J R

  —Yes who rang in here?

  —I did nurse it’s Mister Duncan he’s, I just wonder if he’s all right he . . .

  —Get back to bed I’ll take care of him . . . the spot of light leaped, dropped shrunk close searching white from whites, darted, paused—just get to sleep he won’t disturb you now . . . came up blinding and was gone, leaving the dark confirmed by the wall socket’s glow until it faded with the rise of day.

  —Mister Duncan? are you awake? Sun caught on water somewhere trembled on the ceiling—that reflection up there, can you see it throbbing? I think it’s my puke I’ve just been lying here watching it, I couldn’t figure it out. I wasn’t even trying to Mister Duncan? do you know what scares me? Just lying here watching it it’s from that glass of water down there where my foot’s resting I was thinking about all the things you’ve said, I was thinking there’s so much that’s not worth doing suddenly I thought maybe I’ll never do anything. That’s what scared me I always thought I’d be, this music I always thought I had to write music all of a sudden I thought what if I don’t, maybe I don’t have to I’d never thought of that maybe I don’t! I mean maybe that’s what’s been wrong with everything maybe that’s why I’ve made such a, why I’ve been thinking of things you’ve said as though just, just doing what’s there to be done as though it’s worth doing or you never would have done anything you wouldn’t be anybody would you, you wouldn’t even be who you are now, Mister Duncan? where’s the, nurse? Miss Waddams is that you out there . . .?

  —Haven’t you boys washed up yet?

  —No but Mister Duncan is he, I guess he’s still asleep I called the nurse for him last night when he . . .

  —Mister Duncan . . .?

  —I was just telling him how much I, wait what are you closing the curtain . . .

  —Joe? will you bring that chair in out there?

  —Wait where’s he going is he awake? Mister Duncan? I just remembered something is there a piano here someplace Miss Waddams? That piece of music you said your daughter used to practice the one you said you’d never heard right? I think I know what it . . .

  —No over here Joe, Mister Bast’s going down to the solarium would you like that Mister Bast?

  —Well, well all right yes but I haven’t even had breakfast I mean what’s . . .

  —We’ll bring you some just get your feet down that’s it, your friend Mister Coen called he said he’s bringing your cousin up, the one whose husband’s in intensive care now step back, that’s it, that will be nice won’t it sit back now, do you feel steady?

  —Fine yes I feel fine but what wait, wait is he awake? I just wanted to tell him that piece your daughter used to practice Mister Duncan? I think I know what it was I’ll play it for you later and see, I think it’s a piano piece Beethoven wrote for . . .

  —Go ahead Joe hurry up . . . she came after them—and come right back . . . but she paused there through the door, finding a tissue before she turned up the corridor.—Is there a doctor on the floor yet?

  —Why what happened.

  —They left me an expiration in three nineteen last night, you busy?

  —I’ve got a pre-op in three eleven this nasty old . . .

  —Would you change with me?

  —What for three nineteen? sure what’s . . .

  —I just, you just get to like them sometimes . . .

  —Don’t worry you won’t get to like this one watch out though, they said he’s a trustee here . . .

  —Thanks . . . she paused outside the door using the tissue, brought her weight against it.—Good morning, are we read . . .

  —Where the two phones I ordered put in here.

  —There’s a telephone right there beside the bed sir, if you . . .

  —Told them to put in two outside lines here can’t waste half the day going through your damn switchboard every time I . . .

  —Hoid your water John you’re just here to have a plug changed, nurse I told them at the desk out there to bring me some Bananx where is it.

  —I don’t know ma’am I don’t think we . . .

  —It’s a hospital isn’t it? You don’t use drugs in a hospital?

  —Yes ma’am but we can’t hand them out to a visitor without any doc . . .

  —Visitor! you’ll see a visitor who’ll hand you something hand you your ass if you can’t, who’s doing this implant, Handler? You call Doctor Han . . .

  —Damn it Zona start this you better get a room of your own here where the devil’s Beaton, should have been here three minutes ago.

  —I wouldn’t get a room of my own here for an ingrown toenail, I came in three years ago to have my tubes blown out and couldn’t open my eyes till they painted these filthy green walls put up my own drapes and got rid of this atrocious furniture look at this chair, I feel like I’m sitting on a pot.

  —Look like it too Zona just waiting for the barrage to start, here what the devil do you want.

  —If you could get into your gown sir, we . . .

  —Have to get out of my damn shirt first don’t I? Get me the, here he is Beaton? Hang this up in the closet get hold of the director here what’s his name get these phones put in get my arm here young woman, wasted one day getting this damn thing implanted waste another getting it replaced I told you to look into this company Beaton, Broos down there holding hearings on these research projects if they’re as useless as this damn thing they should have stayed in toys let go of me girl!

  —I’ve looked into it yes sir, it all sounds so prepos . . .

  —Dried up old Raggedy Andy what makes you think they didn’t stay in toys lift up his little gown Beaton, let’s see if the toy heart they gave him says I love . . .

  —Zona damn it be quiet I didn’t ask you how it sounded Beaton I asked what you found out down there get this shoe off me will you?

  —Yes sir I’m waiting for a call now from one of the Senator’s staff people who’s down at the company’s Texas installation as an observer on this Teletrav . . .

  —Careful damn it! want to take my foot off . . .

  —Yes sir I’m sorry, he tells me the parent company’s head of personnel who went down there to troubleshoot the project is scheduled to take part in a preliminary evaluation of its operational capabilities this morning as soon as they . . .

  —Poor devil where they sending him.

  —They have a phone company trunk line leased to an undisclosed receiving point somewhere in Maine sir I presume it’s an Army base, the company’s research director insists on establishing the system’s long-range capacity at the outset although it hardly . . .

  —What I saw in the papers sounds like the same stunt he pulled with this Frigicom project, gets the DOD to draw up an impact statement shut up these damn fish lovers could have settled it with a car horn but he starts off with some complicated damn fool piece of music . . .

  —Yes sir however I’ve pointed out all the Committee has is his word that this music was actually . . .

  —Told you to get onto him down there too didn’t I? find out what the devil here put these in the closet . . .

  —Yes sir I did quite inadvertently in fact, he joined me in a men’s room in the Senate Office Building where he wet my, granted he was hampered by bandages he wet my leg thoroughly during a brief conversation which convinced me the man is certifiably insane frankly sir this idea of transporting people by cable is so utterly preposterous I . . .

  —Sounds like he just wet down your pride a little Beaton damn it you’re not a scientist neither am I, think how preposterous television sounded a few years ago now you can’t get away from the damn thing ever see color television? One bawling idiot after another on the screen, send his bawling picture a thousand miles in color like that probably no reason you can’t just go ahead and send the idiot himself is there?

  —Possibly not sir but . . .

  —Used to be the right people traveled all the idiots stayed put now nobody travels, haven’t been anywhere myself since they too
k out the Berengaria here hang these up. Now the right people stay put all you see’s the idiots and errand boys being flown around like bundles don’t know where they’re going don’t even know where they’ve been line them up like an infantry regiment and telegraph them they wouldn’t know the damn difference, don’t cost us a nickel to sit things out while this reorganization gets underway see where Diamond fits in does it? Sounded like the reason that bunch had their eye on it’s why I want this tender to go right through, see this project come up with something and we run into an antitrust ruling leave us standing there with a wish in one hand and where the devil’s that young woman.

  —Getting my Bananx while Beaton sits there with his . . .

  —No I brought you some ma’am wait, it’s right here in . . .

  —Give it to me then don’t just stand there with your thumb in your . . .

  —Damn it Zona he’s not your nursemaid who the devil got you up here this morning, one place I thought I’d have some priva . . .

  —Beaton got me up here this morning get this open Beaton.

  —Beaton you tell her after this get her damn free pills someplace else, those two hundred thousand shares of Diamond she was sitting on as Boody’s guardian running around loose now no damn reason I have to listen to any more of her damn . . .

  —Tell him to hold his water Beaton, what does he mean running around loose.

  —Meant what I said what does she call Boody, the Bank of England? Damn law falling apart anyplace you look give these eighteen-year-olds the right to sue vote make contracts all the rest of it see Boody marry some black find some shyster lawyer get this sock off me Beaton, why I told you to look into those gossip items see if it was some corporate stunt they cooked up to start a raid on Diamond or just plain damn greed with this what’s his name Bast? he’s a black isn’t he?

  —I think not sir, that was a misapprehension you gained initially from a poor quality newspaper picture when their activities first came to our atten . . .

  —No other damn reason anybody black or white want to marry Boody but these two hundred thousand shares is there? Anybody who could get near enough to her to . . .

  —Beaton you tell him anybody who wants a smell of those shares can kiss mine tell him he gets both cheeks, tell him she’s being committed I had the papers drawn up for Ude’s signature to . . .

  —Having his funeral Saturday ask her how the devil she’s getting his signature, up there yesterday his wife and daughter pouring scotch down the drain hand over fist so damn scared of estate taxes . . .

  —Well tell him Beaton!

  —Yes ma’am the papers were drawn up last week sir, Judge Ude signed them the morning he fell into the . . .

  —Excuse me sir could you lie back and give me your arm . . .

  —Nurse get me some water.

  —Damn it Zona she’s . . .

  —What are you strapping a radio on him for nurse he’s not going anyplace, now get me some water.

  —It’s an external heart pacer ma’am just until he . . .

  —Want somebody to wait on you hand and foot damn it Zona where’s your black girl this is a hosp . . .

  —That’s what I want to know where is she Beaton, get me some water.

  —Deleserea she’s still in jail ma’am, she . . .

  —What’s she doing there, you proved she wasn’t peddling her ass on that street corner didn’t you? You said you could prove she was just asking directions dragging that city bus sign into court where nobody could understand it what’s she doing in jail.

  —She’s been given a complete medical examination and placed in a rehabilitation program involving beauty school where she’s able to spend her time having her hair and nails done taking showers and watching telev . . .

  —What does she mean I have twelve at lunch tomorrow!

  —I told her that yes ma’am that’s when she abruptly changed her plea to guilty, she . . .

  —That’s the most the most ungrateful here give me that you’re spilling it, what gets into these people no consideration at all as bad as Vida’s girl last night she could have ruined the evening . . .

  —Tell me how anybody could ruin one of Vida’s evenings worst damn wastes of . . .

  —You were standing right there when she went down with a tray of Vida’s best Waterford and some busybody called the police who said not to move her, she had to be covered with a tablecloth till the coroner could . . .

  —Had the crystal insured didn’t they? Thought I heard something fall must have been when I was talking to Handler he’s doing this job this morning isn’t he nurse? Something to discuss with him when we get up there . . .

  —The implant? Yes sir but you’ll have a shot before you go up I don’t think you’ll be able to discuss anything with . . .

  —You look into it then Beaton, Handler’s damned annoyed said he was looking around for a good tax loss Crawley put him onto backing a play from some bunch called Angels East told him it was so bad it would fold overnight the damn thing opened it’s sold out must be some way to get it closed, fire laws health laws unions contracts must have pulled a fast one somewhere never met anybody in that theater bunch wasn’t a scoundrel a damn fool or both, one of them with no tie going on at me last night at Vida’s thought he was making some sense about what the pound’s been through rallies declines public turning its back turns out he’s talking about some damn dead poet finally had to put him out the door, few free drinks he’s insulting Vida tells her husband they betrayed literature selling out to this same damn bunch we’re talking about, the bank acting as corporate trustee of this Duncan stock nobody tells me a damn thing about it how the devil’d they get hold of it.

  —From what I’ve been able to piece together sir during their acquisition of Triangle Paper they took advantage of a bad debt situation involving an entirely different Duncan and Company, an Ohio wallpaper manufacturer, to mislead the . . .

  —Other damn way round I’d understand it take the wallpaper any day something you can draw up a budget on, don’t matter how ugly it is houses like a string of motel rooms you know how many damn rolls you can sell, these damn books you need a fortune teller in there doing your budget publish ten hold your breath waiting for one of them to bail out the other nine that any way to run a business?

  —No sir in fact their major objective in this scheme to get control of the Duncan trade list and textbook line was obviously to use it as a readymade adver . . .

  —Get into these mass paperbacks print an edition of five hundred thousand might as well ship three straight to the shredder one thing I hate it’s waste, can’t figure costs to sales too many unknowns too damn much waste . . .

  —Yes sir what they’ve done is reduce the significance of the cost factor, largely write off the waste element and outrage traditional publishing convention by using the entire list as a readymade advertising enterprise, they . . .

  —Have to advertise the damn things how else they going to sell them.

  —No sir in the books I mean ads in the books themselves sir, textbooks and novels filled with columns of advertising the prime space goes to their own subsidiaries but most of them appear to be quite tastelessly solicited, what figures I’ve obtained from our sources indicate a startling amount in billings which no excuse me sir just my briefcase I, yes here are some of the figures, it’s created a furor in publishing particularly the textbook area and drawn violent objections from some prominent writers who threat . . .

  —Always objecting to something only damn reason they’re writers, make their damn peace the country could get on with its business if this bunch hadn’t done it somebody else would here what’s these figures, haven’t got my glasses . . .

  —Those are, oh yes that’s a children’s encyclopedia they’re bringing out sir, it’s doing extremely well even though it seems to be teeming with inaccuracies and a number of prominent educators have demanded its withdraw . . .

  —Didn’t ask your editorial opinion Bea
ton I said what’s the figures.

  —Down here sir the initial outlay is in the neighborhood of a third of a million, two hundred sixty-six thousand on promotion sixty-six thousand in production and, yes and six hundred sixty dollars went in research writing and editorial costs yes no wonder the . . .

  —Beaton what’s that, that magazine give it to me.

  —Where the, oh this ma’am yes this is their magazine She, they took over the old Her magazine and turned it into a . . .

  —Don’t stand there blubbering about it give it to me, the cover looks like Emily.

  —Here let me see that, looks like Amy if she was some broken down two dollar . . .

  —Two dollars worth of cold fish she wouldn’t spread her toes for the King of . . .

  —This Mister Katz’s room?

  —What the devil does he want.

  —You Mister Katz?

  —What Mister Katz get him out of here.

  —Wait sir he, what’s that name who . . .

  —Room three eleven come to do the phones right on the order here, right here c, a, t e s. Katz.

  —Never mind yes just put them in as quickly as you . . .

  —Over here damn it! think I talk with my feet? See how much damn difference one more bungled encyclopedia’s going to make Beaton? this boob what’s his name Duncan’s head of sales, thought he went out and set up his own company.

  —This Skinner person yes sir he picked up that option but . . .

  —Skinnerflix that’s the name of it Skinnerflix what do you think they make, shoelaces? He’s making a movie called Two Foxy Girls and Vida’s psychia . . .

  —Don’t give a damn what they make Zona be quiet, just want to know how this bunch got in here Beaton.

  —That piggish little man with glasses last night going around handing out his card that says he deals in women’s underclothes plays the part of the psychi . . .

  —Damn it Zona be quiet! Picked up this option to set up in publishing didn’t he Beaton? now how the devil . . .

  —Originally yes sir under this D and S imprint but according to a trade journal a novel he just published there, a Western called The Blood in the Red White and Blue had already been published elsewhere with the title Guns of God under different pseudonyms by the same writer who’s now being sued for plagiarism by the producers of a motion picture called Dirty . . .