Zoyd

[Rob Jackson]

Me:
> >>> > "Zoyd, to be sure, made a point of never pocketing any of  
> Hector's PI
> >>> > money personally, though he was content to go on eating the  
> groceries,
> >>> > burning the gas, and smoking the pot others obtained with  
> it." (VL 24)
> >>> >
> >>> > Zoyd is characterised here as both a hypocrite and a knowing
> >>> > accomplice in the snitch racket. The negative tone adopted in  
> the
> >>> > narrative towards Zoyd in this instance is quite plain, and it's
> >>> > precisely what the "technically" hedge in the earlier scene is
> >>> > referring to.


Michael Bailey:
> eckshually...this is in Zoyd's flashback, right [...]
>
> in the text we have Van Meter's accidental revelation which was no
> news to Hector
> and his acceptance of the fin.


Though it is Zoyd's flashback, he's not narrating the episode. Pynchon  
sometimes does filter the narration through different characters'  
perspectives, but consider the description of how easily Van Meter's  
cherry was popped and he was recruited to Hector's snitch list, as  
well as Zoyd's instant awareness of what was going on:

	Zoyd rolled his eyes as the bass player grabbed
	at the money. "And there's always plenty more [...] "
	That fatal five-spot was not the last Purchase-of-
	Information disbursement in the neighbourhood. (24)

It's third person detached narration here. Van Meter is turned like a  
leaf in the breeze. A-and Zoyd knows it.

Back in the first sequence it's Van Meter who calls Zoyd to say that  
the window-jump has been "rescheduled" to the Cucumber Lounge (Note  
VM's omission of detail: "Somebody said it got rescheduled.") The  
Cucumber Lounge is where VM lives (Mob-owned). When Zoyd arrives, VM  
nags Zoyd to hurry up because "We're losin' the light". He changes the  
subject when Zoyd asks him "why is everybody here instead?" and frames  
the revelation of Hector's arrival awkwardly as a question: "Guess I  
can tell you now you're here, is there's this old buddy of yours, just  
showed up?"  (pp. 8-10)

VM's words, actions and facial expressions all through this scene  
indicate that he is lying, hiding from Zoyd his own role in  
orchestrating the rendezvous with Hector, and turning the window-jump  
into a media circus. The way VM is described by Pynchon here is  
designed to show him betraying his guilty conscience. It's clear that  
VM is still on Hector's payroll (as well as ... ) even in 1984.

best wishes