V. The Street

[Michael Bailey]

Mark Kohut  wrote:
> Michael Bailey writes:
> then there's the proverbial "street" as in "street-smart" or
> "streetwise", which for me implies a certain exhilaration in being
> able to function at all in a challenging environment, and a knowledge
> of the things necessary for basic self-preservation - look both ways
> before crossing, don't pee on the 3rd rail, don't mess around with
> Jim, or Slim either - as well as a hope for some form of refuge (sit
> down and patch my bones, and get back Truckin...)
>
> seems P has Benny, schliemihl, clearly declare his failure at this............
>

but yet there's something going for him:
Rachel sees something in him, there's that bubble of grace from Fina
that he's able to perceive and obtain succor from, there's a whole
bunch of friends who despite his poor-mouthing of his own sorry self
(which I don't doubt the sincerity of, just the complete truth of)
continue to hang out with him and have adventures with him.  And dumb
luck of course.

I suggest a parallel: Benny and Stencil; Stephen and Bloom?



-- 
Yippy dippy dippy,
Flippy zippy zippy,
Smippy gdippy gdippy, too!
- Thomas Pynchon ("'Zo Meatman's Gone AWOL")