Page 57 - The Myth and the Moment

Afternoon

play. Archimedes’ Lever was not some sort of communal enterprise, the
theater of anarchy and workers’ solidarity. It had an organizing
principle, a very simple one: Pandora’s Box and the spirit of
capitalism. They all tried to cripple it. Phil. Allison. Even that wimp
who played Dr. Flotsam. Bah! God, she drives fast. Around the
corner and there it is: the end of the rainbow for Mister Phil Kolpak.
I’ve got to play this cool. Aargh!
“Why are you parking? You can just let me out here. You’ve done
your bit. I’m grateful, really, Aestheria. See: I even got your name
right.”
Pathetic, like a whipped dog.
“I’m going in for a moment, Nate. It’s the polite thing to do; they
are my friends.”
Right. This is it. Get the bull by the horns, the lion by its beard, the
tiger by the tail. Gird your loins for battle, young Nathan. Go!
Urrnnk!
“The seat belt, Nate. You’ve got to—”
“I know, I know!”
The great warrior inauspiciously ungirds his loins from his chariot
before regirding them for battle. Feels like I wrenched my shoulder
on that one. The great warrior shrugs off his wound. Ah, this time we
go in the front door, not the servants’ entrance. Will she knock or go
right in? Neither; Kolpak anticipates us, raises the portcullis.
“Hi. Come on in. I’m on the phone to New York. Be with you in a
minute.”
New York should know better. A cordless telephone: people really
do have such things. Off he goes, dealing his cards to the devils
controlling the amusement industry. Carpet must be two inches thick,
some kind of white fur, like an endless polar bear hide. More white:
leather sofa-like objects without legs; how the hell can you sit in
those marshmallows—or get up from them? More white: sculpture?
Assemblage? Pyramidal object in middle of floor, looks like papier-
mâché‚ or plaster or baby puke.
“Come on, Nate. Stop looking so sour. Let’s go out by the pool
until he’s done. This room has much better vibes at night.”
I’ll bet it does!

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