BEg2 bag o’ money

[Michael Bailey]

Mark, your arguments are good on this.

I’ll still be looking for counter evidence, but knowing how loose-end-less
Pynchon’s plotting is - I’ve never found one that I can recall - it does
seem like leaving the money in Igor’s car would explain the absence of
further mention.

I want her to take it, I want Igor to be at least partially benevolent, and
Maxine to be a good influence on him. She takes the wine and socializes
with Slagiatt, even feels attracted to Slagiatt.

But - and it’s not just xenophobia - Igor is in the Gabriel Ice league. He
has resources - I can’t get over that armored ZiL (and the Cyrillic bumper
sticker saying “My other limo is a Maybach”) - and probably even Russian
state level connections.

Or as Maxine tells March,
“Too heavy-duty for me, even the scale Igor’s on makes me nervous. I’m more
comfortable with people who hang around at ATMs, that level.”

        Which again is a point in favor of “doesn’t accept” though I still
sort of want her to. She could really use the influx. But I suppose a
rapprochement with Horst will fill that need eventually.

It’s like in AtD where there’re Japanese spies in Colorado - what the heck
are they doing there?

why doesn’t Igor stay in Russia, what’s he doing in NYC anyway?

I like - but am I supposed to believe? - his HALO epiphany about seeking
wealth, and I really want him to be a good guy, or be reachable in terms of
propagating ethical activity at least some of the time.

But then, I also want Gabriel Ice to have redeeming social value & will
continue to look for it.