Japanese Auction

[Don Corathers]

"Fingertip deficiencies" refers to the Yakuza--the Japanese mafia--practice
of taking off a pinky to demonstrate loyalty or atonement. I assume these
guys are either muscle for the management, alert to signs of misbehavior
(odd though, that they're "older gentlemen," huh?) or they're there to read
the discreetly signaled bids.

D.C.


> "Older gentlemen with fingertip deficiencies could be noted circulating in
> the crowd, attentive as geishas, although to other signals" (VL
136.17-19).
>
> Any of you have any frickin' idea what he's talking about here?
>
> Steve Maas