrong number listen!
— Look man the phone’s not up there it’s in the other…
— Quick toward the window move you’re the aerial listen…! Tonic Water Twist Cap capsized into Won’t Burn, Smoke or Smell as he gained the plateau of Musical Couriers — little further listen!
— Man I have to answer it maybe it’s…
— Don’t move…! he was gone between 24–10 Pad Pkgs and 48 № 1 Cans Beef Gravy — there!
— Look I’m answering it man maybe it’s my…
— Bastards!
— selection from Bruckner’s eighth symphony brought to you by…
— Bastards you ow…! he caught his head, came down pounding Trade Extra 1909 slipped against 2 Dozen 57 The World’s Largest Selling Ketchup and kicked, got the mop handle — bastards!
— wedding of the grand alliance of education and technology forging the two edge…
The mop handle flailed, he plunged it down, pounded — can’t play the whole symphony can’t even play the whole God damned scherzo bastards…! Musical Courier 1911 skidded offside, he twisted, pounded, kicked against 24–10 Pad Pkgs forced a knee against it, forced the other against 48 № 1 Cans Beef Gravy and sank further, tried a shoulder against the abrupt decline of 2 Dozen 57 The World’s Largest Selling Ketchup, fought a hand out — ooph! Trade Extra broke against a rib — bastards…!
— pedia, bringing the American family its full share of the world’s knowledge. Look for it in your local supermar…
— Man like what’s happening in here are you up there? I mean it sounds like the whole fucking place is going through to the cellar what happened.
— Shot the pianist.
— Like it’s his boss on the phone I mean Bast’s, like I mean he’s really strung out man you coming down?
— Can’t.
— Look he said he heard this Mister Grynszpan’s here he wants to talk to him man I mean he wants to talk to anybody… she got over the collision of Tonic Water Twist Cap, brought moccasins up on it settling back — like go talk to him man I mean you know what’s with Grynszpan… she tapped the paper crease, held it up — I mean he’s really strung out in there like he’s yelling like you don’t know if he’s laughing or crying kitty kitty kitty? I mean he must be some creep, kitty kitty? Is he up there man? Chairman Meow is he up there…? her free hand scratched where it fell — like he’s probably so scared we won’t see him for a month, man? I mean what are you doing up there.