AtD excerpt - "got-damned pinkinroller"

[jbor at bigpond.com]

I guess it's also worthwhile pointing out that whatever action there is 
in the second part of the scene is implied by the dialogue. It isn't 
narrated. This is a characteristic feature of Pynchon's narrative style 
also.

The way the dialogue is written makes it seem like a rapid-fire 
exchange, when in fact it isn't. Young Willis, at the very least, has 
put his pistol away (I think he has put it back in his bag and taken 
out a little osteopathic or diagnostic tool, but I guess he could have 
just put it in his pocket) and walked back to where Jimmy is crouched 
in pain, before his "lilywhites" work their massage magic on Jimmy's 
back.

The idea that the "pinkinroller" refers to Willis's pistol is 
plausible, and my first reading of it was that Jimmy was referring to 
Willis as a "pinkinroller" too.

Once his back goes, Jimmy's attention diverts to Alfonsito, who is 
carrying on and probably comes over to offer his compadre assistance at 
that point. It's not until he says "I can fix that" that Jimmy takes 
any further notice of what Willis is doing. By that time Willis has 
done whatever he has done with his pistol, and is walking towards Jimmy 
with (perhaps) a "pinkinroller" in his hand, to offer his osteopathic 
expertise.

best

On 06/08/2006, at 9:23 AM, Paul Mackin wrote:

> My first inclination is to hear "pinkinroller" as a disparaging remark 
> about the relative non-lethalness of Willis's antiquated colt.  Roller 
> stands for revolver, It's what you see when looking into the barrel of 
>  one. Willis's is a pinkinroller because it is of small calibre, 
> probably a .22, and capable only of pinking (barely scratching) the 
> person it hits. Jimmy Drop no doubt carries a .45.

>> >     "Damned idiot, o' course it's my back. Oh mother of all
>> > misfortune--and worst than last time too."
>> >     "I can fix that," offered Willis.
>> >     "Beg your pardon, what in hell business of any got-damn
>> > pinkinroller'd this be, again?"
>> >     "I know how to loosen that up for you. Trust me, I'm an
>> > osteopath."
>> >     "It's O.K., we're open-minded, couple boys in the outfit are
>> > evangelicals, just watch where you're putting them lilywhites now--
>> > yaaagghh--I mean, huh?"
>> >     "Feel better?"
>> >     "Holy Toledo," straightening up, carefully but pain-free.
>> >     "Why, it's a miracle."