Van Meter

[John Carvill]

>
> The term "rescheduled" that both Van Meter (8) and Zoyd's local TV station
> contact use (1) is TV jargon for a late change in programming. It equates
> also to the way that Frenesi and Flash are being dropped from "the Program"
> later on (88).

We all recognise the term 'reschedule' as it applies to TV, thanks. We
all recognise the use of film and TV terms as metaphor in VL.

>
> The title of VM's "house newsletter" in the "commune" out back of the
> Cucumber Lounge is also relevant.

Not so relevant once you realise the house newsletter is not Van
Meter's. Here's the text:

"So when Van Meter, a lifetime searcher for meaning, moved into this
Cucumber Lounge bungalow, Zoyd had hoped for some Japanese-style
serenity as a side effect, but no such luck. Instead of a quiescent
solution to all the overpop, the "commune" chose an energetic one —
bickering. Unrelenting and high-decibel, it was bickering raised to
the level of ceremony, bickering that soon generated its own house
newsletter, the Blind-Side Gazette, bickering that could be heard even
out on the freeway by the drivers of hurtling eighteen-wheelers, some
of whom thought it was radio malfunction, others unquiet ghosts."

Nothing whatsoever in there to suggest that the 'Blind-Side Gazette'
is in some way Van Meter's. What is he, the editor?

The fact that it isn't "VM's house newsletter" makes the following
even more specious:

> It's "The Blind-Side Gazette" (9).
> According to an online 'Urban Dictionary', the term "blind-side" is street
> slang referring to the way that a "dopefiend" will attack someone "suddenly
> and without warning". Another source defines the particular vernacular use
> of the term as "to conspire against someone secretly".
>

Hmmmm. Not sure about your 'another source'. Google comes up blank:

http://www.google.com/search?q=blind-side%20%22to%20conspire%20against%20someone%20secretly%22

Whatever the modern usage of 'blind-side' mentioned in the 'Urban
Dictionary', to blind-side more generally means 'to catch unawares'.

Anyway, the Urban Dictionary gives 'to blindside' as a definition of
'to dopefiend':

dopefiend	1 up, 2 down

(verb) Prison/street slang. To blindside someone. To attack and hit
someone from the blind side, suddenly and without warning. It implies
the actions a dope user as being unpredictable and potentially
violent.
"He just ran up from behind and dopefiended on the guy."

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dopefiend&defid=3447280


The Urban Dictionary entry for 'blindside' just defines it as 'to
attack someone by surprise'

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=blindside

So, as far as I can tell, the Urban Dictionary gives 'to blindside' as
a meaning for the verb, 'to dopefiend'. It does *not* give a definiton
of 'blind-side' which resembles the one alluded to (but not quoted)
above. Odd.

Not that it makes much difference. Even if the Urban DIctionary did
give the definition of 'blind-side' suggested above, what would that
prove about Van Meter (or whoever is responsible for putting out the
house gazette)?

A very flimsy argument is being constructed here, based on a number of
leaps of logic. The Blind-side gazette is Van Meter's (except it
isn't); to 'blind-side' means a dopefiend (Van Meter, say) will attack
you without warning; therefore Van Meter is attacking Zoyd. Some
imagination. But no cigar.


> It's interesting also that Pynchon, using the same "show don't tell"
> strategy of characterisation, lets us know that VM is a former marine by the
> way he calls out "Corpsman!" when he chases after the paramedics (12).
>

This ignores the point that Van Meter's running after the medics
demonstrates that he did not know the window was made of sugar glass.
Which somewhat detracts from the idea that Van Meter is orchestrating
the whole affair.


> No matter how strong his loyalties to Zoyd, and it's clear that the
> friendship between the two is long-standing and mutual, VM is definitely
> still a member of the "snitch community", and fickle.

Frenesi is a member of the 'snitch community'. Van Meter goofed, once,
and Hector slyly slipped him a payment, in order to implicate him
after the fact.

> He knows that Zoyd's
> window-jump has been "rescheduled", while Zoyd doesn't,

Van Meter, for one thing, knows where Zoyd's jump is supposed to be,
because the TV crews are at the Cucumber, which is right in front of
where he lives.

Again, my point was ignored. Zoyd has already been told about the
rescheduling, on Page 1, befofre Van Meter comes into the narrative.

>so he is obviously
> in on whatever deals have been going on behind Zoyd's back. He deliberately
> waits until Zoyd has arrived at the Cuke before he mentions that Hector's
> there and waiting to see Zoyd, so he's "blind-siding" his friend on that
> count also.

We don't know whether Hector was already there when Van Meter spoke to
Zoyd. We don't know, but can guess, that Van Meter doesn't know just
how unwelcome a visitor Hector will be for Zoyd. And even if Zoyd
wanted to avoid Hector, there is still the matter of having to do his
jump. Which is why Hector is there, because he knows Zoyd is coming.
Nothing to do with Van Meter.

>
> That VM's deceiving and manipulating Zoyd is clear;

That VM's deceiving and manipulating Zoyd is unsupported speculation.

>that he's doing it for
> profit is clearly implied. The "fatal five-spot" which VM "grabbed" from
> Hector back at the Gordita Beach house was definitely "not the last" (24),

That fatal five was the last we are explicitly informed that Vane
Meter accepted. All we're told is that there are a lot of narcs around
teh beach, and a lot of snitch money flowing around, and that Zoyd is
happy to share in food, beer, or whatever, is purchased with that
dirty money. We are never shown a specific instance of Van Meter
taking money again, and he didn't actually mean to 'snitch' in that
one instance we do know about.

Van Meter may be a flake, but he's no snitch. Leave the kid alone!