Fairway bag full of money / more plot recap retread

[Mark Kohut]

Nice stuff, Michael.

I think March is being shown as a self-failed Leftist. She embodies what
Vineland shows.

I think Igor giving Maxine ice cream is such a nice touch. He can get her
to take* something. *

On Sun, Feb 13, 2022 at 1:36 AM Michael Bailey <michael.lee.bailey at gmail.com>
wrote:

> *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?*
> --
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>