VL 249 F1

[Bekah]

It's really not clear,  imo,  because if Howie and Sledge are "loyal to the end" they might be "walking carefully" and "scoping out the situation."    But if they're "just in shock"  then I think they'd be more likely to be tagging along.     

Bekah

On Sep 29, 2013, at 3:06 PM, kelber at mindspring.com wrote:

> Have to admit that I'm stumped by this too. Pynchon uses the phrase again on p. 318, in a similar fashion, that also doesn't illuminate. If it's a reference to slack (as opposed to tight) rope walking, it would mean "walking carefully," I guess. Could it mean that Howie and Sledge are walking carefully ahead of her, to scope out the situation? That's about all I can figure. Sorry I can't be more helpful. Anyone?
> 
> Laura
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Max Nemtsov <max.nemtsov at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Sep 29, 2013 10:56 AM
>> To: pynchon-l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>> Subject: VL 249 F1
>> 
>> guys, could someone with a good ear please help the stumped translator?
>> 
>> Vineland, p 249:
>> DL in the meantime had come straggling back to Berkeley, to the workshop 
>> off San Pablo, with Howie and Sledge, either loyal to the end or just in 
>> shock, walking slack for her, and found they were just about all that 
>> was left of 24fps.
>> 
>> "walking slack for her" - the exact shade of meaning? i'm suddenly at a 
>> loss with the preposition: do they just tag along - or do they cover her 
>> back somehow?
>> thank you
>> Mx
>> -
>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
> 
> -
> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l

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