VLVL 4: War, politics and love

[Terrance]

> 
> It's more likely that RC had deserted from the troops. That would be a good
> reason for a name-change.

What? First off, RC is a bush vet, not Vietnam Vet. We are never told
that he is a Nam Vet. When Zoyd shows up at the Farm, RC is not there so
we never meet him. He never says a word in the novel. In the flashback
bar scene RC comes out of the can (john, bathroom, WC) and finds Zoyd
trying to get his fingers in his Pie. He gives Zoyd the old don't piss
me off look or inquiry.  RC's deep eyes and mortally cautious bearing 
tell Zoyd where else RC has been. Where else? Besides the can (men's
room)? How about the can (prison)? Maybe not, but there is an ongoing
bathroom humor gag in this novel so maybe the pun is intended. In any
event, deep eyes and mortally cautious bearing doesn't equal Vietnam.
OK, but they erases their trail, changed there names since the war and
Zoyd meets them in the early seventies. But most of the folk Zoyd meets
in Vineland are up there from the early seventies. The fact that they
have a farm, with a cattle guard at the entrance, horse barn, seed,
feed, fertilizer scale, and so on all supports the idea that RC is a
Bush Vet not Nam Vet. Besides, the novel introduces every single
character by occupation, business, work. And RC is no exception. Vietnam
Vet is not a job.