Fairway bag full of money / more plot recap retread

[Michael Bailey]

*On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 12:56 PM Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com
<https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l> <mailto:mark.kohut at
gmail.com <https://waste.org/mailman/listinfo/pynchon-l>>> wrote:
*>* >
*>* >> From my first reading I have always believed Maxine did not take the
*>* >> money....Now I have gone back and I think that is clear...
*>* >> *


*In your favor - would she take a lot of money in a grocery bag on the
subway? Also, check it at the coat check at Chuy’s? One wonders. *

*Question still open, imho.*


*In IV, Doc deals with the Golden Fang to the extent of giving them
back their heroin in exchange for guarantees of safety for his circle
of loved ones & a new life for Owen Wilson - er, Coy Harlingen.*

*His recognition that he can’t beat ‘em doesn’t mean he joins them. *

*So with Maxine, who already knows she can tail ‘em and nail’em but is
unlikely to jail them, *

*Is she more likely to be comfortable doing some contracting for Igor
& Slagiatt - which I think is possible given that she’s willing to
dine and dance with Slagiatt - and hence accepts the money, *

*Or to exist on their radar as an incorruptible who, nevertheless, may
be someone they can occasionally deal with but on her terms - in which
case she, as Mark suggests, smoothly rejects the Fairway bag, leaving
it in the ZiL?*

*It could go either way. *

*I can’t remember how much Igor or Slagiatt appear later - my
impression is not that much. So again, that militates toward her
refusal. *

*We don’t see her buying a condo or prepaying Kugelblitz with cash,
but she probably wouldn’t anyway.*

*And we don’t ever see her getting elevated on anything but booze and
MTA platforms, do we?*

*Unlike March (who Sid mentions is trying to score something from
somebody named Sequin, although that person is unavailable, possibly
writing a term paper) or Sid, a tenuous couple united  in drug
running, which is certainly not the image I got at first of March the
protestor, Maxine’s druggage seems to be historical, and back then
limited to club drugs only.*

*Her response to Igor’s advice on sourcing methcathinone is “I’ll try
to remember that,” slightly sarcastic but polite, which could suit
either a Maxine who just rejected or accepted the money.*

*Igor’s in a jolly mood, giving her ice cream - would he still be so
jolly if she rejected the money? Maybe so, who doesn’t like to save on
anticipated expenses?*