BE Ch 16 summary

[Joseph Tracy]

 BE CH16  (dropping some articles here, just the fax, mama)
Case of expensive Sassicaia wine is sent to Maxine, with ”There seems to be a note, however—“Turns out you saved us some money too,” unsigned, yet who else can it be but Rocky,..."
Guilt has her reopen hwgwwwhwgh ( hwg)/hashslingerz (hsz) books. S
he sees a fair amount is being diverted between hwg and hsz in Emirates, while a surplus is added to total for Ice purchase of hwg and is being deposited in Long Island business account. With some extra legal software she finds money is going to Lester Traipse and realizes he is in deep shit and was signaling the same to her. She calls him and they meet at a techie’s saloon between a barbershop and a necktie boutique( Is Lester gonna get shaved or be the guest of honor at a nectie party?) Maxine asks about Felix B’s interventions and Lester insists Felix is watching out for him. Felix knows the danger of his situation . Maxine offers to intervene and try to arrange a settlement. Fee? No. He doesn’t like freebies. More talk on Ice’s lack of mercy and probing Maxine realizes there is something else beside the money.
“… more in the area of life-and-death. “There’s something you want to tell me,” gently, “but it’s worth your life if you do. Right?” 
He looks like a little kid who’s about to start crying. “What else would it be? The money isn’t bad enough?” 
“In your case I think not.” 
“I’m sorry. We can’t go any further. It’s nothing personal.”
  
Back  home Maxine watches the video Marvin Brought-  a car going to the fringe of Hamptons after holidays, to dirt road and what looks like roadhouse with music from psychobilly Elvis Hitler singing Green Acres theme to tune of Purplle Haze, then  through house to basement rec room wth naked man with erection tells woman his name is Bruno. Pale woman in cowboy boots ids self as Shae , “And this here is Westchester Willy, say hi to the VCR, Willy.” 
Nodding hello at the edge of the frame is a middle-aged, out-of-shape party who from mug shots faxed up to her from John Street Maxine recognizes as Vip Epperdew.”
They smoke crack and romp. 
Maxine is not impressed with erotic quality or bodies. They have cards with lines badly delivered and Vip is flashing highroller credit card which they are taking to a Tanger outlet Mall. 
camera person says “ “You have the look of a man things are closing in on.” Vip shifts his eyes away and nods, miserable.”
 Maxine thinks she recognizes the voice or regional accent.

She channel surfs  to where young women are telling their fantasies
“ “So—Typhphani, tell us your fantasy.” “My fantasy is, I meet this guy, and we walk on the beach, and then we fuck?” After a while, “And . . .” “Maybe I see him again?” “That’s it?” “Yeah. That’s my fantasy.” “Yes Djennyphrr, you had your hand up? What’s your fantasy?” “Being on top when we fuck? Like, usually he’s on top? My fantasy is, is I’m on top for a change?” One by one, the women in this group describe their “fantasies.” Vibrators, massage oil, and PVC outfits…”

She feels lonely and wonders about her lost CFE license and what would her fantasy be and has  a weird sympathy toward VIp. She works herself close to a state of nausea about herself and the days doings.

Next day with Shawn she tells him about Lester and how this is too common in her experience. Shawn tells story of man with burning coal in hand who won’t let go for various reasons despite the pain it brings
    “So,” Maxine asks, “what happens? He lets go of it?” 
Shawn gives her a nice long stare and with Buddhist precision, shrugs. “He lets go of it, and he doesn’t let go of it.”
 “Uh, huh, I must’ve said something wrong.” 
“Hey. Maybe I said something wrong. Your assignment for next time is to find out which of us, and what.”
  Maxine reruns tape and thinks accent may be Felix B, She calls him and asks for Vips’ number, but is growing in suspicion about Felix and Montauk, gets her gun, rents car, and heads for Montauk.
                                                                 Questions
For me the question that hangs heaviest in the chapter is this:  can you really sing the Green Acres theme to the tune of Purple Haze? I really want to hear this.

 A close second is  what Lester won’t tell her about his trouble beyond the money theft. 

Is Felix B is selling out Lester?  

What do the fantasies of the girls on TV, the attemped sex fantasy film of Felix, Vip Willie and She,  have n common with other sex fantasies of  Maxine and Vyrva and Heidi and Conkling. What about the erotic German films in GR?  Is there somethngabout mediation and fantasy as opposed to experience that Pynchon is consistently touching on?  Touch topic and don’t know if I’m asking the best question but here it is so?