ATDTDA (7): One step at a time, 206-208

[Paul Nightingale]

The narrative has prioritised Frank's interactions
with Linnet. Now, mid-206, comes a pargraph with the
emphasis on the macro-level: "At the Casino ..." etc.
Here, "any number of telegraph receivers" connect the
town to the outside world. Frank has previously been
associated with the quest for "a general rule" (90),
an outlook that goes beyond the here-&-now; Reef's
"rooster-in-the-morn attitude" (199) is indeed
concerned with little beyond the present. Taking the
call from Jimmy Drop, Reef "all at once wish[es] he
could pretend they'd been cut off" (206).

Intriguingly, when Deuce's name is mentioned (207,
Reef seems to know him better than Webb did (another
pop, then, at Webb's claims to knowledge); he is also
acquianted with Sloat Fresno. Here, we glimpse the
networking available to a gambler like Reef. By
implication, the same kind of knowledge hasn't been
made available to the union activist.

The first mention of Jeshimon establishes both its
reputation and also the response required from Reef:
"Didn't help that it was within a day's ride." Someone
who lives from day to day is here promised immediacy,
but doesn't relish the thought.

The first mention of Frank in this passage is from
Reef's pov, and he comments on his brother's youth,
before pushing him away: "I figured you'd go see to Ma
and Lake." Hence, this passage, returning to Reef, is
an attempt to turn back the clock a couple of pages,
restore Reef as patriarchal authority figure (perhaps
patriarch-in-waiting, including fatherhood, is a
better way to put it). Frank has it when he suggests
that Reef wants him to wait until he inherits the job.