GR translation: sucking on an egg

[Becky Lindroos]

That’s actually what I thought just reading that it was breakfast - and if someone is eating an over-easy or soft-boiled egg well - it happens that occasionally.  I was too insecure to speak up -  thank Jochen.  

Bek


> On Dec 21, 2015, at 10:17 AM, Jochen Stremmel <jstremmel at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Has nobody thought of the possibility that S. is sucking on e real egg? I was some days away from my books and had only now the possibility to look it up, and voilà – some lines before on the same page: 
> 
> The Springer is his old chipper self: "Fresh eggs and coffee [...]"
> 
> 2015-12-21 5:42 GMT+01:00 Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>:
> I think I figured it out.  Here Slothrop is sucking in his cheeks as if sucking on an egg, and generally trying to act nonchalant, while waiting for a more serious response from the Springer.  Looking back, it should have been fairly obvious.
> 
> On Sun, Dec 20, 2015 at 4:41 PM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
> Reflecting, leads me to see the words that follow perhaps " better". Pynchon seems to imply that, with that military parody in mind, and with the comradely awareness that military personnel can have, usually to be " sucking an egg" means a sly awareness that you are consciously doing that. But Slothrop does it without feeling sly. Not even that pleasure. 
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> On Dec 20, 2015, at 2:57 PM, Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> OK, this makes a little more sense.  Believe it or not, I did search around before I asked the question, but I wasn't quite sure how it applies to the current context.  Thanks, Mark.
>> 
>> Also, please remove my hotmail address from your contact list and always reply to this email address (gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com) instead.
>> 
>> 
>> On Sun, Dec 20, 2015 at 7:01 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>> To attempt more specificity than was in my last email, I think " sucking an egg" here means doing something utterly useless as institutionalized by the military which is really doing nothing. along with waiting that other aspect of military life so dissed by soldiers.
>> 
>> Sent from my iPad
>> 
>> > On Dec 20, 2015, at 3:47 AM, Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > V526.22-40   “What’s the deal?”
>> >        “A minor piracy. Pick up one package for me while I cover you.” He looks at his watch, hamming it up.
>> > “O.K., get me a discharge, I’ll come with you.”
>> >        “A what? A discharge? For you? Ha! Ha! Ha!”
>> >        “You ought to laugh more, Springer. It makes you look really cute.”
>> >        “What kind of a discharge, Slothrop? Honorable, perhaps? Ah, ah-ha! Ha! Ha!” Like Adolf Hitler, Springer is easily tickled by what the Germans call Schadenfreude, the feeling of joy at another’s misfortune.
>> >        “Quit fooling, I’m serious.”
>> >        “Of course you are, Slothrop!” More giggling.
>> >        Slothrop waits, watches, sucking on an egg though he feels anything but sly this morning.
>> >        “Närrisch, you see, was supposed to go with me today. Now I’m stuck with you. Ha! Ha! Where do you want it delivered, this—ha—this discharge?”
>> >        “Cuxhaven.” Slothrop has been having lately this dim fantasy about trying to contact the Operation Backfire people in Cuxhaven, to see if they’ll help get him out.
>> >
>> > What does "sucking on an egg" mean here?
>> 
> 
> 

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