Potsmodernism

[David Kipen]

My pda abbreviates any overlong subject lines, thus turning "potsmoking Doc SPOILER ALERT" into the inevitably suggestive "potsm." A genre is born...

All finest,
Your faithful potsmaster

----- Original Message -----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org <owner-pynchon-l at waste.org>
To: pynchon-l at waste.org <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Tue Aug 11 22:51:30 2009
Subject: IV:  potsmoking Doc SPOILER ALERT

Looking back over the first 100 pages of IV, it may be possible to
determine at least the fuzzy outlines of Doc's mental state related to
his cannabis consumption.

Doc starts with a beer (p 2) the night Shasta arrives, on p 5 notes
that he hadn't been smoking "much", turns down a roach from Denis on
10 because it wasn't worth the trouble (would only burn his fingers),
then rolls a number and falls asleep after doing his hair.

Next day no specific mention of pot smoking but at p 15 he "had a
moment of faintheartedness, drug-induced no doubt"

Next day, at his office, he rolls and smokes a joint of Hawaiian.
Later that afternoon he supplies pre-rolled Panamanian joints. Strong
stuff, both of those varieties.

Not sure if the drive to Dubonnet's office is that same day, or if
Doc's drive into Santa Monica is the next day, but no specific mention
of pot smoking, and on p 59 Doc says "What a welcome relief not to be
offered any 'pot' " albeit sarcastically.

On p. 70, he apparently can't remember how many joints he smokes a day.

Lots of dope smoked at the Club Asiatique, although we don't
specifically see Doc doing any of it, until out in the parking lot on
p 85 when he smokes some Asian indica.

By the time we get to Ch 7 and a new morning, Doc is lighting up a
joint after lunch.

Next morning, p 99, he's drinking Wavos coffee rumored to be laced
with amphetamines; later that day Doc's tripping on LSD.

And that's just the first week or so.