COLGR49: "ha, ha"

[Kato du Bois]

		"You might have been one of Perry Mason's spies", said 					Roseman. After 
thinking a moment added, "Ha, ha".
		"Ha, ha", said Oepida. They looked at each other.

													(p. 9, Bantum)

I enjoyed this passage in re-reading, not only because it seems to be the 
first real Paranoia peeking out at us from the text, even if it is light 
(and superbly dry ... Oedipa doesn't take much shit from Roseman, 
obviously), but because it seems to nod to Alfred Jarry's _Exploits and 
Opinions of Doctor Faustroll, Pataphysician_, an author I could see this 
crowd, as well as P himself, having at least a passing interest in. The 
baboon Bosse-de-Nage, Dr. Faustroll's cabin-boy, can speak ... but only the 
word "Ha ha", which he interjects frequently (and injects with various 
meanings).

A wierd little book that one, can recommend it if you're interested in one 
of the early inspirations of Dadaism.

K d B


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