Van Meter

[rich]

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.
__________
could one read Zoyd's happiness here as simply indulging his munchies
cravings; could he really know which money was dirty or not?  I mean
w/lots of snitch money flowing around who could tell? Making Zoyd if
not blind at least just a unaware goofball. I mean think about
it--every beer he's offered he's gonna interrogate people? The wording
is somewhat vague.
just a thought...

rich

On 8/25/09, John Carvill <johncarvill at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> 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!
>
>