Togetherness "So Far, So Good"

[Dave Monroe]

"As this article goes to press, the safety record of
Bomarc airlifts can be summed up in four words: so
far, so good. You may recall, however, the optimist
who jumped off the top of a New York office building.
He was heard to yell the same thing as he passed the
20th floor: so far, so good." (Togetherness, p. 6)


"so far, so good"

And who said THAT first?  Anyway ...

>From Adrian Wisnicki, "A Trove of New Works by Thomas
Pynchon?  Bomarc Service News Rediscovered," Pynchon
Notes 46-49 (Spring-Fall 2000-2001), pp. 9-34 ...

"Though some readers may find 'Togetherness' dry
compared with Pynchon's fiction, the article is not
strictly technical.  Pynchon's purpose is to discuss
the safety precautions necessary when airlifting the
IM-99A Bomarc missil, yet seemingly excess material
repeated creps in.  Consider the following passage:

As this article goes to press, the safety record of
Bomarc airlifts can be summed up in four words: so
far, so good. You may recall, however, the optimist
who jumped off the top of a New York office building.
He was heard to yell the same thing as he passed the
20th floor: so far, so good. (6)

"In the midst of a serious discussion, Pynchon uses
this analogy--incongruous with the topic, yet
surprisingly illuminating and humorous.  Another
stylistic feature of this passage recurs throughout
the article: in addition to third-person exposition,
Pynchon often uses the second perrson to address the
reader directly.  Further, he uses a number of em
dashes throughout the article (em dashes, along with
ellipses, are prominent in Gracity's Rainbow and Mason
& Dixon) ...." (p. 15)

Okay, gotta run, MIGHT be out of town tomorrow
(Zatoichi, Ju-On), but will pick up the pace from here
on out.  Thanks for yr patience, and, of course, feel
free to go on about MMV or set in on GR.  Whatever ...


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