IV - chapter 19 page 348 - 350

[Bekah]

Page 348
Doc becomes ironic or sarcastic or something about the rich whereupon  
Fenway checks his "Patek Philippe moonphase".
http://www.demesy.com/p/52691.html
$56,500

 From Pynchon Wiki:
"An expensive watch, obviously: characteristics include a high value  
and a very complex and precise mechanism. Crocker Fenway's watch  
would, today, fetch a significant price: a 1968 watch (with some  
unusual characteristics) went for over $183,000 at a Christie's  
auction in November 2008. Older, and particularly rare, models have  
sold for over a million dollars. "

*
Fenway tells Coy the drop will be at the in the parking lot at the May  
Company shopping mall...tomorrow evening.

Hawthorne and Artesia - this is today's South Bay Galleria in Redondo  
Beach.  the site of the May Company store back in 1970 (to 1985)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Bay_Galleria

*
 From Pynchon Wiki:
This conversation happens the evening of Wednesday May 6, 1970.
Doc brought Denis along
Evening, Thursday May 7, 1970. May 7 is the Feast of the Ascension in  
1970. Jesus Christ, having been resurrected, returns bodily to heaven  
on this day.

Now isn't the date of the Feast of the Ascension used in Gravity's  
Rainbow and Against the Day?  It's the end of Christ's time on earth -  
when he "ascends into heaven."    Is this meaningful in the context of  
IV?   Does it mark the end of something, some era, some job,  or are  
they just "getting high?"   Could it be an accident (and not  
meaningful) in IV?  I mean,  the Feast of the Ascension is going to  
happen every year.

^^^^^
Doc and Denis go to the mall (but it's not a mall yet - see above) to  
await the drop.  They smoke a joint.   Southern california shopping  
malls of 1970

**********
Page 349
Doc gives Denis some details about the transaction and how it's being  
done for the safety of some people he cares about.   They discuss  
trusting bad people as well as good people because "good people get  
bought and sold every day."  (Think Coy and even Doc himself.)  "Might  
as well trust somebody evil once in awhile, it makes no more or less  
sense."

*
The "Golden Fang operatives" show up "in a 1953 Buick Estate Wagon,  
the last woodie that ever rolled out of Detroit."

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/1953_Buick_Super_Estate_Wagon.jpg

Although dressed like a "wholesome California family"  (in a 17 year  
old woodie? - a rather incongruous picture, eh?) - but they're not  
quite what they seem - or are they?     California blonde mom hands  
Doc a small rectangular piece of plastic.

**************
Page 350
It's  a credit card made out to Coy Harlingen.  Apparently Fenway is  
helping Coy keep his mouth shut.   Doc is given a message for Coy.
" 'Well done.  Welcome back to the main herd.  Safe journeys.'   
That's  'journeys,"   plural. ' "

Rather cryptic, imo.  Who is/was Coy working for?  Who has him now?

*
As they leave the parking lot Doc notices Bigfoot's car trailing the  
operatives, still trailing the dope.  Bigfoot continues to hunt for  
Adrian, the "employer" of his partner's killer,  and there are still  
lots of questions to be answered.

*******