The smoke drifted through planes of light from the askew blind mounting 24/One Pound H-O and Won’t Burn, Smoke or Smell, crossed the plateau of bound volumes of the Musical Courier to climb no DEPOSIT NO RETURN and fail against the arc of the clock where the long hand pursued the small, passed it, descended and was gone. He sat up abruptly — damn it get anything done in this place… and he was in past 36 Boxes 200 2-Ply — hello…? Not here no Mister Bast left this morning, who… Mister Grynszpan? not here either no, who’s… oh. Oh they did…? and they said they’d just talked to a Mister Gryn… can’t understand them at all no matter of fact Mister Piscator they ahm… No, no it’s French yes talked to them myself, I… me? Grynszpan yes I just said that because I’m up here getting some work done didn’t want to be dist… just helping Mister Bast out yes took this call from… radium? No they… oh, didn’t mention rhodium no sounded like they had a catalogue of x-ray machines red and green catalogue want to buy the whole… Ray X that was it yes red and… all outdated inventory? Didn’t even ask didn’t seem to care no I don’t think they could read the specifications either, sounded like all they could read was the prices they want immediate… discount no didn’t ask for one they just want im… in the catalogue yes everything in it I sold them everything in the catalogue complete inventory if they can get hold of it immediately, just want to know where they can… got it all warehoused where…? Fine yes I’ll tell them that, goodbye… you’re welcome yes, good… what? No, no Mister Bast mentioned it said this Leva might call but he didn’t give me any details just left here this morning in a hell of a hurry and… Yes well look I’m busy I can’t… sorry yes but look I can’t get into… who B F Leva? worst God damned moviemaker in… losing how much…? You mean your company’s looking for tax credits up in the range of… who Bast? No didn’t say anything to me about a threat to the tax loss status of your textile wait look Mister Piscator don’t go into it please, I’m working on something up here and… yes I… All right look all five studios what’s the book val… what just in carrying charges…? All right look take on the whole thing get rid of that two and a half million cash outlay in carrying charges by dumping these four smaller studios well under book value, say you sell them off at two million one bring your tax credits up around forty million just hang onto the big studio rate this Leva’s going you’ll be… problem getting hold of their stockholders list quote the book value at a hundred and sixty-eight a share real God damned point’s how active it is, stockholders probably watching these losses sitting on their look I don’t know the whole story shouldn’t be trying to… can’t no I told you I’m working on something I… help Mister Bast out yes but he didn’t say anything about a… Didn’t mention that either no he… no look I… didn’t tell me about that either damn it look Mister Piscator trying to help out but I’ve got something here I’m working on that’s… I don’t know when I’ll finish it no! Now will you… you’re welcome yes good… I will yes goodbye.
