BEg2 chapter 4 Iceland spar bifurcations

[Michael Bailey]

Imho -
You got your
2 different kinds of media

Then you got your
2 different views of Fiona


Two images with the kids: Tubers vs Gamers

Tube is what’s on offer at the nee-Tarnow,
lately-Loeffler,
newly-re-Tarnow residence for the family and their young guest Fiona, the
kids settle pseudo-sedately into viewing mode & Maxine goes about her
business - familiar comfortable roles like Fiona playing up to Otis who is
acting the gentleman host

Computer game is the fruits of hospitality: a peek at this product of
Fiona’s home is a great hostess-gift - changing the paradigm of
entertainment, though thankfully conforming to ancient customs of
generosity.
The game engages all 3 kids; Maxine too.
 And Fiona, though guest, possibly youngest, and female, is the
knowledgeable one. “Disruptive tech?”



Two images with Fiona: confidant vs Other

Fiona holds high-level rational conversation with Maxine, understanding
lots of business and showing mature attitudes.

Then arises the specter of unconventional assignations with her husband
Justin’s business partner Lucas into which their relationship isn’t quite
solid enough for Vyrva to go -


[Maxine wonders based on body language whether Vyrva is] “shtupping, excuse
me, “seeing” her husband’s partner on the sly?
   “Vyrva, you’re not . . .”
           “Not what?”
           “Never mind.” Both women then beam elaborately and shrug, one
fast, the other slow.

(Maxine fast, Vyrva slow, gotta be!)




 whereupon -

Without any kind of goodbye -

Vyrva’s no longer there, & is being talked about.
So the 2nd image of Vyrva here is as a mad Beanie Baby collector.

“Another unexplored corner here, of which there are already enough. Maxine
has only recently for example found out about Vyrva and Beanie Babies.
Seems Vyrva’s been out running some arbitrage hustle with the trendy
stuffed-toy/beanbag hybrids. Soon after their first play date, “Fiona has
every Beanie Baby,” Otis nodding for emphasis, “in the world.” He thought a
minute. “Well, every kind of Beanie Baby. Every one in the world, that’d be
. . . like warehouses and stuff.””


Beanie Babies are soft, cute, and cuddly and a nice what people used to
call a “high-touch” contrast to the “high-tech” world of Justin and Lucas.

Attractive to me is the notion that the depth of Vyrva’s attraction to
Beanie Babies is for her a necessary counterbalance to the preponderance of
computer, virtual, non-tactile non-huggable stuff in Justin’s routine.

Also maybe that although Ziggy has no patience with Vyrva’s strategy, that
just means he too is like Horst in looking primarily through financial
goggles.

Maxine isn’t the one to say Vyrva’s crazy. It’s Ziggy, and we do not hear a
concurrence from Maxine.
(Fruits of emo-therapy?)