VV (19) Let's get this thing started

[Samuel Moyer]

Judging by the 22 posts I just received logging on... none on the subject of
V.  Chapter 15 seems to have bit the dust... not much there anyway (beyond
Petard, Squasimodeo, and Stencil's choice of a gift for V.), I quess it is
time we better get on with Chapter 16.

And time is getting on... Chapter one opened up on Christmas Eve 1955,
Profane yo-yo'd into Norfolk just after his old ship, the USS Scaffold,
departed.  Now it is the evening before Halloween, 1956 and we catch up with
the Scaffold up on blocks in Malta.

If we noticed... Bodine was arrested for Desertion in Chapter 15... a good
ten months after missing movement (hey, I wonder if that guy ever made
retirement - don't tell me, haven't read Vineland or M&D yet- in case he
shows up again... he sure had one hell of a first 10+ years in the Navy).

On New Year's we have Profane and Paola making their way to NYC... Stencil
also arrives there around this time... or else he is already in town.  What
did this guy do all year!  Chase Father Fairing in the sewers, stencilize
Mondaugen's Story, read Paola's letter, haunt Eigenvalue....  no work, no
fun?

"Born in 1901, the year Victoria died, Stencil was in time to be the
century's child.  Raised motherless.  The father, Sydney Stencil, had served
the Foreign Office of his country taciturn and competent.  No facts on the
mother's disappearance.  Died in childbirth, ran off with someone, committed
suicide: some way of vanishing painful enough to keep Sydney from ever
referring to it in all the correspondence to his son which is available.
The father died under..."  We can save that for the Epilogue. (52)

Stencil came to NYC to visit Shoenmaker, was introduced to the WSC through
Esther (whose relationship to Shoenmaker has been covered).
"He'd snatched at Esther's invitation, hoping to come across some clue,
trace, hint.  But the Whole Sick Crew had nothing to offer." (56)  I still
find that line funny.

V. and Sydney were both in Florence in April 1898... that is more than nine
months prior to the beginning of 1901.  Perhaps someone can point me in the
right direction... do we know what Sydney in V. were doing a year later?  Is
it safe to assume that V. is Herbert Stencil's Mother?

Ok... just trying to wrap up chapter 15's discussion... Tommorrow's weather:
Sun showers over Malta.

Sam