Ch 15 summary

[Joseph Tracy]

Well I don't know if I have much to offer from this chapter. My  
reaction in my 1st read was something like huh? why is all the action  
turning away from Mickey and Shasta, did Doc collect on his bet?  
why's there so much of the book left? The chapter is a turning point  
where Pynchon points us in a new direction. Last chapter Puck seemed  
the Vegas version of a midsummer's dream elf , headed off to a life  
of wedded blisters with the flower girl of anal intercourse. But  
dreams, names and sentimental  appearance are one thing and deeds,  
bad habits  and cash money something else;Puck's a killer. Also  
Bigfoot opens up and spills the beans about  what is happening in the  
LAPD. So Doc is off and running again but it is harder to see his  
motivation.

If Pychon is looking back at himself he is seeing a confused but  
idealistic searcher of unusual density and dogged will .

For me the chapter is more about plot and redirection  and narrative  
clarity than metaphor or historic reference. I hope others will open  
doors I am missing.

Below is a summary of the whole chapter. I will repost it in smaller  
sections as we go through a few pages at a time. Hope it helps jog  
memories for those who are reading elsewhere in the book.

Ch 15

Summary of chapter events (leaving out the jokes)

Doc returns to Gordita Beach but is strangely disoriented, perhaps by  
influx of college students, til he  asks someone where he is and  
recognizes this person as Denis. Denis tells him Shasta is back and  
staying at Flips place; says Flip’s in Maui. Doc calls Fritz who says  
Shasta flew into LAX, and also that the FBI can now monitor his  
computer,  Doc asks about Puck; Fritz too busy to check but offers to  
introduce Doc to Sparky. Bigfoot calls and is 3rd to announce return  
of Miss Hepworth.  ( lotta IV comes in bundles of 3, there is  
something persuasive about 3 witnesses.)

Bigfoot asks about Puck B,  Doc tells him to fuck off.
  Bigfoot says Noguchi’s look into Blatnoyd’s wounds was blocked or  
considered unnecessary.

Doc says if they can do it to the famous Noguchi, what cop is safe?

This appears to send Bigfoot into serious psychological distress  at  
which point his wife, Chastity, intervenes; she  calls Doc Mr. Moral  
Turpitude and mentions psych bills Doc has cost, starting husband  
wife squabble…
Doc lays down phone as she goes on. later falls asleep watching  
Zombie movie.

Next day Doc  in Wavos  is approached by Shasta, who’s wearing same  
clothes as before M.W. She seems carefree and shows no memory of  
postcard though she is wearing an unusual zomelike shell. When he  
asks where she has been, her answers are followed by question marks
“Had to go up north? Family stuff?” Shrug… as though she doesn’t  
really know where she has been.
Doc asks about Micky
“Oh that’s all over”
Ensenada Slim tells Doc Bigfoot is looking for him. Doc slips out  
back but BF is waiting for him.

Doc gives him  Wyatt Earp Coffee Cup of iffy provenance. BF is touched

This opens a new level of communication between BF and Doc which  
further on takes a good portion of the chapter and presages coming  
events and key players and reveals BF’s human motives and the  
internal powerstruggles and corruption in the LAPD.

BF also mentions a new related killing in Venice - Leonard Jermaine  
Loosemeat aka El Drano, ex dealer to Coy Harlingen.  Bigfoot tells  
Doc  to stay away  with apparently heartfelt concern for his safety.  
( He has now been warned by Puck, Tito, Bigfoot and soon Fritz)
Doc goes to Drano’s place amid local scurry to recover dope hidden in  
canal after dredge goes through.

A friend of Loosemeat named Pepe is there playing pool . Doc intro’s  
self as rep of HULK Heroin User’s Lberation Kollective. Pepe lets Doc  
know he didn’t like Drano’s association with loansharks collectors  
etc. because they dealt in pain and forgiveness and traffic with  
higher levels of command and control where there is no trust or  
respect or concept of betrayal.  He says it was unlikely though that  
L was killed by loansharks since he had paid all debts and was  
getting regular large check , which he (Drano) felt guilty about.  
Pepe Shows Doc  the check which is from Mickey’s bank with   
unreadable signature.
Doc says check could be donated to HULK’s save a rock&roller fund  
which stems from concern over rash of od’d rockers like Coy Harlingen.
Mention of Coy causes noticeable chill. Doc wonders if Drano’s  
remorse over giving full strength heroin to Coy  led to his being  
killed to prevent confession. The question of who might do that leads  
him to start looking at Adrian Prussia.
Fritz tlls Doc Adrian Prussia is extra bad shit anymore, that he cut  
deal with people higher up and works for them  doing bad shit with  
seeming immunity suggesting Police corruption/protection.

Doc goes to waste a perp shooting range hoping to find Bigfoot who is  
there. They go to a bar then on walk, and Doc asks why Bigfoot is  
putting him in danger to check out Puck Beaverton. Bigfoot says  
sensitive territory and Doc says get over it and lay cards out which  
BF does.
We find that Puck worked for AP and killed BF’s  partner and walked  
because  it was probably ordered from higher in Dept or higher yet.  
Also turns out that APrussia  has walked on several killings and may  
be a contract killer working for people in Internal Affairs  
department of LAPD.

They part in Puck Beaverton’s neighborhood.

  We find that Bigfoot has been withholding a lot of information but  
so has Doc and  it is interesting that only by withholding  
information does Doc get information.