AtD excerpt - "got-damned pinkinroller"

[Paul Mackin]

On Aug 5, 2006, at 7:42 PM, jbor at bigpond.com wrote:

> 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.

Incidentally isn't the way  Willis offers his services more madison  
avenue and hollywood  than wild west?

"Trust me" meaning "go along with me even if  you can't yet see where  
I'm going."

Pynchon up to old tricks . . . oh, damn . . . .

>
> 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."
>
>