Film trailed him through in a tangle caught on his foot mounting 24–12 Oz Btls Fragile! — hello…? Mister Bast no he’s… who? Leva? Not the B F Leva…? he settled back. — Quite an honor Mister Lev… right number yes Mister Leva Mister Bast said you might… this morning’s paper haven’t seen it no, anything interesting…? Erebus yes of course Mister Leva, all America knows your… Ad offering sixty dollars a share? Why no, thought I’d suggested eighty-five or ninety Mister Leva they must have… my idea yes just helping out here I… pardon? Why of course I do, all America knows the name B F Leva Mister Leva, whole world… joke no certainly not Mister Leva, whole thing’s on the… Sorry you’re taking it this way Mister Leva we thought you’d be delighted, all America knows your reputation for cheap… no no I meant cheap ideas Mister Leva, wouldn’t think of implying… pardon? the tub…? Oh you have a picturephone too…? No, no you just happened to catch me on location here Mister Leva, making a little film ourselves story about an Estonian refugee family, father’s a blind diamond cutter daughter’s just lost her… oh you did? Yes, yes I see your fat face up there now always wondered Mister Leva, are you German? Hungarian…? No no didn’t mean that no just the general level of vulgar stupidity you… Don’t know why you’d say that Mister Leva really thought we were helping you out, got a lot of confidence in your… Sixty dollars a share yes look Mister Leva afraid you’re putting the wrong interpretation on the whole… confidence yes real God damned vote of confidence Mister Leva, company’s looking for a good solid dependable long-term tax loss proposition really confident you’ll always find the sleaziest best seller pay the highest price for it and keep on turning out big budget money losing flops consistent tasteless stupidity God damned valuable asset B F all very complimentary, don’t find too many real professionals like you around any… pardon? Didn’t think you’d take it this way B F, after all it isn’t if you win or lose it’s how you played the game isn’t it, thought you’d… What I mean yes B F yes we’re playing dirty, don’t mind if I call you B F? Always thought of you that way connotation in England you probably… no bloody fucker, thought you’d… pardon? Oh, it’s Grynszpan yes, g r y… that nobody ever talked to you like this? Well now you… come out there to work for you? God damned kind of you B F but… working on something here I have to finish up yes… yes any time B F any time… He came down kicking free of the coils of film — day’s really getting off to a good, what was that somebody out there? Who’s out there… he got the door on the sound of footsteps down the dark stairs, the mail still settling at his feet — God damned coward come back here…!
The door banged below and he stooped to sweep it in with the rest — rain nor heat nor gloom of night can’t stop them get a God damned bear trap… he scooped it up, — sort it out while there’s still room here to move… and he came leaving a trail to the sofa where he let it go over the armless end — whole pile already here where the hell did all this come from. Ace Hand Laundry, two twenty West Eighty what the hell they’re delivering this here for, Miss Olga Krupskaya four thirteen West start a pile here for the West Side. G Berst this address who the hell, Grynszpan pile for Grynszpan, Thomas Eigen Author of God still girls around who dot their i’s with circles, send him her picture naked he’d be there return mail. Bodega de West Side pile, Grynszpan Connecticut State Highway Department sounds good, Edwerd Bast Esquire from Beaton, Broos and Black sounds like the God damned Spanish Main, telephone company, Grynszpan Britannica still after him, Bast return envelope Henry Street Settlement, somebody so God damned cheap they cross that out address it to him in pencil, phone company, E Gerst new pile…
The long hand drove the short higher, dropped toward NO RETURN. — Señora West Side pile, Thomas Eigen Family Court better call him, there. Now. Try to get anything done here where was I, millions yes. And while those millions so God damned many piles no place left to sit down, millions, those one eyed, that one eyed wait God damn it had it last night when that God damned lamp went one eyed no, that, that, well God damn it! He whispered into hands pressed against his face — why the hell I’m trying to do it this way anyhow should have gone right into those God damned notes, get going on it Christ have to get going on it find those God damned notes… He got a foot on 24/One Pound H-O — Tootsie Roll, remember the box it said Tootsie Roll Twelve Count… he pulled himself up to Won’t Burn Smoke or Smell — hell’s all this…
