VLVL Takeshi

[jbor]

> I would submit that beginning on page 158 with Takeshi's attempts to
> medicate away his despair with amphetamines, alcohol and barbituates,
> that one must take the next couple of pages, up through "Next day,
> feeling mysteriously better..." as only surreal at best.  For instance a
> person may have brushed by Takeshi while he was on the pay phone with
> Carmine and said "excuse me" which Takeshi translated as "Watch the
> Paranoia, please."  The kid on the airplane may or may not have been
> playing a video game called "Nookey" and Takeshi's ex-wife may or may not
> have been on the television in the motel room

Why dismiss only this section as hallucination? Takeshi's booze and speed
habit is chronic (see eg. 142.25-8 and DL's comment at 100.27-8). How are
these things any more "surreal" (i.e. far-fetched) than the giant Godzilla
footprint episode, the invisible robot on the plane, or the "Vibrating Palm
of Death"? These are portions of Takeshi's narration as well. And DL seems
to be acting as a corroborating witness to the veracity of Takeshi's yarn.

best