The World Divides into Facts: A Novel
Nicholas Katsafanas

Quadratic Mode: >.75
12,393:15,330 .808


1. The Text

—Introduction

—Part I: East Asia Street Meat
I-I: Shinjuku in Late August (.769)
I-II: Manila is a Mall Culture (.786)
I-III: Tokyo Gyro (.814)
I-IV: Tagaytay Math (.816)
I-V: The Best Neighborhood in the World (.821)

—Part II: East Side Mannerists
II-I: Community Pools & General Disgust (.845)
II-II: An Anonymous French Mannerist (.796)
II-III: The Dyadic Man (831)

—Part III: East Mediterranean People Shields
III-I: Chain Smoking Next to the Children's Hospital (.825)
III-II: Shrooms at the Dominican Shisha Spot (.846)

—Conclusion 

2. Footnotes



—Introduction

1 The world is everything that is the case.

1.1 The world is the totality of facts, not of things.

1.11 The world is determined by the facts, and by these being all the facts.

1.12 For the totality of facts determines both what is the case, and also all that is not the case.

1.13 The facts in logical space are the world.

1.2 The world divides into facts.


Part I: East Asia Street Meat
—I-I: Shinjuku in Late August
2588:3364 .769

Not long after landing in Japan 
with Reimi it became 
rather clear to Buddy 
that the country 
was, at bottom, 
"a fundamentally animated culture", 
that the whole populace 
of Japan, 
with remarkable cohesion, 
had managed to imbue itself 
with "an animated form of existence", 
that everywhere you went in Tokyo, 
he thought, 
you’re ceaselessly 
"inundated with animations"—
even the escape plan 
on an airplane 
is relayed via an animated, 
he didn't know, 
Pokemon avatar 
in Japan, 
yet that was still an improvement 
over the human-relayed iteration. 

Because, Buddy said to Reimi, 
his Platonic travel companion 
who herself had 
a respectable knowledge of Japan, 
what exactly is the damn point 
of these so-called escape plans 
on airplanes? 

Well, Reimi replied, 
there doesn’t seem to be 
any whatsoever!—
because, Buddy interrupted, 
if we’re thirty thousand fucking feet 
in the atmosphere 
and spiraling back toward 
Earth's surface 
I’ll just jump out 
of the damn window 
to my horrific 
yet inevitable death! 

What?—tossing on a plastic mask 
and making certain 
no luggage was left on the floor 
of the so-called escape aisle, 
that’s going to make 
a palpable difference 
for people forced 
to plummet down 
tens of thousands of feet 
from a gigantic metallic cylinder?—
yet in any case, 
despite the fact they both agreed that 
traveling was basically an, at bottom, 
insipid hobby, 
that drinking a beer in Tokyo 
was functionally no different 
than drinking one in Omaha, 
both Reimi and Buddy agreed 
that the culture of Japan 
was certainly of a superior quality 
to contemporary America, 
where "so-called political philosophers" 
like Curtis Yarvin 
actually exerted influence 
on West Wing politicians? 

Reimi found it intriguing, 
discovering this fact and 
subsequently perusing Yarvin’s blog posts 
after hearing about his "so-called influence" 
in contemporary American politics, 
being, as it so happened, 
already entirely disaffected 
by both centrism and liberalism in America, 
only to conclude that Curtis 
was at best a fifth-rate thinker, 
a seventh-rate stylist, 
a ninth-rate human being? 

No, his aesthetics were immeasurably worse 
than that, Buddy interjected—
his analytical skills, she said, 
were clearly near-mentally challenged, 
Curtis Yarvin, Reimi said, 
was "very possibly mentally challenged"—
and she made quite clear 
that she meant that with no actual 
ill-will whatsoever—
yet the fact transformed 
his polemics regarding American IQ 
into something fundamentally comical to her, 
she actually found the one chapter 
she read deeply comical in that regard, 
with the writer’s absurd warnings 
to the reader, 
and his "bomb drop" regarding racial IQ 
as items that actually made her 
chuckle out loud. 

Oh, Curtis, she laughed, 
you've really rattled my deprived little brain 
with your—poorly worded 
derivative reintroduction to fascism? 

She definitely appreciated 
Yarvin’s oeuvre from that vantage point, 
as a sort of middle school level 
form of absurdist propaganda, 
because, from that angle, 
Yarvin was, to some extent, an enjoyable author—
yet the fact he’d become influential in 
American politics 
wasn't even "mildly surprising". 

Of course not, Buddy added amicably, 
expressing his humble opinion 
as a God-given right, 
which was why he nearly vomited 
prior that day 
while reading a Yelp review 
about a particular bar, 
the writer making the comment 
"how nice" congregating 
with newly found fellow ex-pats 
in Tokyo was. 

Buddy repeated the phrase 
"Fellow Ex-Pats" 
mocking the notion—
it seemed wholly grotesque 
and disgusting 
to "want to bump into" 
other objectionable Americans 
in a beautiful and ultimately untainted 
city like Tokyo. 

The reality was 
the only material drawback 
to Tokyo was that 
a proportionally large amount 
of Americans actually 
"ex-patrioted themselves" in the metropolis. 

America, Buddy considered 
as he stood solemnly in line 
at a Starbucks in the JFK airport 
en route to the Far East, 
is a polity filled to the brim with 
now generations of citizens 
who have done literally nothing 
but disgrace the standard of living 
they’ve had the undeserved privilege of inheriting. 

Americans, according to Buddy, 
have basically made 
the standard of living they’ve inherited 
a grave injustice, 
due primarily to their slovenly, lazy, 
and basically 
imbecilic tendencies. 

No offense (this was simply his opinion), 
but even in the so-called 
metropolitan centers of America like Manhattan—
not only were they filled with the sterile run-of-the-mill 
neoliberal sects of imbeciles 
but then "you now see" 
the somehow even more objectionable coalescences 
like Dimes Square, 
filled with—honestly, Reimi didn’t even really 
care to discover who they were! 

There existed specific groups of people, 
Buddy suggested, 
that a person really didn’t even 
"need to inquire about" 
to confirm beyond a reasonable doubt 
you fucking despised. 

There were certain sectors of citizens 
you knew were worthless 
without even knowing who they were, 
and Dimes Square certainly fit that bill, 
because Reimi despised Dimes Square, 
despite the fact she knew 
next to nothing about them. 

She’d skimmed a minimal amount 
of Curtis Yarvin, yet, 
even with that admitted, 
she’d still ingested more than enough Curtis 
to definitively conclude 
that he was at best 
a seventh-rate stylist, 
and, with that in mind, 
how could she possibly justify 
continuing to peruse "purely insipid" 
"monomaniacal monarchist musings" 
from a computer programmer 
who couldn’t even teach himself 
how to compose a paragraph properly? 

She didn’t think it was unreasonable 
to stop and arrive at a prematurely fully formed 
conclusion in any way! 

Oh, and of course 
the fucking guy graduated from Brown University!—
Buddy exclaimed, 
which was basically 
a criminal cartel. 

Of course these were 
just their personal opinions, 
benign ideas that they were expressing 
as a proper form of open debate—
Brown University was the only organization 
more pervasively criminal than the mafia 
in the state of Rhode Island, 
Buddy asserted, 
and absolutely no one could dispute that, 
that Brown was basically 
another iteration 
of organized crime in New England. 

So it really made complete sense 
that Yarvin earned his degree 
from Brown, 
and that even in the midst 
of his middle-aged 
(yet still essentially pubescent) 
"intellectual rebellion" 
he would still remain more or less 
a criminal of aesthetics, 
an unapologetic felon of analytical thought, 
a repeat offender against the intellect, 
making leagues of misguided 
young people irreparably dumber 
for reading his writings. 

Reimi, for her part, 
had read hardly anything 
of Yarvin’s oeuvre, 
yet she knew deep in her bones 
that he had absolutely nothing of note 
to contribute to American culture, 
adding that people like Curtis 
were basically little more than meat sockets, 
that they were essentially 
intellectual voids that added 
very little to humanity 
beyond the cyclical shit, 
piss, and semen 
that got excreted 
from their still living bodies. 

Buddy, for his part, 
couldn’t possibly disagree!—
no one in America dresses well anymore, 
had she noticed that, 
and hardly anyone actually 
works hard, 
and absolutely no one 
has anything interesting to say, 
ever, Buddy said, 
and there was no better 
evidence of this than the fact that 
JD Vance himself 
was influenced by the writings 
of Curtis Yarvin, 
that Dimes Square 
in Lower Manhattan 
was actually considered counter-cultural 
and "quote-unquote edgy" 
by grown adults. 

We've precipitously descended 
from Alan Vega 
starving on the streets 
of TriBeca, Buddy noted, 
to a series of middle-aged 
trust fund grown ups 
squatting in the most unaffordable, 
expensive city 
on the planet, 
who believe basically nothing, 
except that the n-word needs to be 
reclaimed for Caucasians, 
because they find it incomprehensible 
and fascist that 
they can't say 
the trendy n-word in public 
among their peers. 

There was basically no doubt 
in Buddy's mind that even New York City 
with its five boroughs, 
the greatest metropolis 
America had to offer, 
was fundamentally sterile today, 
that Manhattan had achieved 
a new level of putrid, 
that it was actually leagues more 
"aesthetically productive" 
during the crack era! 

It was an embarrassing state of affairs 
for both Buddy and Reimi, frankly—
to continue to be an American? 

The reality was, the two agreed, 
that while traveling to foreign countries 
was functionally pointless, 
at the very least 
it was a brief reprieve 
from being forced to endure 
your own fellow Americans 
day after day, 
yet, at the same time, 
visiting a foreign locale 
only reinforced 
how utterly American you really were, 
how objectionable you’d become, 
solely by continuing to be 
an irreversible American. 

There’s really nothing more objectionable 
than being an American, 
Reimi concluded, 
and the worst U.S. citizens 
are clearly the ones like Curtis, 
the faux-intellectual flaccid reactionaries 
symbolizing nothing beyond the fact that 
America had become so sterile 
it’s only method of shocking itself 
back to life was coyly reintroducing 
the idea that Black people 
were genetically second class to Caucasians. 

Racism, if you really thought about it, 
was the only authentic art of America anyway!—
and Buddy totally agreed, 
noting that the only way 
the median American could make themselves 
start to feel alive again, 
at this point, 
was by quote-unquote post-ironically postulating, 
by electro-shocking themselves 
into contemplating that maybe Black people 
are lower class by proclivity. 

Every American enjoyed a God-given right 
to subscribe themselves 
to nonsensical racist philosophies 
if they so chose, 
yet it was only these 
post-ironic imbeciles 
who found their own unfortunate bigotry 
as actually edgy—
it was only in toilets like 
Dimes Square that racism, 
which in reality was just the blunt, 
ubiquitous and ultimately sterile 
pre-condition of everything American, 
somehow, idiotically, 
became high art. 

It was the logical conclusion 
of the Andy Warhol idiocy—
as opposed to painting insipid soup cans, 
the post-ironic so-called artists, 
unable to paint or write or compose proficiently, 
went a step further into the banal—
instead choosing a snooze-worthy 
renewed racism as their art. 

Why couldn't they, too, utter the n-word?—
it was truly "unjust" that they, 
as rich whites who, 
approaching forty, 
still receiving wire transfers 
from their parents 
to supplement their Chinatown rents, 
were more or less manhandled 
into "not saying the n-word", 
and not only the hip hop "soft-a"—
no, these opulent caucasians 
requested access to the "hard-r n-word" pass, 
and if it so happened 
they were actually denied 
then this country was fundamentally, 
they thought, still enslaved! 

This country, according to Dimes Square, 
was fundamentally enslaved 
if they, 
as rich douche bag trust fund 
Soviet and/or Ottoman Caucasians, 
couldn't shout out 
the "hard-r n-word" 
in public with aplomb! 

Yes, the only authentically avant-garde 
American movement of the early twenty first century 
was this inspired petition 
to reclaim the n-word for whites, 
Reimi noted as she benignly nodded 
at a passer-by 
in a manner that mellifluously communicated 
she was simply expressing 
a personal opinion, 
that she obviously intended no offense. 

I’m racist, 
the audacious 
Dimes Square poet would bellow, 
and for that sole reason 
I’m the bravest man in Lower Manhattan!—
still unable to actually bring himself 
to say the word aloud, 
surrounded by the bourgeois daughters 
of Russian mathematicians 
who'd apparently resort 
to any sort of intellectual prostitution 
to avoid being finally recognized 
for what they functionally were: 
opulent Caucasians. 

No, none of these poets personally 
said the n-word themselves, 
of course, 
but, then again, why couldn't they?—
"with a hard-r"?—
wasn't it fascism in a sense 
that they were so vigorously restricted 
from doing so? 

Oh, of course! Reimi found it laughable 
but in an obviously lewdly sardonic way—
it was utterly disgusting, 
immensely depressing, 
and basically a stupendous pretext to exit 
America for good, 
to begin a fresh life abroad, 
on any other fucking continent! 


—I-II: Manila is a Mall Culture
1769:2250 .786

But, in any case, with all that said, 
which was of course really nothing 
beyond the objective summary 
of a couple benign opinions 
of Buddy and Reimi, 
who were both simply expressing 
their God-given rights of free speech 
in their respective commentaries—
but if Japan was fundamentally 
"an animated culture", 
then it was certainly safe to assert, 
according to Buddy, that Manila was 
"an unrepentant mall culture"—
that everything about Manila-proper 
revolved around malls, 
that they held the 
"sky high esteem" 
in Manila that they hadn't held 
in America for decades, if ever! 

Yet, Buddy said, 
everything existed 
in a fucking mall in Manila—
outside of the malls 
there was literally no commerce 
that commenced in the city, 
to the best of Buddy's knowledge. 

A metropolis of nearly fifteen million people, 
Buddy expounded, 
and every single person 
is physically located in malls all the time—
there are actually large malls 
located right beside subsequent malls 
with three to five levels 
or more per building, 
but yet in America, 
if you happened to place 
a modest three level shopping center 
even with no other malls for miles 
it would still decay and rot day after day, 
but these Manila malls are smack dab 
on top of each other 
and filled to the brim 
with all types of people 
at all times of the day. 

Reimi asked Buddy if he recalled 
the cool underground jazz bar 
in Shinjuku, 
the place that played 
"CDs instead of records", 
and of course Buddy recalled it vividly, 
but he noted 
in Manila that bar 
would have been 
in a damn mall, 
without a doubt. 

He'd relaxed for upwards 
of an one hour at that jazz bar, 
beginning at exactly 
two twenty two in the afternoon, 
drinking a single draft beer 
as he analyzed 
the bartender and barback 
as they cleaned the counter top 
and chopped a block of ice 
with a steak knife, 
creating "wonderfully asymmetric cubes", 
without once glancing 
at a smartphone, 
or chit-chatting with customers, 
without linguistically wanking people off 
in their periphery—no, 
they simply worked continuously 
without pause or complaint. 

A white man sat not far from 
Buddy and Reimi 
and noted to the bartender that, 
yes, he'd be particularly interested 
in ordering a Tom Collins, 
but with one strict condition: 
he wanted it with 
a "ton of Juniper"—
a Collins that really captured 
"that intense berry" flavor, 
because "sans Juniper" 
the man frankly had no interest 
in a Tom Collins at all, 
whereas most people 
who enjoyed gin liked Juniper 
to some extent, 
yet they'd also readily admit 
that "the Juniper aspect" of gin 
could come off off-putting 
to some, 
this man apparently 
couldn't "get enough Juniper"—
no, he needed 
the most potent 
iteration of gin with regard to its 
divisive Juniper component. 

But were you aware—
Buddy interrupted—
speaking of utter absurdities 
that were in fact accurate, 
that the so-called 
"Siberian Tiger Penis" 
is considered a legitimate aphrodisiac 
in China, 
that the Chinese 
assiduously source the cock 
from Russian tiger corpses 
with great care 
for precise use in expensive soups? 

Well, that was exactly her point, 
of course!—
but Reimi had more conjecture 
for Buddy to consider, 
if he was down, 
as they meandered down 
yet another muggy avenue 
around Quezon City 
looking for a single standalone restaurant, 
any independently structured 
watering hole, 
to sip a cocktail at. 

Reimi had been pondering something, 
given the more stringent 
border policies of East Asia 
and her predilection 
to forget herself 
from time to time 
via engaging in her own free speech—
did the American far-right 
perhaps have a point?—
was it possible people 
like Charlie Kirk, 
who vociferously voiced 
concerns regarding 
"legal third world immigration", 
was it within the realm of possibility 
his perspective held merit? 

But to begin with, 
she continued 
as Buddy's eyebrows rose slowly 
in a wholly amused manner, 
they'd need to take a long look 
at the "specific segments" 
of historical immigration, 
if they were to truly construct 
a targeted immigration agenda, 
and then determine which nationalities 
were actually desirable, 
and which ones less so—
but Reimi felt as though, 
honestly, that'd be easy enough. 

The conclusion came 
to Reimi like a bolt of lightning—
as it seemed blatantly clear 
that the whole notion 
of "white replacement" 
was way beyond a conspiracy theory, 
because it was, in fact, an actuality. 

The fact of the matter 
was the white man in America 
had already been ruthlessly replaced, 
and he was repopulated 
almost exclusively 
via the late 
nineteenth and first half twentieth century 
waves of immigration 
that brought with them 
not only the mountains of freckled Irish, 
but more so 
the further south Italians, 
and even more eastern Jews—
all egregious non-whites 
according to someone like, say, 
Benjamin Franklin—
into this innocent country. 

The rudimentary fact of the matter 
was the white man 
of eighteen sixty five 
was objectively a radically different 
white man than the 
Caucasian male of nineteen sixty five—
the Anglo-Protestant baseline 
the American polity 
was historically founded upon 
would be upended 
and replaced by 
a more nascent quote-unquote 
Judeo-Christian lineage. 

The American white man 
had obviously already 
ruthlessly been replaced, 
and sadly only mere doppelgangers 
of this White Man remained, 
and of course these 
very replacement level Caucasians, 
these blanco simulacra, 
now screamed the loudest 
into the helplessly deaf winds 
blowing up the skirts 
of BBL Latinas 
about a contemporary, 
impending so-called 
"white replacement"—
according to Reimi at least. 

Yet, astutely, she mellifluously 
continued on to say 
to Buddy that of course 
unregulated mass waves of immigration 
could easily end 
with detrimental downstream effects 
for a state—
this couldn't be disputed. 

For example, 
contrary to the decades 
of Hollywood whitewashing 
of the mafia as little more than poor 
immigrants who lacked access 
to food stamps, 
they should actually 
recognize the American mafia 
for what it truly was: 
an insidious criminal syndicate 
started by the immigrants 
Lucky Luciano 
and Meyer Lansky, 
that had as its most profitable enterprise 
sexual blackmail—
which eventually allowed it 
to completely ensnare 
the highest officer of the Law in America, 
J. Edgar Hoover, 
just because the little guy 
liked to parade around 
in ladies' underwear! 

The entire history 
of the American mafia 
was one steeped in deep 
and disturbing, sordid state 
corruption as opposed 
to the oft-cited "victimless crimes" 
like gambling and prostitution—
this so-called "mob" 
was an immigrant criminal syndicate 
jointly established 
by an Italian man 
and a Jewish fellow, 
and its lower levels 
of activity, 
the sort glorified 
in grotesque Scorsese films, 
were ultimately subsidized 
by blackmailing, 
often lasciviously 
(what better way!), 
United States 
government officials. 

Reimi asked Buddy 
if it reminded him 
of any current events?—
and as she laughed aloud, 
she posited the rhetorical inquiry 
of what could possibly be 
more anti-American, 
but she admitted 
of course ahistorical imbeciles 
like Matt Walsh 
were instead forced to conflate 
the corruption that occurred 
one hundred years past 
with contemporary immigration, 
and instead of admitting 
Caucasian Replacement 
had already occurred 
and that Judeo-Italic 
immigrant criminal syndicates 
successfully corrupted 
the upper echelons 
of government, 
these double digit IQ grifters 
acted as if 
these events were instead 
"potentially impending". 

At this point Buddy brought up, 
with a certain sense of disbelief, 
that they hadn't even discussed 
Carlos Marcello's 
intricate role 
in the assassination 
of JFK!


—I-III: Tokyo Gyro
496:609 .814

On their final night in Tokyo, 
Buddy awoke bright and early 
in the AM, aiming to take 
"maximum advantage" of the day, 
and exited the hotel excitedly 
hoping to find a quaint coffee shop, 
only to stumble upon 
a couple Shinjuku bars 
that had just recently closed 
at give or take half past seven am. 

Failing to find 
an adequate coffee shop to pop in 
Buddy instead decided 
to take a jog through the streets 
of Tokyo, which in retrospect 
may have been considered a 
bit of a 
cultural faux pas in the country, 
but, given the excessive temperature 
in the city, 
Buddy assumed he would only 
be able to run for a brief 
spurt anyway—
so how offensive 
could it really be? 

Yet this run would prove crucial 
because at its conclusion 
Buddy got a whiff of some cuisine 
he found quite delightful—
was it possibly, he thought 
... a gyro?—
in Tokyo? 

While a pita stuffed 
with tzatziki wasn't exactly 
the Asian street meat 
most people anticipate 
in their YouTube algorithmic 
daydreams of Japan, 
Buddy also felt like his palette 
wouldn't be any worse for wear with a 
single sandwich that his stomach 
was already accustomed 
to digesting? 

Some place in the deep, dark 
recesses of Buddy's brain 
he recalled 
the treacherous gyro trucks 
of New York City 
and their abundant use 
of poultry as a street meat—
but chicken was basically 
an unacceptable street corpse 
when it came right down to it, 
but Buddy, 
mesmerized by the smell 
of the amalgamated spices 
went along with the bird option anyway, 
selecting—no not tzatziki, 
but the quote-unquote 
white sauce topping, 
which was also reminiscent 
of the Manhattan food truck 
bullshit machine. 

Of course the wrap 
didn't taste great, 
to the extent that Reimi 
didn't even eat half of hers, 
allowing Buddy—
who was "starving"—
to seal his digestive fate 
by finishing a second sandwich. 

The consumed chicken gyro 
was a dirty bomb 
that would wait to detonate 
in Buddy's stomach 
until right around sunset—
and everybody knew Shinjuku 
had the best setting suns—
when Buddy was attempting to nap off 
the jazz bar 
beers he imbibed 
before they popped out 
for supper to no avail.


—I-IV: Tagaytay Math
1139:1396 .816

The thing of it was, 
Buddy said to Reimi 
in a province outside Manila, 
at the beginning 
of his conscious memory 
he’d sit in the brick house he lived in 
with his genetic mom and dad at 
give or take, say, 
three years old, 
and he’d recite very particular, progressive 
"if-then scenarios" to his mom, 
who was amused by 
the mathematical display immensely, 
as she cleaned the kitchen or, like, 
dusted the burgundy dinner table? 

This was in fact his favorite hobby 
at that age—basically, in short, 
when Buddy turned forty 
his mom'd turn seventy four, 
and when he was thirty three 
she'd be sixty seven, 
but when he turned ten 
she'd be forty four, 
and finally when Buddy was six his 
mom would be forty. 

So it was funny to Buddy 
when they saw a skinny 
six year old boy in Tagaytay 
exhibiting a similar practice, 
telling attendees their current ages based 
on the respective years 
they were born, 
with all the participants at the party 
being wildly impressed 
with his arithmetic, 
but, "at already age six", 
Buddy whispered to Reimi, 
this kid 
was actually kind of fucking 
behind the eight ball, 
so to speak—
that if, at six, he couldn't calculate 
"at least if-thens" 
after determining the person’s age, 
well, he had a ways to go. 

The kid was clearly quite proud 
of his arithmetic abilities, 
and maybe he should have been—
it was possible 
he had good reason to be, 
but, to Buddy, 
as he conveyed to Reimi, 
he probably needed to be 
just a tad more tyrannical 
about his practice moving forward. 

No, he "wasn’t that bad", Buddy said, 
he was way better than some adults 
at the gathering!—
but he should still really consider, 
you know, 
brushing up on his "if-then skills". 

Because "everything is ultimately an if-then", 
whether vis-a-vis arithmetic 
or life itself!—
in any case, now finally forty himself, 
Buddy could officially confirm 
once and for all his mom'd become, 
in fact, seventy four 
while he was forty, 
though at the time, 
back in the brick house, 
it'd have been an impossibility 
for either to know with any certainty 
if that'd have truly been the case, 
that Buddy would, for a fact, 
be forty while his mom 
would be, by contrast, 
seventy four. 

Just before 
leaving for Tokyo 
Buddy sat on a clean bench 
in Luongo Square 
in the decent heat 
of the expiring summer 
and wrote down the words 
it would be "an absurdity 
to stop by Nickanee’s tonight", 
which he felt to be 
one hundred percent fact, 
that precise verbiage, 
that stopping by Nickanee’s 
that night would've been 
completely absurd!—
sitting on a bench by himself 
sipping a lime seltzer 
he’d lightly spiked with Mezcal 
he had no doubt in the pure 
veracity of the words 
he’d scribbled down 
into a beaten up purple notepad. 

Buddy had, in fact, 
a very firm comprehension 
of what exactly 
was absurd that night, 
it was the simple idea 
of attending Nickanee’s. 

Only minutes later, 
sitting in a bar in Luongo Square, 
drinking a Mezcal 
that was no longer dumped 
indiscriminately into a can 
of lime seltzer, 
Buddy considered an uncomfortable idea 
that "whatever was identified 
as morally unacceptable" 
was precisely what got people 
erect in every particular epoch, 
that whatever was widely 
agreed to be inappropriate 
was, in fact, synonymous 
with what was "probably maximally erotic"? 

Something that was violently pretty 
would become expeditiously 
less so the very second 
it became "generally acceptable", 
Buddy thought at the bar?—
that widespread acceptance 
was the utter death 
of apex eroticism? 

Buddy sat at the bar in Luongo Square, 
well aware 
going to Nickanee’s that night 
would be nothing if not blatantly absurd 
and considered, just a couple streets up, 
on Atwells Avenue, 
he could never jot down notes 
like he did on Luongo—
where it was expected that everyone 
would come equipped with notepads 
of all types, 
that they’d all take notes 
while sitting on benches and at bars, 
whereas on Atwells Ave 
the exact opposite was expected. 

It was a fact that no one had, 
in the history of the street, 
ever been seen 
clutching a small notepad 
on Atwells Avenue, 
but Buddy actually considered 
ambling up to Atwells 
that very evening, 
but he now realized 
occupying any seat 
on that Avenue 
would make his note taking 
basically impossible. 

In reality you’d probably have to be 
a complete knob to believe 
you could ever scurry up 
to Atwells Avenue 
with a notepad 
and successfully jot down ideas 
in public. 

To Buddy, 
he told Reimi, 
there existed two latent 
absurdities that night: 
the first was without a doubt 
stopping in Nickanee’s, 
while the second 
was adorning your person 
with a writing utensil 
on Atwells Avenue. 

No one walking the streets 
of Atwells had "as much as a fucking pencil" 
on their person, 
that much was certain 
beyond a reasonable doubt, 
but none of that altered the fact 
that for about eighty three point three percent 
of the year Buddy's mom 
would fail to be seventy four, 
despite his intuition 
she was "technically seventy four", while
 for essentially seventy five percent 
of this calendar season 
he'd be thirty nine, 
which flew in the face of the fact 
he was "technically forty", 
because at that moment, 
in Luongo Square, 
Buddy was forty but his mom 
was merely seventy three, 
which went directly against 
the if-then he'd alleged 
at the age of three.


—I-V: The Best Neighborhood in the World
695:847 .821

Reimi thought the "adjustable bed frame" 
their hotel room came equipped with 
was "really cool", 
and she more or less immediately 
started to fiddle with 
the settings incessantly. 

But Buddy, 
just as Reimi gained control 
of the remote, 
expressed some concern, 
since the bed frame 
wasn't exactly "brand new" 
that Reimi should maybe 
use a bit of caution 
before indiscriminately fidgeting with 
the remote control, because, 
in his experience, 
those types of gadgets 
could easily start to malfunction quickly. 

Buddy reminded Reimi later 
of this exact exchange 
as they struggled to see 
the lower third of the television set 
over the now absurdly elevated 
foot of the bed, 
which'd been stuck in place 
since Reimi first raised it 
high as it possibly went when 
she first placed her little fingers 
on the remote, 
followed by about five minutes 
of a continuous, arduous drone 
punctuating every attempt to adjust 
the foot again, 
until they both came to agree 
the bed frame was, in fact, 
immovably stuck in its place. 

Nothing could be done to fix 
an electronically misconfigured bed frame—
unless you were some kind of 
electrical engineer, 
which of course 
neither of them were, 
so if a bed frame was forced upward, 
until the foot of the bed obscured 
nearly a third 
of the television set, 
then you'd forever be lifting 
the remote to the sky 
to increase the volume, 
or to switch whatever bullshit 
on whatever streaming service 
you wanted to fall asleep to. 

In short there was no cure 
for this severe sickness 
of the bed frame—
it was a terminal deficiency, which, 
Buddy reminded himself, 
was why he was so adamant about 
not indiscriminately fiddling with 
the remote in the first place, 
yet apparently the possibility 
of repeatedly adjusting 
a bed up and down 
was just too alluring to resist. 

Glancing at the top two thirds 
of a TV program 
neither particularly found compelling 
Reimi said it wasn't necessarily 
that traveling was ipso facto insipid, 
inasmuch as it was the case 
any city is fundamentally 
meaningless sans a particular person 
in the metropolis you're pursuing, 
didn't Buddy agree?—
that basically any town 
is only activated 
by a special person of interest, 
that even the shittiest city imaginable 
could become profound 
with the proper object 
of pursuit? 

Buddy felt a moderately intense 
urge to toss 
the remote control 
directly through 
the television set 
as he agreed 
with Reimi's perspective, 
that architectural structures 
were only aesthetically beautiful 
insofar as they contained 
intimate relationships 
between human beings, 
with all the good and bad 
that was associated with 
that containment, 
and even a sprawling city 
like Tokyo was only agreeable 
to people 
insofar as they imagined that 
containment occurring 
in the midst of this architecture, 
but if they, say, 
"relocated to Tokyo" 
but failed to find the people 
to place into 
said containments 
they'd essentially 
remain meaningless, 
and even Tokyo would quickly 
become a drag! 

It was almost like, 
Reimi contemplated aloud, 
Shinjuku was at once 
the best neighborhood 
on the planet 
but also fundamentally 
at bottom 
empty and sterile?


Part II: East Side Mannerists
—II-I: Community Pools & General Disgust
1380:1633 .845

Forced to listen 
to some shirtless douche-bag 
adorned in designer glasses 
with custom colored purple frames 
at a community pool discuss—
she couldn't recall what—
really reiterated to Reimi 
it was totally possible to disdain 
a person purely via the sole sound 
of their God-given vocal chords, 
she said to her sister Nikke. 

Sobriety obviously 
depended on vantage point, 
but she'd only had possibly 
half a bottle of Soju at the pool party, 
or maybe the whole bottle at most? 

Yet Nikke would never 
accuse her sole sibling 
of lacking objective sobriety, 
even if she was maybe 
relatively inebriated, 
much less levy 
an accusation of "feeling things"—
no, she knew Reimi 
way too well for that! 

This notion of "feeling things" 
was totally grotesque of course—
Nikke vividly recalled riding 
into New York City with Reimi 
years prior, 
right as the second track 
on her Love Supreme CD 
played from her stereo speakers 
as they discussed what 
they believed to be "deep topics" 
at the time, the tenor sax 
ricocheting in her mind 
retroactively in a way 
that didn't really make 
any sense. 

A leaf that laid 
on the cement on Carpenter Street 
as the Lyft re-entered the West End 
looked like a legitimate 
handle bar moustache, 
like it'd been sculpted specifically 
to paste onto a hipster's upper lip 
at a craft beer bar. 

Nikke, who was perhaps 
more prone to so-called 
"airier" quasi philosophical 
thoughts than her sister Reimi, 
was recalling previous 
"summer-like late 
September afternoons" 
from her upbringing, 
but the images 
were so vague it made 
quantifying the linear progression 
of her life a seeming impossibility—
the frantic tenor sax 
of the second track 
of Love Supreme 
still humming somewhere 
in the remote recesses 
of her mind, 
a perceived sordid activity 
for some reason. 

Whereas Reimi was disgusted 
by a guy who was probably 
an incredibly loving dad 
despite a vocal tone 
that reeked of utter pretention, 
Nikke was increasingly lost 
in her own stochastic memories, 
muted coincidences 
consuming her, 
causing her to recede 
into silence as Reimi continued. 

Twelve months ago 
to the minute, 
Nikke butted in abruptly, 
marked the sudden onset 
of "a precise month" 
where she succumbed 
to a subtle madness, 
a quick descent into 
the divinely absurd, 
only to emerge 
exactly thirty days later—
the twenty sixth to the twenty fifth—
with an apparently renewed purpose. 

The strangest characters, 
Nikke told Reimi, 
who of course already knew 
about the events all too well, 
would wander into her day to day 
life during that "thirty day 
or so span", then disappear 
forever almost immediately 
after the fact—
there was an irrepressible 
melancholy to memory, 
which in a way, Nikke suggested, 
was possibly a lurid iteration 
of optimism, 
to recall past events 
with dread and disgust, 
to interpret the present then 
as ipso facto preferable 
to the grotesque events 
of even your recent past? 

Oh, there was no doubt 
recollection was objectionable, 
Reimi concurred, 
for example the extremely recent 
memory of the man 
with that grating intonation?—
Reimi's present state 
with Nikke was leagues preferable 
to listening to the douche bag 
drone on at the community pool 
for even a few minutes. 

So it wasn't at all out of line 
to suggest that recollection 
sprung up from an abyss 
and assaulted them 
violently right when they 
least expected it, 
even in Nikke's case, 
during the thirty days or so, 
they were themselves 
to some extent consumed 
with "people from her past" 
springing up like memories, 
attacking her present-tense 
with their vapid reintroductions. 

People from our past, she said, 
instead of affirming the logical linear 
progression of our lives, 
only reinforce this dream-like instinct 
we have that, in fact, 
our life is wholly nonsensical, 
that our singular peregrinations 
are simply asymmetric series 
of moments fundamentally disconnected, 
disjointed, misaligned—
that rather than progressing 
from age five to six, 
forty to forty one 
that the numbers 
we try to define our lives by 
are in fact non-additive, 
that they're more akin to 
coagulating disparate percentages 
and acting as if they're integers, 
or probably worse! 

People from our past, Nikke noted, 
simply by existing and resurfacing 
serve to remind us 
that the vast majority of sentences 
we've said and activities 
we've completed 
are actively forgotten, 
that they amount to 
next to nothing 
in the present tense, 
yet their re-introduction 
is a proof our current moment, 
which we perhaps 
feel to be superior 
to our past, 
will also inevitably pass 
into lacunas of deleted recollection, 
that the present 
is basically a folly in waiting, 
plus there's only 
the thinnest connective tissue 
integrating said lacunas. 

Memory is most definitely 
nonlocal in origin, 
Reimi agreed—
there was really no other 
way to phrase it, 
yet in some vague sense 
they could possibly contend 
that their collective past actions 
formed a sort of abstract 
substrate that informed 
their current selves, 
that perhaps while collected recollection 
failed to conform 
to the moving image 
of linearity, 
it still maintained 
a sort of amorphous 
continuity eluding them 
at first glance? 

But, Nikke said to Reimi, 
take the town of, say, Barrington—
the dump they were driving away from 
as fast as they could—
was it not filled to the brim 
with objectionable memories? 

Was "bucolic" Barrington 
not filled up with upper class 
whites who fundamentally 
overestimated their own net worth, 
peering down on bordering towns 
and neighboring dumps 
with the sole intention 
of making themselves 
feel better about 
their own overpriced homes? 

Reimi had tried to remain unaware 
of the entirety of Rhode Island—
in fact if not for her little sister 
Nikke she'd probably know 
literally nothing 
about the smallest state 
in the nation, 
and no doubt 
be perfectly happy about it!


—II-II: An Anonymous French Mannerist
838:1053 .796

In any case, 
sitting in the backseat of the Lyft 
en route to RISD's museum, 
Nikke took note of a small stain 
on her new tan t-shirt 
just above her right nipple, 
a smudge she somehow 
failed to see 
before she left her apartment—
specifically recalling 
ironing the article 
prior to leaving, 
it seemed absurd to her 
she could've not noticed 
a small stain 
in such a central location. 

Both women were 
surprised to find 
the price of admission into 
the museum was more than 
twenty bucks per person, 
but they paid the fee 
sans even a single 
disgusted eye roll 
or surreptitious aggravated grimace, 
instead kindly taking the lady's 
direction to enter 
the elevator in 
dually jubilant fashions. 

Of course it was only 
a sole canvas 
they went to see 
in the museum, 
the so-called 
"Charity" painting 
by an anonymous French Mannerist—
this mysterious artist's 
single work 
was more riveting to them 
than the rest of the Renaissance room 
combined, 
more visceral by 
orders of magnitude 
than any of the 
contemporary art 
on the first floor. 

The painting consisted 
of six small children, 
one dog, and a mom 
who—although most people 
might not notice it 
at a fleeting glance—
had her left nipple exposed 
as one kid 
fondled the breast 
in preparation of suckling. 

Of course while taking 
in any painting 
it was important, 
the two concurred, to
consider the painter's 
personal process 
as he continued to create 
the canvas, 
the types of problems 
he may or may not 
have encountered, 
how he in the end 
addressed them. 

In this instance, Reimi said, 
it struck her as patently befuddling 
that the painter—
this anonymous French Mannerist—
went to the trouble 
to depict the tiny testicles 
of one of the kids 
poking between his two legs 
from the back as 
he climbed up 
to the presumptuous mother?

By contrast 
in the contemporary galleries 
on the first level, 
the figurative nudes 
were basically "sans phallus"—
Reimi referenced 
a painting by a guy 
named Satoshi Kojima 
on the lower level 
depicting a 
"naked-from-the-waist-down figure" 
"freefalling into an abstract spiral" 
with a "Ken-doll genital structure"—
yet this anonymous French Mannerist 
upstairs was depicting 
tiny testicles dangling 
from the backsides 
of juveniles.

Oh, it was definitely 
a little bit perverse—
of the six kids, 
all posed in fundamentally absurd 
positions in individual ways, 
there was no phallic aspect, 
despite each being naked, 
but the climbing child 
was depicted with two tiny 
testicles peeking 
out between 
his legs from the back.

Imagine, Nikke added, 
painting those two tiny balls 
with such a fine degree 
of precision, 
in the mid sixteenth century—
spending possibly upwards 
of a whole day 
on genital depiction 
at the most 
awkward angle imaginable.

Of course, Reimi said, 
it's true a male's testicles, 
without a doubt, 
even when a youth, 
would probably poke through 
his thighs and become visible, 
assuming he climbed 
up a structure nude, 
but to stick to such rigid realism 
with regard to "that detail", 
while giving the children 
professional wrestler 
back muscles 
and bobble head necks 
is perhaps an apex 
mark of genius?

Nikke let a pen 
nonchalantly dangle 
from her mouth on the couch 
in front of the "Fontainebleu" 
school canvas, 
just because she enjoyed jotting 
down ideas in a papyrus thin 
purple notepad, 
when a heavier set lady attendant 
with a cropped hair cut queried 
"Is that a pen?" 
to which Nikke confirmed 
the instrument protruding 
from her lips was, 
in fact, "an ink pen", 
which moved the attendant 
to tell her pens "weren't allowed" 
in the museum—
magnanimously, the attendant allowed 
Nikke to stuff the pen back 
deep in her pocket, 
as opposed to 
officially confiscating 
the now saliva-infused 
ink-based instrument.

The attendant continued to 
hover in the vicinity 
of the sofa 
where the two sisters 
and their ink pen 
sat staring at the painting 
of this anonymous French Mannerist, 
and Reimi queried aloud 
if recollection was, 
upon further consideration, 
possibly "linear/nonlinear"—
if that made any sense 
to Nikke?


—II-III: The Dyadic Man
255:307 .831

As the minutes quickly 
wound down 
before the museum 
closed its doors for the day, 
Nikke noted, 
still sitting on the sofa 
in front of the 
anonymous French Mannerist's 
work, that every man 
was "fundamentally dyadic", 
specifically in that 
they consist of 
an independent phallic entity 
and also an incorporeal aspect—
but because of this 
men lacked an organic actuality 
of any sort, 
sans the phallus of course, 
they were souls 
attached to cocks, 
whereas women, Nikke said, 
were actually organic entities 
woven deeply 
into said incorporeal souls.

Men weren't even technically 
human beings, Reimi retorted, 
they were little beyond 
simple penises with souls, 
half organic dyads, 
to the extent they existed 
in the "so-called corporeal globe" 
it was only 
via their usually puny 
third legs, 
sans penis 
they ceased 
to exist 
on the sensible plane 
at all!

It was through this precise lens, 
Nikke said, 
that they needed to really 
analyze the male to female 
trans movement—
as a feminine urge 
for actual organic—no, 
Reimi interrupted, 
not in the gallery, 
gender discourse 
was strictly prohibited, 
even more so than pens!


Part III: East Mediterranean People Shields
—III-I: Chain Smoking Next to Children's Hospitals 
1635:1982 .825

Sans alcoholic beverages, 
Reimi said to Buddy—
what does anything even really 
matter anyway—
whatever city you reside in, 
but Buddy really wanted to receive 
the juice from Reimi RE 
what Nikke alluded to repeatedly 
regarding this alleged 
month long rapid decline 
into ill-advised binge drinking 
she, Nikke, endured.

Yet to Reimi 
malevolent liquids like alcohol 
were actually fundamentally 
necessary to relay 
these types of incidents 
in a proper way, 
that she could "sit out" 
"in the city" totally sober 
and take note of 
a curious lack of a connection 
she had with any Oneness, 
that from a select vantage point 
you could lack a connection 
with a "Oneness" 
in concord with 
a deficit of emotional disruption—
was it possible 
when chaotically lusting 
around town 
The One as a pure 
spiritual Form 
floated closer 
than when you were being 
a great stay at home mom. 

Only when onerously 
falling apart 
a certain spirituality 
becomes palpable, 
your dreams become fertile
territory for visitation 
from an indivisible oneness 
in its infinite forms, 
whereas the "well-adjusted", 
because of our 
peculiar social totem poles, 
somehow remain barred away from 
this Oneness, 
by becoming a 
productive member 
of secular society 
you build a barrier between 
yourself and what's 
quintessentially One, 
she suggested, 
not necessarily asserting it 
as fact but just 
"tossing it out" to Buddy.

But while oneness 
possibly communicated 
exclusively via 
emotional tumult, 
the metropolis, 
Reimi said, 
was a phantasm entirely—
that in a material sense 
her astounding friendship 
with Buddy had duped her 
into believing DC 
was something other than 
what it was—
sitting by herself 
the other evening 
she realized the entire city 
was a cesspool of the insipid, 
that sans her friendship 
with Buddy the city 
fell into immediate disrepair, 
that a single interesting friendship, 
only of the loftiest order, 
could make any city 
into fourth century Athens, 
that in all reality 
cities were really 
nothing but philosophically 
intriguing relationships, 
deprived of these bonds 
there was nothing left 
but poorly dressed hipsters 
and talentless twenty whatever 
professionals with 
absolutely nothing of note 
to say.

Reimi could recall 
her own individual dips 
into deep depressions 
pre-Buddy—their bond, 
inclusive of all of its faults, 
catapulted this petty city 
into an exalted playground 
of immaculate speculation, 
the streets were no longer 
little hellholes, 
wastelands of sterility, 
but only because Buddy 
was a true maestro 
of the ill-tempered, 
the ill-advised, 
and the patently absurd, 
Reimi said.

Buddy was of course flattered 
and he clearly felt the same way 
toward Reimi, 
holding their bond 
in a similar high esteem, 
but nevertheless 
Reimi now wasted no time 
now addressing 
his previous request, 
to some extent, 
she said, 
procreation is a 
philosophical abomination, 
a spitting in the face of 
The One Itself, 
a tacit admission 
that the universe itself 
is actually not contained 
in the mirror you gaze at 
yourself in intermittently, 
which is itself 
a blasphemous falsity!

Because if the universe 
is located in physical space 
it's definitely in your very mirror 
as you gaze into it—
the cosmos is of course 
wholly contained in your own 
reflection, yet in any case, 
Reimi continued, 
the very notion 
of popping out kids, 
Nikke had always 
considered it absurd, 
and Reimi by default 
described it as 
basically objectionable, 
yet both sisters sat 
on the phone weeping 
(bawling even!) 
at the prospect 
of Reimi's probable 
miscarriage just last Fall. 

Reimi's impending miscarriage 
brought them both to tears, 
to a place of truly weeping, 
probably ounces worth 
of lacrymation 
recklessly poured 
onto their four cheeks 
over the phone—
and "that" was the first part 
of Nikke's so-called 
"mystical breakdown" 
from that past year, 
Reimi said. 

Yes, the first section 
was centered 
on the two sisters 
lacrimating 
on the telephone 
because Reimi's baby 
was clinging to its life 
by the thinnest of threads, 
that was on a 
Saturday afternoon, 
after Reimi 
had accompanied Nikke 
for a few drinks 
early in the day—
and they'd bumped into, 
what was his name, 
of all people on the street, 
having literally 
just bumped into him 
less than two weeks prior.

Buddy said he recalled 
Nikke saying something 
to that effect—
Reimi confirmed 
it was after 
she'd made Nikke 
take her out for an espresso, 
to which Nikke then 
made her pop in 
The Dark Lady 
for "just one drink" 
where they stumbled upon 
that exact same Steve Miller, 
of all people, 
apparently paying the tab 
for his trans companion.

So bumping into Miller 
with his beautiful wife 
again that subsequent Saturday 
walking down the street, 
when during a decade 
in DC they'd never seen 
Steve randomly—
it was a bit perplexing, 
perhaps even mystical 
to Nikke, 
and the stop and chat 
conversation 
was equally 
difficult to follow—
it certainly drove Nikke 
to down a few drinks after, 
forced to listen 
to the same tired diatribe 
"over and over".

So on a Thursday night, 
Buddy repeated, 
Nikke bumps 
into this Steve 
at The Dark Lady, 
then the subsequent Saturday 
you two see Steve 
walking down the street 
with his wife 
and conclude that evening 
weeping to each other 
on the phone 
due to a degradation 
in the state of 
your pregnancy?

Correct, Reimi confirmed, 
and in between 
the two Steve sightings, 
she should note, 
Nikke'd pop in The Dark Lady 
again, all alone, 
where a confounding figure—
at least according 
to the story 
Nikke told Reimi—
would be "seemingly 
waiting for her" 
at the bar, 
asking about her 
as soon as she arrived 
and ordered a drink, 
the figure going so far 
as to note "you never know 
when it's your time to go." 

This type of absurdity, 
unsurprisingly, prompted 
Nikke to stay at the bar, 
gulping down a 
completely unnecessary 
double shot of tequila 
prior to close.

And then after seeing Steve 
a second time, Nikke said, 
she sat at some Lebanese 
bar downtown where she'd see 
"the understated bartender 
from The Dark Lady" 
sitting across the bar 
as a kid introduced himself 
as "Bobby" 
and drunkenly 
confessed to his 
bad gambling habit, 
until his middle aged mom 
arrived and 
drove him home. 

After being indirectly reminded 
of the mysterious stranger 
via the presence 
of said 
understated bartender, 
Nikke would awaken 
to an even 
more mystifying phone call, 
at five am, 
from her father's number 
but with a strange voice 
on the other side 
demanding an immediate 
wire transfer to 
a "Venmo account", 
alleging he'd just broke out 
of prison only 
to enter their parents' home 
where he now 
"had them both bound 
and gagged."

And then perhaps 
the most curious aspect 
came that next night 
when Nikke said 
to Reimi she'd spent 
the prior Friday afternoon 
hopping from bar to bar 
until, fairly inebriated, 
she stumbled upon 
The Dark Lady again 
once more witnessing 
the understated bartender 
but not the confounding stranger, 
"just for a quick drink, you know", 
and then ambled 
to a random 
dive bar where suddenly 
Nikke came upon 
an impalpable ability 
to "share her feelings" 
with the various random 
regulars in attendance.

But of course the oddest part of all, 
Reimi concluded, 
was that right as 
Nikke approached this dive bar, 
trading anecdotes 
with strange drunks 
and feeling at home 
for maybe the first time, 
smoking shitty 
unfiltered cigarettes 
into the AM, Reimi 
was admitted into the children's 
hospital just a couple hundred 
feet from the dive, 
in dire condition 
as her unborn baby 
was officially aborted 
from her body.


—III-II: Shrooms at the Dominican Shisha Spot
1598:1889 .846

Reimi said the next night 
Nikke came by 
her flat to commiserate, 
that she was somehow, 
inanely, in better net 
spirits than her sister, 
the two taking a patch of fur 
off the dog, 
wondering aloud 
about the possibly haunted 
river flowing in the middle 
of the invisible triangle 
connecting the Children's Hospital, 
Dive Bar, and Dark Lady, 
with Nikke in particular 
speculating 
that perhaps 
as soon as they 
stepped past the interstate 
highway that barricaded 
the west end of the city 
from the river, 
that a certain dark force, 
a possible cloaked portal 
of sorts 
began interacting 
with both of them?

Yet even with that thought 
shot into her brain, 
it wouldn't stop Nikke, 
Reimi informed Buddy, 
from walking back downtown 
the subsequent Saturday—
but only after popping 
into a mosque 
to make a donation 
to the unrecognized 
dead infants in Palestine, 
dropping off a fifty dollar bill 
to an African Imam 
with a mini water bottle 
of Mezcal 
surreptitiously slipped into 
her sweatshirt pocket.

Nikke walked swiftly downtown, 
purchased a pack of cigarettes, 
stopped to pop in the spot 
from the previous week, 
cracking a joke 
when an old fuck took what 
at first look seemed to be 
a decent tip 
then stuck the cash back 
in his pocket—
then Buddy interrupted 
to note Nikke 
would meet up 
with him that evening, 
pouring them both an espresso, 
popping the last couple squares 
of a psilocybin candy bar, 
and then they both 
would go smoke 
hookah at a 
Dominican night club.

Buddy said he distinctly 
recalled understanding 
Spanish that night 
surrounded by flickering lights—
Nikke was possibly still 
completely unhinged, 
in a heightened spiritual state 
he'd, for sure, 
seen her enter 
a few times before!

Then again, Reimi defended, 
a mixture of espresso, 
hookah, liquor, and psilocybin 
could probably cause anybody 
to become a bit "unhinged", 
to which Buddy replied 
the bachata hit different 
that night, 
that Nikke was wearing 
a pair of fake 
reading glasses 
for literally the entire 
duration of their time out!

In any case, Reimi continued, 
relaying what Nikke 
told her regarding 
the subsequent night 
where, sure, she began 
the afternoon 
seeing this certain 
African Imam Abdul Latif 
speak briefly 
about contemporary politics, 
attempting to avoid 
the triangulation 
she'd recognized with Reimi 
two weeks previous, 
but eventually 
in a foolish attempt 
to verify the night 
where she'd, Nikke, 
finally felt  able 
to quote unquote "open up", 
she succumbed 
to ambling beyond 
the interstate "barricade" 
back into downtown, 
to the dive bar, 
but in a state 
of irrational spiritual 
aggravation.

And when Nikke arrived 
at the dive 
an unexpected non-descript 
old gentleman—
not entirely dissimilar 
from the mysterious stranger 
from The Dark Lady—
was seemingly "waiting for her" 
and her overwhelming emotions, 
no, not about Reimi's abortion, 
but the Palestinian children 
being massacred 
by her tax payments!

Nikke'd quickly discard 
the psychoanalytical older dude, 
even in her dilapidated drunken 
state she still realized 
the physical mind 
had little to do with her issues, 
as she was trapped 
in a portal of sorts, 
in fact, beside a 
mysterious river, 
instead she introduced herself 
to an advanced in age lady 
playing pool in skinny 
black denim 
wearing the look 
of pure death in her eyes.

Her name was Ellen, 
she was seventy one 
years young 
with a fifty something 
Nordic husband 
named "Petter", 
but, despite her colloquial inquiries, 
the couple didn't seem 
particularly intrigued 
with her drunken digressions 
into the topic of 
"dollar denominated crude oil" 
or contemporary college 
as essentially 
a ruthless corporation, 
exploiting the exact students 
it was alleging to educate. 

Yet didn't they maybe deem 
that concerning?—
that so-called Poetry Professors 
could no longer be considered 
public intellectuals, 
instead they were 
ruthless tools 
of institutions 
that partnered with the 
state and expansive 
financial banks 
to saddle budding young 
people with five and six figure 
dollars of debt 
that could never be expunged!

A lucrative endeavor indeed!—
no, these Poetry 
Professors were, 
to a material extent, 
certainly criminally liable 
themselves, 
according to Nikke, 
not only for needlessly 
profiting on the backs 
of their own student body 
but also for the 
degradation of the arts 
as a whole!

The university system, 
the great contemporary funding 
apparatus of the fine arts, 
was no true speaker 
of truth to power, 
and its central role 
in literature was no 
doubt a sort of silencing itself—
no, Nikke said, 
the American university system 
was just a macro hedge fund 
masquerading as an 
artistic co-op!

Consider, for instance, 
Nikke said, 
the criminal rehabilitation 
of the Nazi-saluting 
Gertrude Stein, who, 
for the record, was, 
in addition to 
an atrocious poet, 
a genocidal art collector.

Of course, Nikke, 
like everyone else, 
had a phase 
where she also became 
"fascinated" by Stein, 
wasn't it revolutionary 
how she used, you know, 
"language as sound"—
until Nikke was forced 
to recall, 
with her functioning brain cells, 
that "language as sound" 
was in fact 
just the fundamental basis 
of metrical poetry itself, 
which'd for 
chimerical reasons 
been banished 
by little Hitlers 
like Stein herself! 

Gertrude Stein 
was one of the apex 
unrepentant charlatans 
of English literature 
since the language itself 
was codified 
from far-ranging 
cosmopolitan lingual pools, 
and it was a 
truly classic example 
of the contemporary 
literary critic 
to cast aside Stein's 
confirmed fascism 
in the pursuit of 
some sterile Freudian 
identity drenched 
symbolism.

No, Stein didn't love 
that little Hitler—
she was just expressing 
her Zionist lesbian 
sense of self 
by writing inscrutable 
prose poems 
about carafes, 
of course!

The university system 
was in fact 
the most criminal corner 
of corporate America, 
yet Ellen and Petter, 
while not explicitly "disagreeing" 
with this passionate opinion, 
didn't exactly 
"encourage Nikke 
to continue", 
and with that ingested 
she subsequently exited 
the establishment 
right around close 
to walk sadly back home, 
over the apparently protective 
interstate highway, 
on her way donating 
a spare eight bucks 
to an attractive enough 
black girl standing beside 
a homeless shelter, 
offering to service her sexually 
for a twenty before 
disappearing into 
the desolate night 
like an apparition, 
leaving Nikke 
drunkenly humming:

Essayists publish personal blogs no prob
but if poets post their poems they're flogged
submit to literary mags instead!
w/ 12 remaining readers (10 are dead)
that due to heavy volume of submissions
will send rejection letters by next xmas
and then we sit and wonder why it is
poems no longer get taken serious
the so called real poets now eschew
rhyme meter and extended stories too
and only publish places no one reads
I guess the web won't meet their precious needs
while nonfiction rockets up the fucking charts
"self published poems" are seen as rubbish art
not on a merit but instead on sight
cause they buck a system not very bright
(to be fair also because most are shite)
the root of "lyric" from the Greek is lyre
as in utter poems aloud you'll lie in a fire
Homer was actually a mute to boot
who never touched a guitar or lute
straw men & steel men meeting at medians
to deem posting poems on the web plebeian
I now peruse exclusively reading bins
as rhyming results in little but seedy men
"but nonfiction touches on current events!"
while Pope's Essay stays barren unread
but I'm sure you've heard Kenneth Goldman say
what he thinks of these Nuyorican cafes
they're fine enough if you enjoy dumb sports
but lack the beauty of, say, traffic reports
not to say these Puerto Ricans are lesser
just that their cafes lack adjunct professors
the sole arbiters of the truly divine
opinions are just assholes: 
	let me present you mine
post your poems where people exist to read
and expand the cannon to include emcees
if not this art will find a lurid tomb
up its own ass—
	apologies to Harold Bloom

Reimi—who'd been staying 
at Nikke's that night—
was waiting fast asleep 
for her sister, 
who arrived back well past 
midnight, quite clearly blacked out 
and in a trance admitted 
to Reimi about being bothered, 
no, not by innocent kids 
being killed in genocides 
assisted by her taxes, 
but instead by an instance 
of so-called 
"childhood sexual trauma" 
that she'd never talked 
about aloud, 
even to her sole sister, 
most of the specifics 
in fact being by now 
eternally obscured 
even to Nikke herself, 
existing past normal 
epistemological limits, 
and that keeping this 
"so-called secret" 
was unfortunately 
no longer tenable, 
because failing to confess it 
in perpetuity 
did nothing 
but make her continually 
want to die.


—Conclusion

This book will perhaps only be understood by those who have themselves already thought the thoughts which are expressed in it or similar thoughts. It is therefore not a text-book. Its object would be attained if there were one person who read it with understanding and to whom it afforded pleasure. The book deals with the problems of philosophy and shows, as I believe, that the method of formulating these problems rests on the misunderstanding of the logic of our language. Its whole meaning could be summed up somewhat as follows: What can be said at all can be said clearly; and whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent. The book will, therefore, draw a limit to thinking, or rather not to thinking, but to the expression of thoughts; for, in order to draw a limit to thinking we should have to be able to think both sides of this limit (we should therefore have to be able to think what cannot be thought). The limit can, therefore, only be drawn in language and what lies on the other side of the limit will be simply nonsense. How far my efforts agree with those of other philosophers I will not decide. Indeed what I have here written makes no claim to novelty in points of detail; and therefore I give no sources, because it is indifferent to me whether what I have thought has already been thought before me by another. I will only mention that to the great works of Frege and the writings of my friend Bertrand Russell I owe in large measure the stimulation of my thoughts. If this work has a value it consists in two things. First that in it thoughts are expressed, and this value will be the greater the better the thoughts are expressed. The more the nail has been hit on the head. Here I am conscious that I have fallen far short of the possible. Simply because my powers are insufficient to cope with the task. May others come and do it better. On the other hand the truth of the thoughts communicated here seems to me unassailable and definitive. I am, therefore, of the opinion that the problems have in essentials been finally solved. And if I am not mistaken in this, then the value of this work secondly consists in the fact that it shows how little has been done when these problems have been solved.

Fin.


2. Diagrammatic Footnotes

—I-I: Shinjuku in Late August
2588:3364 .769

01: Not [l]ong [a]fter [l][a]nding in Jap[a]n with [R][ei]mi it [b]e[c][a]me [r]ather [c]lear to [B][u]ddy [th][a]t [th]e [c][ou]nt[r][y] was, [a]t [b]ottom, "a f[u]nda[m]entally ani[m]ated [c][u]lture", [th]at [th]e wh[o]le [p]o[p]ulace of Ja[p]an, with re[m]ar[k]able [c][o]hesion, h[a]d [m][a][n]aged t[o] [i]mb[u]e [i]tsel[f] with "[a]n [a][n]i[m]ated [f]orm of [e]xistence", that [e]very[w]h[e]re you [w][e]nt in T[o]ky[o], he thought, you’re [c][e]a[s]e[l]ess[l][y] "i[n]und[a]t[e]d with a[n]im[a]t[i]ons"—e[v]en the e[s]c[a][p]e [p][l][a]n on an air[p][l][a]ne is rel[ay]ed [v]ia [a]n [a][n]i[m]ated, he [d]i[d]n't k[n][o]w, [P][o]ke[m]on [a]v[a]tar in J[a][p][a]n, yet that was st[i]ll [a]n [i]m[p][r][o]ve[m]ent over the h[u][m]an-[r]el[ay]ed ite[r][a]tion. — 113:156 .724
02: [B]e[c]a[u]se, [B][u]ddy said to [R][ei][m]i, his [P]la[t]onic [t][r]avel [c]om[p][a]nion w[h]o [h]er[s]elf [h]ad a [r]e[s][p]e[c]table know[l]edge of Ja[p][a]n, what ex[a][c]t[l]y is the d[a]mn [p]oint of these [s]o-[c]alled e[s][c][a][p]e [p][l][a]ns on air[p][[l][a]nes? — 44:49 .898
03: [W]ell, [R]eimi [r]e[p][l]ied, there doesn’t s[ee]m to [b][e] any [w]hatsoever!—[b]e[c][au]se, [B][u]ddy interr[u][p]ted, i[f] we’re [th]irty [th]ousand [f]u[ck]ing [f][ee]t in the [a]tmo[s][ph][e]re [a]nd [s][p]iraling b[a][c]k toward [Ear]th's [s][ur][f]ace I’ll [j][u]st [j][u]mp out of the [d]amn win[d]ow to my horr[i][f][i]c y[e]t [i]n[e]v[i]table [d][e]ath! — 51:67 .761
04: What?—t[o]s[s]ing [o]n a p[l][a][s]tic [m][a][s]k [a]nd [m]aking [c]ertain n[o] [l]uggage was [l]e[f]t on the f[l]oor of the [s][o]-[c]alled e[s][c][a][p]e aisle, that’s g[o]ing to [m][a][k]e a [p]al[p]able [d]i[ff]erence [f][or] [p]eople [f][or]ced to [p]lu[m]met [d][ow]n [t]ens of th[ou]sands of [f]eet [f]rom a gig[a]nt[i]c me[t]a[l]l[i]c c[y][l][i]nder?—yet i[n] a[n]y [c][a][s]e, de[s]pite [th]e fa[c]t [th]ey [b]oth ag[r][ee]d that t[r]ave[l][ing] was [b][a][s]i[c]a[ll][y] an, at [b]ottom, [i]n[s][i]p[i]d ho[bb]y, that [d][r]in[k]ing a [b]eer in To[k]y[o] was [f]unctionally n[o] [d][i][f]fe[r]ent than [d][r][i]n[k]ing one in [O]maha, [b][o]th [R]eim[i] and [B]udd[y] ag[r][ee]d [th]at [th]e [c]ulture [o]f J[a][p]an was [c]ertain[l]y of [a] [s]u[p]erior [q]ua[l]ity [t]o [c]on[t]em[p]o[r]a[r]y [A]me[r]i[c]a. where "[s]o-[c]alled [p]o[l][i]t[i][c]al [ph]i[l]o[s]o[ph]ers" [l]i[k]e [C][ur]t[i]s Yarvin a[c]tually ex[er]t[e]d inf[l]uence on [W]est [W]ing [p]o[l][i]t[i]c[i]ans? 154:193 .798
05: Reimi [f]ound [i]t [i]nt[r]igu[ing], d[is][c]ove[r][ing] th[is] [f]act and [s]ub[s]e[q]uently [p]e[r]using Yarvin’s [b]log [p][o]sts after hea[r]ing [a][b]out his "[s][o]-[c]alled [i]nfluence" [i]n [c]on[t]em[p]o[r]a[r]y [A]me[r]i[c]an [p]oli[t]ics, being, [a]s it [s]o h[a][p]pened, [a]lrea[d][y] en[t]irel[y] [d]i[s][a]ffected [b]y [b]oth [c]en[t][r][is]m and li[b]e[r]al[is]m in Ame[r]i[c]a, on[l]y t[o] [c]on[c][l][u]de that [C]urtis was at [b]est a [f]i[f]th-[r]ate thinker, a [s]eventh-[r]ate [s]t[y]list, a [n][i]nth-[r]ate human [b]eing? 79:111 .712
06: [N]o, his [ae]sth[e]t[i]cs were [i]mm[ea]sura[b]ly worse [th]an [th]at, [B]uddy interj[e][c]ted—his a[n]al[y]t[i][c]al [s][k][i]lls, she [s]aid, were [c][l][ea]r[l][y] [n][ea]r-mental[l][y] cha[l]lenged, [C]urtis Yar[v]in, [R]ei[m]i [s]aid, was "[v]e[r][y] po[ss]ib[l][y] [m]enta[ll][y] ch[a][ll]enged"—[a]nd she [m]ade [q]uite [c]lear th[a]t she [m]eant th[a]t with n[o] [a][c]tual [i]ll-[w][i]ll [w]hats[o]ever—yet the [f][a][c]t tr[a]ns[f]ormed his pole[m]i[c]s [r]egarding A[m]e[r]i[c]an I[Q] in[t]o s[o]mething [f][u]nda[m]en[t]ally [c]o[m]i[c]al to her, sh[e] a[c]tual[l][y] [f]ound the one cha[p]ter she [r]ead d[ee][p][l][y] [c]omi[c]al in that [r]egard, [w]ith the w[r]iter’s absurd [w]arnings to the [r]eader, and his "bomb [d][r]op" [r]egar[d]ing [r][a]cial [I][Q] as [i]tems th[a]t [a][c]tual[l]y m[a]de her chu[ck]le [ou]t [l][ou]d. 118:165 .715
07: Oh, [C]urtis, she [l][au][gh]ed, you've [r][ea][l]l[y] [r]attled m[y] [d]e[p][r][i]ved [l][i]ttle b[r]ain [w][i]th your—[p]oor[l]y [w]or[d][e]d [d]e[r][i]vat[i]ve [r]e[i]n[t][r]o[d]uction [t]o [f][a]scism? 36:36 1.00
08: Sh[e] de[f][i]n[i]tel[y] a[p]pr[e]c[i]ated Yar[v]in’s oeu[v][r]e [f][r]om th[a]t [v][a]ntage [p]oint, as a [s]ort of mi[dd]le [s][c]hool le[v]el [f]orm of ab[s]ur[d]ist [p]ro[p]ag[a]n[d]a, be[c][au]se, [f]rom th[a]t [a]ngle, Yarvin w[a]s, [t]o some [e]x[t][e]nt, [a]n [e]njoya[b]le author—yet the [f]a[c]t he’d [b]e[c]ome [i]n[f][l]u[e]ntial [i]n A[m][e][r]i[c]an [p]o[l][i]t[i]cs wasn't even "[m][i]ld[l]y sur[p][r][i]sing". 65:83 .783
09: Of [c]ourse not, [B]u[dd]y [a][dd]ed [a]mi[c]a[b]l[y], [e]x[p]r[e]ssing [h]is [h]umble o[p][i]n[i]on as a [G]od-[g][i]v[e]n right, [w]hich [w]as [w]hy h[e] n[e]arl[y] [v]omited p[r][i]or that [d]ay wh[i]le [r][ea][d]ing a Yelp [r]e[v]iew [a][b]out [a] parti[c]ular [b]ar, the w[r]iter [m]a[k]ing the [c]o[mm]ent "how [n]ice" [c]on[g]re[g]ating with [n]ewly [f]ound [f][e]llow [e]x-pats in T[o][k]y[o] was. 59:81 .728
10: Budd[y] [r]e[p][ea]ted the [ph][r]ase "[F]e[ll][o]w Ex-[P]ats" mo[c]king the n[o]tion—it [s][ee]med wh[o][ll][y] gr[o]te[s]que and di[s]gusting [t]o "want [t]o [b]ump in[t]o" [o]ther [o]bje[c]tiona[b]le [A][m]eri[c]ans in [a] [b]eautiful and [u]l[t]i[m]ate[l][y] [u]n[t]ainted cit[y] [l]i[k]e [T][o][k]y[o]. 47:62 .758
766:1,003 .764

11: [Th]e [r][e]a[l]it[y] was [th]e on[l][y] ma[t]e[r][i]al d[r]awb[a][c]k [t]o [T][o][k]y[o] was th[a]t a [p]ro[p]ortional[l]y [l]arge [a][m]ount of [A][m]e[r]i[c]ans a[c]tually "[e]x-[p]at[r]ioted [th][e]ms[e]lves" in [th]e [m][e]t[r]o[p]olis. 42:52 .808
12: A[m]e[r]i[c]a, [B]u[dd]y [c]on[s]i[d]ered as he [s]tood [s]o[l]emn[l]y in [l]ine at [a] [S]tar[b][u]c[k]s in the J[F][K] air[p]ort en route to the [F]ar [Ea]st, is a [p]olit[y] [f][i]lled to the b[r][i]m with [n]ow gene[r][a]tions of c[i]t[i]z[e]ns who have [d]one [l]itera[l]ly [n]othing but [d]i[s]gr[a]ce the [s]tan[d]ard of [l][i]v[i]ng they’ve [h]ad the un[d]eserved p[r][i]vi[l][e]ge of [i]n[h]e[r]iting. 56:83 .675
13: [A]me[r]i[c]ans, [a][cc]or[d]ing to [B]u[dd]y, have [b][a][s]i[c]a[ll]y m[a]de the [s]tandard of [l][i]v[i]ng th[ey]’ve [i]nhe[r]ited a g[r][a]ve [i]nju[s]ti[c]e, d[ue] p[r]ima[r]i[l]y t[o] their [s][l]oven[l]y, [l][a]zy, and [b][a][s]ical[l][y] im[b]e[c][i][l][i]c t[e]nd[e]n[c][ie]s. 50:56 .893
14: "N[o] offense" (th[i][s] was [s][i]m[p]ly h[i]s o[p][i]n[i]on), but ev[e]n [i]n the [s][o]-[c]alled [m]et[r]o[p]olitan [c]enters of A[m]e[r]i[c]a like [M][a]nh[a]ttan—[n]ot only were they f[i]lled w[i]th the [s]te[r][i]le [r]un-of-the-[m][i]ll [n]eol[i][b]e[r][a]l [s]ects of [i]m[b]e[c][i]les [b]ut then "you [n][ow] [s]ee" the [s]omeh[ow] even more o[b]j[e][c]tiona[b]le [c]oa[l][e][s]c[e]n[c]es [l][i][k]e D[i]mes [S][q][uar]e, f[i]lled w[i]th—honest[l][y], [R]eim[i] [d][i][d]n’t [e]ven [r][ea][ll][y] [c][ar]e to [d]i[s][c]over who they were! 86:102 .843
15: There ex[i][s]t[e]d [s][p]e[c][i]f[i]c grou[p]s of [p]eo[p]le, Buddy [s]ugge[s]ted, that a [p]er[s]on r[ea]ll[y] [d]i[d]n’t [e]ven "n[ee]d to in[q]uire a[b][ou]t" to [c]on[f]irm [b]eyond a reasona[b]le [d][ou]bt you [f]u[ck]ing [d]espised. 33:48 .688
16: There were [c]ertain [s]e[c]tors of [c][i]t[i]z[e]ns y[ou] k[n][ew] [w][er]e [w][or]thless [w]ithout even k[n]owing who they [w][er]e, and Dimes [S][q]uare [c]ertainly [f][i]t that [b][i]ll, [b]e[c]ause Reimi [d]e[s][p][i]sed [D][i]mes [S][q]uare, [d]e[s][p][i]te the [f]act she k[n]ew [n]ext to [n]o[th]ing about [th]em. 45:54 .833
17: She’d s[k][i]mmed a [m][i][n][i][m]al a[m]ount of [C]urtis [Y]ar[v]in, [y]et, e[v]en with th[a]t [a]d[m][i]tt[e]d, she’d st[i]ll [i]ngest[e]d [m]ore than e[n]ou[gh] [C]urtis to de[f][i][n][i]tive[l]y [c]on[c][l]ude th[a]t he was [a]t b[e][s]t a [s][e]venth-rate [s]ty[l]ist, [a]nd, with th[a]t in m[i]nd, how [c]ould she [p]o[s]sibly ju[s]tif[y] [c]ontinuing t[o] [p]er[u]se "[p]urely [i]n[s][i][p][i]d" "[m]o[n]o[m]a[n]ia[c]al [m]o[n]ar[c]hist [m][u]sings" from a [c]om[p][u]ter [p][r][o]g[r]a[m]mer who [c]ouldn’t [e]ven t[ea]ch [h]imself [h]ow to [c]om[p][o]se a [p]a[r]ag[r]aph [p][r]o[p]erly? 91:115 .791
18: She [d][i][d]n’t th[i]nk [i]t was un[r]easonable to sto[p] [a]nd [a][rr]ive [a]t [a] [p]remature[l][y] [f]u[ll][y] [f]ormed [c]on[c][l]usion i[n] a[n]y way! 24:32 .75
19: Oh, and of [c]ourse the [f]u[c]king [g]uy [g][r]aduated [f][r]om [B][r]own University!—[B]uddy ex[c][l][ai]med, [w]hich [w]as [b][a][s]i[c]al[l]y a [c]r[i]m[i]nal [c]artel. 25:34 .735
20: Of [c]our[s]e these were ju[s]t their [p]er[s]o[n]al o[p]inions, be[n][i]gn [i]deas [th]at [th]ey were [e]x[p][r][e]ssing as a [p][r]o[p]er form of [o][p]en de[b]ate—[B]r[o]wn U[n]i[v]ersit[y] was the [o]nl[y] [or]ga[n]iz[a]t[i]]on [m][or]e per[v][a]s[i]vel[y] c[r][i][m][i]nal [th]an [th]e [m]afia in the [s]tate of [R]hode Island, Buddy a[ss]erted, [a]nd [a]b[s]o[l][u]te[l]y no one [c]ould di[s]p[u]te [th]at, [th]at [B]rown was [b][a][s][i][c]al[l]y a[n]other ite[r][a]t[i]on of orga[n][i]zed [c][r][i]me in [N]ew Eng[l]and. 78:109 .716
530:685 .774

21: [S]o it r[ea][ll][y] made comp[l][e]te [s]ense that Yarvin earned his deg[r][ee] f[r]om B[r]own, and [th]at [e]ven in [th]e [m][i]dst of h[i]s [m][i]ddle-aged (yet [s]till [e][ss][e]ntial[l]y pu[b][e][s]c[e]nt) "int[e][l]l[e]ctual re[b][e][l]lion" he would still [r]e[m]ain [m]ore or [l][e][s]s a c[r][i][m][i]nal of ae[s]th[e]t[i]cs, an una[p]o[l]og[e]t[i]c [f]e[l]on of ana[l][y]t[i][c]al thought, [a] re[p]eat o[ff]ender [a]g[ai]nst the inte[ll][e]ct, [m]a[k]ing [l][ea]gues of [m]isgu[i][d][e]d y[ou]ng [p][eo][p]le i[rr]e[p]a[r]abl[y] [d][u]mber for [r][ea][d]ing his w[r][i]t[i]ngs. 88:113 .779
22: [R]eim[i], for [h]er p[ar]t, [h]ad [r]ead [h][ar]dl[y] anything of [Y]ar[v]in’s oeu[v]re, [y]et she kn[ew] deep in her [b][o]nes th[a]t [h]e [h][a]d [a]bso[l][u]te[l]y [n]othing of [n][o]te to [c]ont[r]i[b]ute to Ame[r]i[c]an [c]ulture, [a]dding th[a]t [p]eo[p]le [l]i[k]e [C]urtis were ba[s]i[c]al[l]y [l]ittle [m]ore than [m]eat [s]o[ck]ets, [th]at [th]ey were [e][ss][e]ntia[ll]y int[e][ll][e][c]tual [v]oids th[a]t [a]dded [v]ery [l]ittle to hu[m]anity [b]eyond the [c][y][c][l][i][c]al sh[i]t, p[i]ss, and [s][e][m][e]n that got ex[c][r][e]t[e]d f[r]om their [s]t[i]ll [l][i]v[i]ng [b]o[d]ies. 89:114 .781
23: [B]u[dd]y, for his [p]art, [c]oul[d]n’t [p]o[ss]i[b]l[y] [d]i[s]ag[r][ee]!—[n][o] one in A[m]e[r]i[c]a [d][r][e][s]ses w[e]ll any[m]ore, had she [n][o]ticed th[a]t, [a]nd [h]ard[l][y] [a]ny[o]ne [a][c]tual[l][y] [w]or[k]s [h]ard, [a]nd [a]bs[o][l]ute[l]y n[o] one has anyth[i]ng [i]ntere[s]t[i]ng to [s]ay, [e][v][e]r, [B]uddy [s]aid, and there was no [b][e]tt[e]r [e][v]iden[c]e of [th]is [th]an [th]e [f][a][c]t th[a]t JD V[a]nce him[s]el[f] was in[f]luen[c]ed b[y] the wr[i]tings of [C][ur]t[i]s Yarv[i]n, that Dimes [S][q]uare in [L]ow[er] M[a]nh[a]tt[a]n was [a][c]tual[l]y [c]on[s]idered [c]ounter-[c]ultural and "[q]u[o]te-un[q]u[o]te edgy" by gr[o]wn adults. 99:128 .773
24: We've [p]re[c][i][p][i]t[ou][s][l]y [d]e[s]cen[d]ed from A[l]an [V][e]g[a] [s]tar[v]ing on the [s]t[r][ee]ts of T[r]i[B][e][c][a], [B]uddy n[o]ted, to a [s]e[r][ie]s of [m]iddle-aged tr[u]st [f][u]nd gr[o]wn u[p]s [s][q]uatting in the [m]ost una[ff]orda[b]le, ex[p]en[s][i]ve [c][i]ty on the [p][l]a[n]et, who [b]e[l][ie]ve [b]a[s]i[c]a[ll][y] [n]othing, ex[c]ept [th]at [th]e n-word [n][ee]ds to [b][e] re[c]l[ai]med for [C]au[c][a]sians, [b]e[c]ause they [f]ind it in[c]om[p]rehen[s]ible and [f][a]scist [th]at [th]ey [c][a]n't say the tr[en]dy [n]-word in [p][u]blic am[o]ng their [p]eers. 88:110 .800
25: There was [b]a[s]icall[y] [n]o [d]oubt in [B]u[dd][y]'s mind that even [N]ew York [C][i]ty w[i]th [i]ts [f]ive [b]o[r]oughs, the g[r]eatest [m]et[r][o]polis A[m]e[r]ica had to [o][ff]er, was [f]un[d]a[m][e]n[t]ally s[t][e]rile [t]o[d]ay, th[a]t M[a]nh[a]ttan had [a]chieved [a] n[ew] [l]evel of p[u]trid, th[a]t it was [a][c]tua[ll][y] [l][ea]gues more "[a]estheti[c]a[ll][y] [p][r]o[d]u[c]tive" [d]u[r]ing the [c][r]a[ck] e[r]a! 62:86 .721
26: These L[o]wer [M][a]nh[a]ttan [m]iddle-aged [t]r[u]st f[u]nd in[t]ern[e]t [p][o]ets would [b]e [b][e]tter [s]erved to d[i]tch the [p][r]e[s]c[r][i][p]t[i]on [p][i]lls and gene[r]ational w[ea]lth and in[s]t[ea]d [r]esort to [c][r]a[c]k [a]dd[i][c]t[i]on!—"[a]rt[i][s]t[i][c]all[y] [s]p[ea][k]ing". 47:51 .922
27: It was [a]n [e]m[b]a[rr]assing [s]tate [o]f [a][ff]airs [f]or [b]oth [B]udd[y] and [R]ei[m][i], [f][r]an[k]l[y]—[t]o [c]on[t]inue [t]o [b]e [a]n A[m][e][r]i[c]an? 29:31 .935
28: The [r]eality [w]as, the [t]wo ag[r][ee]d, that [w]hile [t][r]a[v]e[l]ing to [f]o[r]eign c[ou]nt[r]ies was [f][u]nctional[l]y [p]oint[l]ess, at the [v]er[y] [l][ea]st it was a [b][r][ie][f] [r]e[p][r][ie]ve [f][r][o]m [b]eing [f]orced to en[d]ure your [o]wn [f][e]ll[o]w Am[e]ricans [d]ay [a][f]ter [d]ay, yet, [a]t the [s]ame time, v[i]s[i]t[i]ng a [f][o][r]eign [l][o][c]ale [o]n[l]y [r][e]in[f][or]ced how utterl[y] Ame[r]i[c]an you [r][e]all[y] were, how obje[c]tiona[b]le you’d [b]e[c]ome, [s]olely [b]y [c]ontinuing to [b]e [a]n [i][rr]ever[s]i[b]le Ame[r]i[c]an. 84:116 .724
29: There’s [r][ea]ll[y] [n]othing [m]ore obj[e][c]tio[n]a[b]le than [b]eing [a]n A[m][e][r]i[c]an, [R]eimi [c]on[c]luded, and the [w]orst U.S. [c][i]t[i]z[e]ns are [c][l]ear[l]y the [o]nes [l]i[k]e [C]urtis, the [f]aux-inte[ll]ectual [f][l][a][cc]id [r]e[a]ct[i]o[n]a[r]ies [s]ym[b]o[l]izing [n]othing [b]eyond the [f][a][c]t th[a]t A[m]e[r]i[c]a had [b]e[c]ome [s][o] [s]te[r]ile it’s [o]nly [m]ethod of sho[ck]ing it[s]elf [b]a[ck] to [l]ife was [c]oy[l]y [r]eint[r]o[d]ucing the i[d]ea th[a]t [B][l][a][c]k [p]eo[p]le were gen[e]ti[c]a[ll]y [s][e][c]ond [c][l][a][s]s to [C]au[c]asians. 91:116 .785
30: [R]acism, if you [r][ea]ll[y] th[ou]ght [a][b]out it, was the only [au]th[e]nt[i]c [a]rt of [A]m[e]r[i]ca a[n]yway!—and [B]udd[y] t[o]ta[ll][y] [a]greed, [n][o]ting [th]at [th]e [o]n[l][y] way the [m][e]d[i]an A[m]eri[c]an [c]ould [m]a[k]e them[s]elves [s]tart to feel [a]l[i]ve [a]gain, at this [p]oint, was b[y] [q]u[o]te-un[q]u[o]te [p][o]st-[i]roni[c]a[l]ly [p]ostu[l][a]t[i]ng, by e[l]e[c]tro-sho[c]king themselves into [c]ontem[p][l][a]t[i]ng that m[a]y[b]e [B][l]a[c]k [p]eo[p]le are [l][o]wer [c][l][a]ss [b]y [p]r[o][c][l][i]v[i]ty. 83:108 .767
760:973 .781

31: [E]ve[r]y Am[e][r]ican [e]njoyed a [G]od-[g]iven [r][i]ght to [s]ub[s][c][r][i]be th[e]m[s][e]lves to non[s][e]n[s]i[c]al [r]a[c]ist [ph]ilo[s]o[ph]ies if they [s][o] ch[o]se, yet it was [o]nly these p[o]st-i[r]onic im[b]eciles who [f]ound their [o]wn un[f]ortunate [b]igot[r][y] [a]s [a]ctuall[y] edg[y]—it was [o]n[l]y in t[o]i[l]ets [l][i][k]e D[i]mes [S][q]uare that [r]a[c]ism, wh[i]ch [i]n [r]ea[l]ity was j[u]st the [b][l][u]nt, u[b][i][q]u[i]t[ou]s and ulti[m]ate[l]y st[e][r]ile p[r]e-[c]on[d][i]t[i]on of [e]ve[r]ything [A][m][e][r]i[c]an, somehow, i[d]ioti[c]ally, be[c]ame high [a]rt. 88:122 .721
32: It was the [l]ogi[c]al [c]on[c][l]usion of the An[d][y] Warhol i[d]io[c][y]—as o[pp][o]sed to [p]ainting [i]n[s][i][p][i]d [s]ou[p] [c]ans, the [p][o]st-iron[i]c [s]o-[c]alled art[i]sts, un[a]ble to [p][ai]nt or w[r]ite or [c]om[p][o]se [p][r][o][f]iciently, w[e]nt a [s]t[e][p] [f][ur]th[er] into the ba[n][a]l—[i]n[s]t[ea]d ch[oo]s[i]ng a [s][n][oo]ze-worthy [r]e[n]ewed [r]a[c]ism as their [a]rt. 60:78 .769
33: Why couldn't they, [t]oo, utt[er] the n-w[or]d?—it was [t]ruly "[u]nj[u]st" [th]at [th]ey, as [r]ich [w]hites who, a[pp][r]oaching [f]orty, [s]till [r]e[c]eiving [w]ire t[r]ans[f]ers [f][r]om their [p]a[r][e]nts to [s]u[pp]le[m]ent their Chinatown [r][e]nts, were [m][or]e [or] le[ss] [m][a]nh[a]ndled into "[n]ot [s]aying the n-word", and [n]ot [o]n[l]y the [h]i[p] [h][o][p] "s[o]ft-[a]"—[n]o, these [o][p]u[l]ent [c]au[c][a]sians re[q]ue[s]ted [a][cc]ess to the "h[ar]d-[r] n-word" [p][a][s]s, and [i]f [i]t [s]o h[a][pp]ened they were [a][c]tua[ll][y] [d]enied [th]en [th]is [c][ou]ntr[y] was f[u]n[d]amental[l][y], [th]ey [th]ought, [s]till en[s][l]aved! 88:117 .752
34: This [c]ountry, a[cc]or[d]ing to [D][i]mes S[q]uare, was [f]un[d]am[e]nta[ll]y [e]n[s][l][a]ved i[f] th[ey], as [r]ich [d]ouche bag t[r][u]st f[u]nd Soviet [a]nd/[o]r [O]ttom[a]n [C]au[c]asians, [c]ouldn't sh[ou]t [ou]t the "h[ar]d-[r] n-word" in [p]ub[l][i]c w[i]th a[p][l]omb! 38:50 .760
35: Yes, the on[l][y] [au]thenti[c]al[l][y] [a]v[a]nt-g[a]rde [A][m]e[r]i[c]an [m]ove[m]ent of the ear[l][y] tw[e]nt[y] first [c][e]ntur[y] was th[i]s [i]n[s][p]ired [p]et[i]tion to [r]ecl[ai]m the n-[w]ord for [w]hites, [R][ei]mi [n]oted as she [b]e[n]ignly [n]odded [a]t a [p][a]sser-[b]y in a [m][a][nn]er th[a]t [m]e[ll]if[l]uous[l]y [c]o[mm]u[n]i[c]ated she was [s]im[p]ly e[x][p]re[ss]ing a [p]er[s]o[n]al o[p][i]n[i]on, that she [o]bviou[s]ly int[e]n[d]ed [n]o [o]ff[e]n[s]e. 73:99 .737
36: I’m r[a][c][i]st, the au[d][a]c[i]ous [D]imes [S]quare p[o]et would [b]ell[o]w, and for that [s][o]le [r]eason I’m the [b][r][a]v[e]st [m]an in [L][o]wer [M][a]nh[a]ttan!—[s]till un[a][b]le to actua[ll]y [b][r][i]ng h[i]m[s]elf to [s][ay] the word a[l][ou]d, [s]urr[ou]n[d]ed [b]y the [b]ourgeois [d]aughters of [R]ussian [m]athe[m][a]t[i]c[i]ans who'd [a][pp]a[r]ently [r]es[or]t to any [s][or]t of in[t]elle[c]t[u]al [p]ro[s]ti[t][u]tion [t][o] avoid being [f][i][n]a[ll]y [r]e[c]og[n][i]zed [f]or [w]hat they [f]unctio[n]a[ll]y [w]ere: o[p]u[l]ent [C]au[c]asians. 83:113 .735
37: [N]o, [n]one of these [p]oets [p]er[s]o[n]ally [s][ai]d the [n]-[w]ord th[e]m[s][e]lves, of [c]ourse, but, th[e]n ag[ai]n, [w]hy [c]ouldn't they?—"[w]ith a h[ar]d-[r]"?—[w]asn't it fasc[i]sm [i]n a [s]en[s]e [th]at [th]ey were [s]o v[i]go[r][ou][s]ly [r]e[s]t[r][i]ct[e]d f[r]om doing [s]o? 40:50 .800
38: Oh, of course! Reimi [f]ound it [l]au[gh]a[b]le [b]ut i[n] a[n] obv[i]ou[s][l][y] [l]ewd[l][y] [s]ar[d]onic [w]ay—it [w]as [u]tter[l][y] [d]i[s]g[u][s]ting, i[mm][e]n[s]e[l][y] [d]e[p][r][e][ss]ing, and [b]a[s]i[c]a[ll][y] a s[t]u[p]endous [p][r]e[t][e][x]t to [e][x]it A[m]e[r]i[c]a [f]or good, to [b]egin a [f][r]esh li[f]e a[b][r]oad, on any other [f]u[ck]ing [c]ontinent! 62:74 .834
532:703 .757

—I-II: Manila is a Mall Culture
1769:2250 .786

01: [B]ut, in a[n]y [c]ase, with all that [s]aid, [w]hich [w]as of [c]our[s]e [r][ea]ll[y] [n]othing [b]eyond the objective [s]umma[r]y [o]f [a] [c][ou][p]le [b]e[n]ign o[p]inions of [B]uddy and [R]eim[i], who were [b]oth [s]im[p]l[y] [e]x[p][r][e][ss]ing their [G]od-[g]iven [r]ights of f[r][ee] [s][p][ee]ch in their [r]e[s][p]ective [c]o[mm][en][t]aries—but if Ja[p]an was [f]unda[m][en][t]ally "[a]n [a]ni[m]ated [c]ulture", then it was [c][er]tainly [s]a[f]e to [a][ss][er]t, [a][cc]or[d]ing to Bu[dd]y, that [M]anila was "an unre[p][e]nt[a]nt [m]all [c]ulture"—[th]at eve[r]y[th]ing [a]bout [M][a]nila-[p][r]o[p]er [r]ev[o]lved [a][r]ound [m][a]lls, [th]at [th]ey held the "[s][k][y] h[i]gh e[s]teem" in [M][a]nila [th]at [th]ey [h]adn't [h]eld in [A][m][e]ri[c]a for [d]e[c]ades, if [e]ver! 111:158 .703
02: Y[e]t, Bu[dd]y [s][ai]d, [e]verything [e]x[i][s]t[e]d [i]n a fu[ck]ing [m][a]ll in [M][a][n]i[l]a—out[s]ide of the [m]alls there was [l]itera[ll]y [n]o [c]o[mm]er[c]e that [c]o[mm]en[c]ed [i]n the [c][i]t[y], to the [b]e[s]t [o]f [B][u]dd[y]'s k[n]ow[l]edge. 40:47 .851
03: A [m]etro[p]o[l]is of [n][ea]r[l][y] [f]i[f]t[ee]n [m]i[ll]ion [p][eo][p]le, Bu[dd]y [e]x[p]oun[d]ed, and [e]very [s]ingle [p]er[s]on [i]s ph[y]s[i][c]a[ll]y [l]o[c]ated in m[a]lls [a]ll the time—there are a[c]tua[ll]y [l]arge [m]alls [l]o[c]ated [r][i]ght be[s][i]de [s]ub[s][e][q]u[e]nt [m]alls with th[r]ee to f[i]ve levels or [m]ore [p]er [b]u[i]ld[i]ng, [b]ut y[e]t in A[m][e][r]ica, if you ha[pp]ened to [p]lace a [m]odest th[r]ee l[e][v]el sho[pp]ing [c][e]nter e[v]en with no other [m]alls for [m]iles it would [s]till [d]ec[ay] and rot [d][ay] after [d][ay], but th[e]se [M][a]nila [m][a]lls [a]re sm[a]ck [d][a]b on [t]o[p] of [ea]ch other and f[i]lled to the br[i]m with [a]ll [t][y][p]es of [p]eo[p]le at [a]ll [t][i]mes of the [d][ay]. 104:144 .722
04: [R][ei]mi asked [B][u][dd]y if he [r]e[c]alled the [c]ool [u]n[d]erg[r]ound [j]azz [b]ar [i]n Sh[i]n[j][u]k[u], [th]e [p][l]a[c]e that [p][l]ayed "[C]Ds in[s]t[ea]d of [r][e][c]ords", and of [c]ourse [B][u]ddy [r]e[c]alled [i]t [v][i][v][i]d[l]y, [b]ut he [n]oted in [M][a][n]i[l]a that [b][a]r would have [b]een in a [d]amn [m]all, with[ou]t a [d][ou]bt. 55:63 .873
05: He'd re[l][a]xed for [u]p[w]ards [o]f an [o]ne hour [a]t th[a]t j[a]zz [b]ar, [b]eg[i]nn[i]ng [a]t ex[a]ct[l]y [t]wo [t]wenty [t][wo] in the [a]ftern[oo]n, [d][r][i]nk[i]ng a s[i]ngle [d][r][a]ft [b]eer [a]s he [a]na[l]yzed the [b]ar[t]ender and [b]ar[b][a][c]k [a]s they [c][l]eaned the [c]ounter [t][op] and ch[op]ped a [b][l][o]ck of [i]ce with a [s]t[ea][k ]kn[i]fe, [c]re[a]ting "[w]onder[f]ully a[s]ymmetri[c] [c]ubes", [w]ithout [o]nce g[l][a]n[c]ing [a]t a [s]mart[ph]one, or [ch]it-[ch]atting [w]ith [c]u[s]tomers, [w]ithout [l][i]ngu[i][s]ti[c]a[ll]y [w]an[k]ing [p]eo[p]le o[ff] in their [p]e[r]i[ph]e[r][y]—no, they [s]im[p][l][y] [w]orked [c]ontinuous[l][y] [w]ithout [p]ause or [c]om[p][l][ai]nt. 106:130 .815
06: Mo[s]t [p][l]a[c]es in the [w][or]ld [w][er]e [c]om[p][l]ete[l][y] [p]oint[l]ess to v[i]s[i]t, [b][u]t [B][u]ddy felt l[i][k]e Shinj[u][k][u] was a m[i]nor [e]xc[e]pt[io]n, b[u]t where T[o][k]y[o] was a "[m]axi[m]a[l]ist [c]ulture, [p]eriod"—[M]ani[l]a was a "[m]axi[m][a][l]ist [m][a]ll [c]ulture" in [p]er[p]etuity. 50:64 .781
07: A white m[a]n s[a]t [n]ot [f]ar [f][r]om [B]u[dd]y and [R]eimi and [n]oted to [th]e [b]ar[t]en[d]er [th]at, yes, h[e]'d [b][e] par[t]i[c]u[l]ar[l]y [i]n[t]e[r]ested [i]n or[d]e[r]ing a [T]om [C]o[ll]ins, but [w]ith [o]ne str[i][c]t [c]ond[i]t[i]on: he [w]anted it [w]ith a "[t][o]n [o]f Juni[p]er"—a [C]ollins that [r][ea]ll[y] [c]a[p]tured "that in[t][e]nse [b][e][rr]y" [f][l]avor, [b]e[c]ause "s[a]ns Juni[p]er" the m[a]n [f]r[a]nk[l]y h[a]d n[o] [i]n[t]e[r]est [i]n a [T]om [C]o[ll]ins [a]t all, where[a]s m[o]st [p]eo[p]le who [e]n[j]oyed [g]in [l]iked [J]uniper to [s]ome [e]xt[e]nt, yet they'd al[s]o r[e]adily [a]dmit [th][a]t "[th]e [J]uni[p]er [a][s][p]e[c]t" of [g]in [c]ould [c]ome o[ff] o[ff]-[p]utting to [s]ome, this [m]an a[pp]arently [c]ouldn't "get e[n]ough Ju[n]i[p]er"—[n]o, h[e] [n][ee]ded the [m][o]st [p][o]tent ite[r]ation of [g][i]n w[i]th [r]egard to [i]ts d[i]vis[i]ve [J]u[n]i[p]er [c]om[p]o[n]ent. 134:183 .732
08: Yes, [R]eim[i] [s][ai]d, our [s][e]n[s]o[r][y] [f][a][c]ulties were in [f][a][c]t [o]nly a [m][o]de of [f]orgetting!—we e[m][er]ge [f]rom the [w]omb [w]ith a p[er][f]ect [G]od-[g][i]v[e]n [i]m[a]ge of the w[or]ld, [a]nd [a]s we s[l]ow[l]y delve f[ur]th[er] [i]n[t]o our [o]wn m[o]tor skills, [a]s we [i]n[t]e[r][a][c]t [w]ith the [c]or[p]o[r]eal in a [s]en[s]o[r]y-adj[a][c]ent [w][ay] [w]e forget th[i]s [s][i]ngle-[c]ell [s][i]m[p]l[i][c][i]ty, as we exer[c][i]se our [G]od-[g][i]v[e]n [r][i]ghts of f[r][ee] s[p][ee]ch the m[or]e [p][er][f]e[c]ted [f][or]ms that in[f][or]m our ve[r]y [c]oncepts d[r]i[f]t [f][ur]th[er] and [f][ur]th[er] away. 102:119 .857
09: [B][u]t [w]ere you a[w]are—[B][u]ddy interr[u][p]ted—s[p]eaking [o]f [u]tt[er] [a]bs[ur]dities that w[er]e in f[a][c]t [a][cc]u[r]ate, [th][a]t [th]e [s]o-[c]alled "[S]ib[e][r]ian Tiger P[e]n[i]s" [i]s [c]on[s]idered a leg[i]t[i]mate [a]phrodisi[a]c in Ch[i]na, [th]at [th]e Ch[i]n[e]se a[ss]iduousl[y] [s]our[c]e the [c]o[c]k f[r][o]m [R][u]ssian tiger [c]or[p][s]es with g[r]eat [c]are for [p][r]e[c]ise [u][s]e in [e]x[p]en[s]ive [s][ou][p]s? 68:88 .773
10: [W]ell, that [w]as [e]xa[c]tly her [p]oint, of [c]ourse!—[b][u]t Rei[m]i had [m]ore [c]onje[c]ture for [B][u][dd]y to [c]ons[i][d]er, [i]f he was [d][ow]n, [a]s they [m]e[a]n[d]ered [d][ow]n yet [a][n][o]ther [m][u]ggy [a]ve[n]ue [a]round [Q]uezon [C][i]ty [l]oo[k]ing for a [s][i]ngle [s]tan[d]a[l]one [r]e[s]tau[r]ant, any in[d]epen[d]ently [s]t[r]uctured wate[r]ing hole, [t]o [s]ip a [c]o[c]k[t]ail at. 58:81 .716
828:1077 .769

11: [R]ei[m]i had [b]een [p]on[d]e[r][ing] [s]ometh[ing], g[i]v[e]n the [m]ore [s]t[r][i]ng[e]nt [b]or[d]er [p]oli[c][ie]s of [Ea][s]t [A]sia and her p[r]edil[e]ction to [f]org[e]t hers[e]lf [f][r]om [t][i]me [t]o [t][i]me v[i]a [e]ng[a]g[i]ng [i]n her own [f][r][ee] s[p][ee]ch—did the Ame[r]i[c]an far-right [p]erh[a][p]s h[a]ve a [p]oint?—was it [p]o[ss]ible [p]eo[p]le [l]i[k]e Charlie [K][ir][k], who [v]o[c]iferous[l]y [v]oi[c]ed [c]on[c][er]ns [r]egarding "[l]egal th[ir]d w[or]ld [i]mm[i]g[r]ation", [w]as [i]t [w][i]th[i]n the [r]ealm of [p]o[ss][i]b[i]l[i]ty his [p]er[s][p][e]ct[i]ve h[e]ld m[e]r[i]t? 96:112 .857
12: [B][u]t to [b]eg[i]n w[i]th, she cont[i]nued as [B][u]ddy's eye[b][r]ows [r][o]se s[l][o]w[l][y] in [a] wh[o][ll][y] [a][m]used [m]a[nn]er, they'd [n]eed [t]o [t]ake a [l]ong [l]ook at the "[s]p[e][c][i]f[i]c [s][e]g[m]ents" of h[i][s]to[r]i[c]al [i][mm][i]g[r][a]tion, [i]f th[ey] were [t][o] [t][r][u]ly [c]on[s]t[r]uct a [t]ar[g]eted [i][mm][i][g]ration agen[d]a, and th[en] [d]e[t]er[m][in]e which n[a]tion[a][l]it[ie]s were [a]ctua[ll][y] [d]esi[r]a[b]le, and [w]hich [o]nes less [s][o]—[b]ut [R]eimi [f]elt as th[ough], hone[s]tl[y], that'd b[e] [ea]s[y] enou[gh]. 92:107 .860
13: The [c]on[c][l]usion [c][a]me to R[ei]mi [l]i[k]e a [b]olt of [l]ightning—as it seemed [b][l][a]tant[l]y [c][l]ear [th]at [th]e wh[o]le n[o]tion of "[w]hite [r]e[p][l][a]cement" [w]as [w]ay [b]eyond a [c]ons[p]irac[y] theo[r][y], [b]e[c]ause it was, in [f][a][c]t, an [a][c]tu[a][l]it[y]. 43:55 .782
14: The [f][a]ct of the [m][a]tter [w]as the [w]hite [m][a]n in A[m]e[r]i[c]a h[a]d al[r]eady been [r]uth[l]ess[l]y [r]e[p][l][a]ced, and h[e] was [r][e][p]o[p]u[l][a]ted al[m]ost ex[c][l]usive[l]y v[i]a the [l][a]te n[i]ne[t]eenth [a]nd first h[a]lf [t][w]entieth centu[r]y [w][a]ves of [i][mm][i]g[r][a]tion that b[r]ought [w]ith them not [o]nly the [m]ountains of [f]reckled I[r]ish, but [m]ore s[o] the [f][ur]th[er] [s]outh Italians, and [e]ven more [ea]st[er]n [J]ews—[a]ll egr[e][g]ious non-wh[i]tes [a][cc]ording to s[o]me[o]ne [l][i][k]e, [s]ay, Ben[j]amin F[r]an[k][l][i]n—[i]nto th[i]s [i]nn[o][c][e]nt [c]ount[r]y. 89:119 .748
15: The [r]u[d]i[m]enta[r]y f[a]ct of the [m][a]tter [w]as the [w]hite [m][a]n of eigh[t]een six[t]y [f]ive was obje[c][t]ive[l][y] a [r][a][d]i[c]a[ll][y] [d]i[ff]erent white [m]an [th]an [th]e [C]au[c][a]sian m[a]le of nineteen [s]ixty [f]ive—the Ang[l]o-[P][r]ote[s]tant [b][a][s]e[l]ine the Ame[r]i[c]an [p]o[l]ity was hi[s]to[r]i[c]ally [f]oun[d]ed [u][p]on would [b]e [u][p]en[d]ed and [r]e[p][l][a][c]ed [b]y a more [n][a][s]cent [q]u[o]te-un[q]u[o]te Jude[o]-Chr[i]st[i]an [l][i][n]eage. 77:97 .794
16: The [A][m]e[r]ican white [m]an had [o]bvious[l][y] al[r]ea[d][y] [r]uth[l]e[ss][l][y] been [r]e[p][l]a[c]ed, [a]nd [s][a]d[l][y] on[l][y] [m]ere [d]o[pp]elg[a]ngers of this White [M][a]n [r]e[m]ained, [a]nd of [c]ourse th[e]se ve[r][y] [r]ep[l][a]ce[m]ent [l][e]v[e]l [C]au[c][a]sians, these b[l][a]n[c]o [s]i[m]u[l][a][c][r]a, now [s][c][r]eamed the [l]oudest into the h[e]l[p][l][e]ss[l]y d[ea]f winds [b][l]owing u[p] the s[k]irts of [B][B]L [L]atinas [a][b]out [a] [c]ont[e]m[p]o[r]a[r]y, im[p][e]nding [s]o-[c]alled "white [r]e[p][l][a][c]e[m]ent"—a[cc]ording to [R][ei][m]i at [l]east. 98:108 .907
17: Yet, a[s]t[u]te[l][y], sh[e] me[ll]if[l][u]ous[l][y] [c]on[t]inued on [t]o [s]ay to Budd[y] that of [c]ourse un[r]egu[l][a]ted [m]ass w[a]ves of [i][mm][i]g[r][a]tion [c]ould easi[l]y [e]nd with [d]et[r]i[m][e]ntal [d]own[s]t[r]eam e[ff][e]cts [f]or a [s]tate—this [c]oul[d]n't be [d]is[p]uted. 44:59 .746
18: For exam[p]le, [c]ont[r]a[r]y to the [d]e[c]ades of Ho[ll]y[w]ood [w]hite[w]ashing of the [m][a][f]i[a] as [l]ittle [m][or]e than p[oor] [i][mm][i]grants who [l][a][c]ked [a][c][c]ess to [f]ood [s]t[a]mps, they should [a][c]tually [r]e[c]ognize the [A][m]e[r]i[c]an [m][a][f]i[a] [f]or [w]hat it truly [w]as: an [i]n[s][i][d]ious [c][r][i][m][i]nal [s][y]n[d][i][c]ate [s]tarted by the [i][mm][i]g[r][a]nts [L]u[c]ky [L]uciano [a]nd [M]eyer [L][a]ns[k]y, th[a]t h[a]d [a]s its [m]ost [p][r]ofita[b]le enter[p][r]ise sexual [b]l[a][c]k[m]ail—which [e]ventua[l]l[y] a[ll]owed it to [c]om[p][l][e]te[l][y] [e]n[s]nare the highe[s]t o[ff]i[c]er of the [L]aw in Am[e]ri[c]a, J. [E]dgar Hoover, j[u]st be[c][au]se the [l]ittle g[uy] [l][i]ked to p[a][r][a]de [a][r]ound in [l][a][d]ies' un[d]erwear! 121:161 .752
19: The en[t]ire his[t]ory [o]f the [A][m]erican [m]afia [w]as [o]ne [s]t[ee]ped in [d][ee]p and [d]isturbing, [s]or[d]id [s]tate [c]o[rr]u[p]tion as [o][pp]osed to the [o]ft-[c][i]ted "v[i]ct[i]m[l][e]ss [c][r][i]mes" [l]ike gamb[l]ing and [p][r]ostitution—thi[s] [s]o-[c]alled "[m]ob" was an [i][mm][i]g[r][a]nt [c][r][i][m][i]n[a]l [s][y]nd[i][c][a]te [j]oint[l]y est[a][b][l]ished [b]y an It[a][l]ian m[a]n [a]nd a [J]ewish f[e][l]low, and its [l]ower [l][e][v]els of act[i][v][i]ty, the [s][or]t [g]l[or]i[f]ied in [g]rote[s][q]ue [S][c][or][s]ese [f]ilms, were ulti[m]ate[l]y [s]ub[s]id[i]zed [b][y] [b][l]ack[m]ai[l]ing, o[f]ten [l]a[s]c[i]v[i]ous[l]y (what [b]etter w[ay]!), United [S]t[a]tes govern[m]ent o[ff][i]c[i]als. 113:137 .825
20: [R]ei[m][i] asked Budd[y] [i]f [i]t [r]e[m]inded him of any cu[rr][e]nt ev[e]nts?—[a]nd [a]s she [l][a]ughed a[l]oud, she [p][o]sited the [r]heto[r][i][c]al [i]n[q]ui[r][y] [o]f wh[a]t [c]ould [p][o]ssi[b]l[y] [b][e] [m]ore anti-A[m]e[r]i[c]an, [b]ut she ad[m]itted of [c][our][s]e ahi[s]t[or][i][c]al [i]mbe[c]iles like Matt [W]alsh [w]ere in[s]tead [f]or[c]ed to [c]on[f]late the [c]o[rr]uption that o[cc]urred [o]ne h[u]nd[r]ed years [p]ast with [c]ontem[p]o[r]a[r]y [i][mm][i]g[r]ation, [a]nd [i]nstead of [a]d[m][i]tt[i]ng [C]au[c][a]s[i]an [R]e[p]l[a]ce[m][e]nt h[a]d already o[cc]urred [a]nd th[a]t Judeo-It[a]lic [i][mm][i]g[r][a]nt [c][r][i]m[i]n[a]l [s][y]nd[i][c][a]tes [s][u][c]cessfully [c]o[r]r[u][p]ted the [u][pp]er [e]chelons of governm[e]nt, these [d]ouble [d][i]g[i]t IQ gr[i][f]ters [a]cted [a]s [i][f] these ev[e]nts were [i]nst[ea]d "[p]ot[e]ntially [i]m[p][e]nding". 136:176 .773
21: At this [p]oint [B]uddy [b]rought up, with a [c]ertain [s]en[s]e of [d]is[b]elief, [th]at [th]ey hadn't even [d]i[s][c]u[s]sed [C]ar[l][o]s Mar[c]e[l]l[o]'s [i]nt[r][i][c][a]te [r]ole [i]n the [a][s]s[a][s]sination of JF[K]! 32:42 .762
941:1173 .802

—I-III: Tokyo Gyro
496:609 .814

01: On their f[i][n]al [n][i]ght in T[o][k]y[o], [B]uddy aw[o][k]e [b]r[i]ght and early in the [A]M, [ai][m]ing [t]o [t]ake "[m][a]xi[m]um [a]dv[a]ntage" of the d[ay], and [e]xited the [h][o]tel [e]xcitedly [h][o]ping to [f]ind a [q]uaint [c][o][ff]ee [sh][o]p, [o]nly to [s]t[u]m[b]le [u]pon a [c]ou[p]le [Sh]in[j][u]k[u] [b]ars th[a]t h[a]d [j]ust re[c]ent[l]y [c][l]osed at give or t[a][k]e h[a]lf p[a]st seven [a]m. 60:83 .723
02: [F]ailing to [f]ind [a]n [a]de[q]uate [c][o][ff]ee sh[o][p] to p[o][p] in Bu[dd]y in[s]t[ea]d [d][e][c]i[d][e]d [t]o [t]a[k]e a jog [th][r]ough [th]e [s]t[r]eets of [T][o][k]y[o], wh[i]ch [i]n [r]et[r][o][s][p]ect may have [b]een [c]on[s][i]dered [a] [b]it of [a] [c]ultu[r]al faux [p]as in the [c]oun[t][r][y], [b][u]t, given the [e]x[c][e][ss]ive [t][e]m[p]e[r]ature [i]n the [c][i]t[y], [B][u]dd[y] a[ss]umed he [w]ould onl[y] [b][e] [a][b]le to [r]un [f]or a [b][r]ief [s][p]urt any[w][ay]—[s]o how offen[s]ive could it [r][ea]ll[y] [b][e]? 92:102 .902
03: Yet this [r]un would [p][r][o]ve [c][r][u]cial [b]e[c]ause at its [c]on[c]l[u]sion [B]u[dd]y got a whi[ff] [o]f s[o]me [c]uisine he [f]ound [q]u[i]te [d]e[l][i]ght[f]ul—was it p[o]ssib[l]y, he th[ou]ght ... a [g]yr[o]?—in T[o]k[y][o]? 33:42 .786
04: While a [p]ita [s][t]uffed with [t]zatz[i]k[i] wasn't ex[a]ctl[y] the Asian [s]tr[ee]t [m][ea]t [m]o[s]t [p][eo][p]le [a]n[t][i]c[i][p]ate [i]n their Y[ou][T][u]be [a]lgo[r][i]thm[i]c [d]ay[d][r]eams of Ja[p][a]n, [B]uddy also [f]elt [l]ike his [p][a][l]ette [w]ouldn't [b]e any [w]orse [f]or [w]ear [w]ith a [s]ingle [s][a]ndw[i]ch th[a]t h[i]s [s]t[o]mach w[a]s [a]lrea[d]y [a][cc][u]s[t]omed [t]o [d]ige[s]ting? 65:76 .855
05: W[i]th th[i]s [i]n [m]ind he [p]o[l][i]te[l][y] chauffeured Rei[m][i] exc[i]ted[l][y] to this [p]arti[c]u[l]ar [c]orner, [a][s][k]ing the m[a]n [s]t[a]nding [b]ehind the [c]ounter for a l[a]mb gyr[o], [o]n[l][y] to [b]e [b][l]unt[l][y] [c]orre[c]ted that it was "chi[ck]en on[l][y]". 41:56 .732
06: [S]ome [p]la[c]e in the [d]ee[p], [d]ark [r]e[c]e[s]ses of [B]uddy's [b][r]ain he [r]e[c]alled the [t][r]eache[r]ous gy[r]o [t][r]u[c]ks of New Yor[k] Cit[y] and their [a][b][u]ndant use of poul[t][r][y] as a s[t][r][ee]t m[ea]t—[b][u]t ch[i][c]k[e]n was [b]a[s]i[c]all[y] [a]n un[a][c]ce[p][t]a[b]le [s][t]r[ee]t [c]or[p]se when it [c]ame [r][i]ght [d]own to it, [b][u]t [B][u][dd]y, [m]es[m]e[r][i]zed [b][y] the [s][m]ell of the [a]malg[a][m]ated [s][p]i[c]es [w]ent [a][l]ong [w]ith the bird o[p]tion any[w]ay, [s][e][l][e][c]ting—[n]o [n]ot [t]zatz[i][k][i], but the [q]u[o]te-un[q]u[o]te [w]hite [s]au[c]e [t]opping, [w]hich [w]as al[s]o [r]e[m][i]n[i][s]c[e]nt of the [M][a]nh[a]ttan food t[r]u[c]k bull[sh]it [m]a[ch]ine. 118:127 .929
07: Of [c]ourse the w[r]ap [d]i[d]n't [t]aste g[r][ea]t, [t]o [th]e ex[t]ent [th]at [R][ei]mi [d]i[d]n't [e]ven [ea]t [h]alf of [h]ers, allo[w]ing Buddy—who [w]as "[s]tarving"—to [s]eal his [d]ige[s]tive [f]ate by [f][i]n[i]sh[i]ng a [s]e[c]ond [s]andwich. 33:48 .688
08: The [c]on[s]umed ch[i][ck][e]n gyro was a [d]irty [b]omb that [w]ould [w][ai]t to [d]eton[a]te in [B][u][d]dy's [s]t[o]mach [u]ntil [r]ight a[r]ound [s][u]n[s]et—and eve[r]y[b]ody kn[ew] Shinj[u]k[u] had the [b][e][s]t [s][e]tting [s]uns—[w]hen [B]uddy [w]as a[tt]emp[t]ing [t]o [n][a][p] o[ff] the j[a]zz [b]ar [b]eers he im[b]ibed [b]e[f]ore they [p]opped out [f]or su[pp]er to [n]o avail. 54:75 .72

—I-IV: Tagaytay Math
1139:1396 .816

01: [Th]e [th][i]ng of [i]t was, [B]uddy [s]aid to [R]ei[m]i [i]n a p[r]ov[i]n[c]e out[s]ide [M]a[n][i]la, at the [b]eg[i][nn][i]ng of h[i]s [c]onscious [m]e[m]o[r][y] h[e]’d s[i]t [i]n the b[r][i][c]k [h]ouse [h]e l[i]ved [i]n w[i]th h[i]s g[e]netic mom [a]nd d[a]d [a]t give or t[a]ke, s[ay], thr[ee] y[ea]rs old, and he’d [r]e[c]ite ve[r]y [p]articular, [p][r]og[r]e[ss][i]ve "[i]f-th[e]n sc[e]na[r]ios" to his [m]om, who was a[m]used by [th]e [m]a[th]e[m]ati[c]al [d]i[s]p[l]ay i[mm]en[s]e[l][y], as sh[e] [c][l][ea]ned the [k][i]tch[e]n or, [l]i[k]e, [d][u]sted the [b]urg[u]n[d]y [d]inner ta[b]le? 89:113 .788
02: This was in [f]act his [f][a]vorite ho[bb]y [a]t th[a]t [a]ge—[b][a]sically, in sh[or]t, when [B]uddy [t]urned [f][or]ty his mom'd [t]urn seventy [f][our], and [w]hen h[e] [w]as [th]irty [th]r[ee] sh[e]'d [b][e] [s]ixty [s]ev[e]n, [b]ut wh[e]n he [t]urned [t]en sh[e]'d b[e] [f][or]ty [f][our], and [f]inall[y] [w]hen [B]udd[y] [w]as s[i]x h[i]s mom would [b]e [f]ort[y].  50:71 .704
03: [S]o it w[a]s f[u][n]n[y] to B[u]dd[y] when they [s]aw a [s]k[i][n]n[y] [s][i]x year old [b]oy in [T]agay[t]ay exh[i][b][i]t[i]ng a [s][i]m[i]lar [p][r]ac[t]i[c]e, [t]elling a[tt]endees their [c]u[rr]ent [a]ges [b][a]sed on the [r]e[s][p]e[c]tive years th[ey] were [b]orn, w[i]th all the [p]art[i]c[i][p]ants at the [p]arty [b]eing [w]ildly im[p][r]essed [w][i]th h[i]s [a][r][i]thmet[i]c, [b]ut, "at [a]l[r]eady age [s][i]x", [B]uddy wh[i][s][p]ered to Reim[i], th[i]s [k]id was a[c]tuall[y] [k][i]nd of fu[ck]ing [b]eh[i]nd the eight [b]all, [s]o to [s][p]ea[k]—that [i]f, at [s][i]x, he [c]oul[d]n't [c]al[c]u[l]ate "[a]t [l]east i[f]-thens" [a][f][ter] [d]et[er]m[i]ning the [p][er]s[o]n’s [a]ge, [w]ell, [h]e [h]ad a [w][ay]s to go. 108:138 .783
04: The [k]id was [c][l][ea]r[l][y] [q]uite [p][r]oud of h[i]s [a]r[i]thmet[i]c [a][b][i][l][i]t[ie]s, and may[b][e] [h][e] should [h]ave [b]een—it was [p]ossi[b]le [h][e] [h]ad good r[ea]son to [b][e], [b]ut, to [B]udd[y], as he [c]onv[ey]ed to [R][ei][m]i, he [p][r]o[b]a[b]l[y] [n][ee]ded to [b][e] just [a] [t][a]d [m]ore [t]y[r][a][n]ni[c]al [a][b]out his [p][r][a][c]tice [m]oving forward. 66:73 .904
05: [N][o], he "wasn’t th[a]t [b][a]d", [B]uddy [s]aid, he [w]as [w]ay [b]etter than [s][o]me ad[u]lts [a]t the g[a]the[r]ing!—[b]ut he should [s]t[i]ll [r][ea]ll[y] [c]on[s][i]der, you k[n][o]w, [b][r][u]shing [u]p on h[i]s "[i]f-then [s][k][i]lls". 36:42 .857
06: [B]e[c][au]se "[e]veryth[i]ng [i]s ult[i]m[a]tely [a]n [i]f-th[e]n", whether [v][i]s-[a]-[v][i]s [a]r[i]thm[e]t[i]c or [l]i[f]e [i]t[s]el[f]!—in a[n][y] [c]ase, [n]ow [f]i[n]al[l][y] [f]ort[y] him[s]el[f], [B]uddy [c]ould o[ff][i]c[i]al[l][y] [c]on[f]irm once and [f]or all his mom'd [b]e[c]ome, in [f]act, seventy [f][our] [w]hile he [w]as [f][or]ty, [th]ough at [th]e time, [b]a[c]k [i]n the [b]r[i][c]k [h]ouse, [i]t'd [h]ave [b]e[en] [an] [i]mpo[ss][i][b][i]l[i]ty for either to k[n]ow with a[n]y [c]ertaint[y] if th[a]t'd h[a]ve trul[y] [b]een [th]e [c]ase, [th]at [B]uddy would, [f][or] a [f]act, [b]e [f][or]ty [w]hile his mom [w]ould [b]e, [b]y [c]ontra[s]t, [s]eventy [f][our]. 103:126 .818
07: Just [b]e[f]ore [l]eaving [f]or T[o][k]y[o] [B]udd[y] [s]at on a [c][l][ea]n [b]ench in [L]uong[o] [S][q]uare in the [d][e][c]ent h[ea]t of the ex[p]i[r]ing [s]ummer and w[r]ote [d]own the [w][or]ds it [w]ould [b][e] "[a]n [a]b[s][ur]d[i]t[y] to [s]to[p] [b]y [N][i]cka[n][ee]’s to[n]ight", which h[e] [f]elt to b[e] [o]ne h[u]ndred [p]er[c]ent [f]act, that [p]re[c]ise v[er][b]iage, that [s]to[pp]ing [b][y] [N][i]cka[n]ee’s that [n][i]ght would've [b]een [c]om[p][l][e]te[l][y] ab[s][ur]d!—[s][i]tt[i]ng on a [b]ench [b][y] him[s]elf [s][i][pp][i]ng a [l][i]me [s][e]ltzer he’d [l][i]ght[l]y [s][p][i][k]ed with M[e]z[c]al [h]e [h]ad [n][o] [d]oubt in the [p][ur]e ve[r]a[c]ity of the w[or]ds he’d [s]c[r]i[bb]led [d]own into a [b]eaten u[p] [p][ur][p]le [n][o]te[p][a]d. 123:136 .904
08: [B]uddy h[a]d, in [f][a][c]t, a ve[r][y] [f]irm [c]om[p][r][e]hension [o]f [w]h[a]t ex[a]ctly [w][a]s ab[s]urd th[a]t [n]ight, [i]t was the [s][i]m[p]le i[d]ea [o]f [a]tten[d]ing [N]icka[n]ee’s. 31:38 .816
09: On[l]y m[i]n[u]tes [l]ater, [s][i]tt[i]ng [i]n a bar in [L]uongo [S][q]uare, [d]r[i]n[k][i]ng a M[e]z[c][a]l th[a]t was [n]o [l]onger [d]umped [i]n[d][i][s][c]r[i]m[i][n]ately [i]nto a [c]an of [l]ime [s][e]ltzer, [B]ud[d]y [c]on[s][i][d]ered an un[c]om[f]orta[b]le [i][d]ea that "[w]hatever [w]as [i][d]enti[f]ied as mo[r]ally una[cc]e[p]table" [w]as [p][r]e[c]ise[l]y [w]hat got [p]eo[p]le [e][r]e[c]t in [e]ve[r]y [p]arti[c]u[l]ar e[p]o[c]h, that [w]hatever [w]as [w]idel[y] [a]g[r][ee]d to b[e] in[a][pp][r]o[p][r]iate was, in fact, sy[n]o[n]y[m]ous [w]ith [w]h[a]t [w][a]s "[p][r][o][b]a[b][l][y] [m]axi[m]a[ll][y] e[r][o]tic"? 106:128 .828
10: Some[th]ing [th]at was [v]io[l]ent[l][y] [p]rett[y] would [b]e[c]ome ex[p]ed[i]t[i]ous[l][y] [l]e[s]s [s]o the [v][e]ry [s][e][c]ond it [b]e[c]ame "g[e]n[e]ra[ll][y] a[cc][e][p]ta[b]le", [B]uddy [th]ought at [th]e [b]ar?—that [w]ide [s][p]r[ea]d a[cc][e][p]tan[c]e [w][a]s the [u]tter d[ea]th of a[p][e]x erot[i][c][i]sm? 54:60 .900
11: [B]uddy [s][a]t [a]t the [b]ar in Luon[g][o] [S][q]u[ar]e, [w]ell a[w][ar]e [g][o]ing to [N]i[c]ka[n]ee’s that [n]ight would [b]e [n]othing if [n]ot [b][l]atant[l]y ab[s]urd and [c]on[s]idered, j[u][s]t a [c]o[u][p]le [s]treets [u][p], on [A]twells [A][v]e[n]ue, he [c]ould [n]e[v]er jot [d]own [n]otes [l]ike he [d]id [o]n [L]u[o]ngo—[w]here it [w]as [e]x[p][e]cted that [e]very[o]ne [w]ould [c]ome [e][q]ui[pp]ed with [n][o]te[p]ads of all [t]y[p]es, [th]at [th]ey’d all [t]ake [n][o]tes while s[i]tt[i]ng on [b]enches [a]nd [a]t [b]ars, [w]here[a]s on [A]t[w][e]lls [A]ve the [e]x[a]ct o[pp]osite was [e]x[p][e]cted. 90:112 .804
12: It was a f[a]ct th[a]t no one [h][a]d, [i]n the [h][i][s]to[r]y of the [s]t[r][ee]t, ever been [s][ee]n [c]lutching a [s]mall [n]otep[a]d on [A]twells [A]ve[n]ue, [b][u]t [B][u]ddy [a][c]tual[l]y [c]onsidered [a]m[b][l]ing up to [A]twells th[a]t [v]e[r][y] [e][v]e[n]ing, but h[e] [n]ow [r][ea][l][i]zed o[cc]u[p][y]ing a[n]y [s]eat on th[a]t [A]ve[n]ue would m[a][k]e his [n]ote t[a][k]ing [b][a][s]i[c]ally im[p]o[s]si[b]le. 66:85 .777
13: In [r]ea[l]it[y] you’d [p][r]o[b]a[b][l][y] have to [b][e] a [c]om[p][l][e]te knob to [b]e[l][ie]ve you [c]ould ever [s][c]urry u[p] to [A]twells [A]ve[n]ue with a [n]ote[p]ad and [s]u[cc]e[s]sfu[l]ly jot [d]own i[d]eas in [p][u][b][l]ic. 37:50 .740 
14: [T]o [B][u]dd[y], h[e] [t]old R[ei]m[i], there exi[s][t]ed [t]wo l[a]tent ab[s][ur]dities that [n]ight: the f[ir][s]t [w]as [w]ith[ou]t a [d][ou]bt [s]to[p]p[i]ng [i]n [N][i][c]ka[n]ee’s, [w]hile the [s]e[c]ond [w]as a[d]orning your [p]er[s]on with a writing [u]ten[s]il on [A]t[w]ells [A]ve[n][u]e. 44:57 .772
15: [N]o [o]ne [w]al[k]ing the [s]treets of [A]tw[e]lls h[a]d "[a]s much [a]s a fu[c]king [p][e]n[c]il" on their [p][er][s][o]n, that m[u]ch w[a]s [c][er]t[ai]n [b]eyond [a] reaso[n][a][b]le doubt, [b]ut [n]one of th[a]t [a]ltered the [f][a]ct th[a]t [f]or [a][b]out eighty th[r][ee] [p]oint th[r][ee] [p]er[c]ent of the year [B]uddy's mom would [f]ail to [b][e] [s]event[y] [f]our, de[s][p]ite h[i]s [i]n[t]u[i]t[i]on she was "[t][e][c]hni[c]ally [s][e][v][e]nty [f][our]", while [f][or] [e][ss][e]ntially [s][e][v][e]nty [f]ive per[c][e]nt of this [c]a[l]endar [s][ea]son h[e]'d b[e] thirt[y] [n]ine, which [f]lew in the [f]a[c]e of the [f]a[c]t he was "tech[n]i[c]a[l]l[y] [f]orty", [b]e[c]ause [a]t th[a]t [m][o][m]ent, in [L]uong[o] S[q]uare, [B][u]ddy was forty [b][u]t his [m]om was [m]ere[l][y] [s]event[y] thr[ee], [w]hich [w][e]nt di[r][e]ctly [a]g[ai]nst [th]e if-[th][e]n he'd [a]ll[e]ged at [th]e age of [th][r][ee]. 136:167 .814

—I-V: The Best Neighborhood in the World
695:847 .821

01: R[ei]mi [th]ought [th]e "adjusta[b]le [b]ed f[r][a]me" their hotel [r]oom [c][a]me e[q]u[i]pped [w][i]th [w]as "[r][ea]ll[y] [c]ool", and she [m][or]e [or] [l]e[s]s i[mm][e][d][i]ate[l][y] [s]tarted to f[i][d]dle w[i]th the [s][e]tt[i]ngs in[c][e][ss][a]nt[l][y]. 43:46 .935
02: [B][u]t [B][u]ddy, j[u]st as [R][ei][m]i g[ai]ned [c]ont[r][o]l of the [r]e[m][o]te, [e]xpr[e][ss]ed [s]ome [c]on[c]ern, [s]in[c]e the [b]ed f[r]ame wasn't ex[a]ctly "[b][r][a]nd new" that R[ei][m][i] should [m][a]y[b][e] use a [b]it of [c]aution [b]e[f]ore [i]nd[i]s[c][r][i][m][i]n[a]tely [f][i]dg[e]t[i]ng w[i]th the [r]e[m]ote [c]ont[r]ol, be[c]ause, [i]n h[i]s ex[p]e[r]ience, those ty[p]es of g[a]dgets [c]ould easi[l]y start to m[a]lfun[c]t[i]on [q]u[i][c]kly. 72:82 .878
03: Bud[d][y] [r]e[m]in[d]ed [R][ei][m][i] l[a]ter of this [e]x[a]ct [e]xch[a]nge [a]s th[ey] [s]truggled to [s]ee the [l][o]w[er] th[ir]d of the t[e][l][e]v[i]s[i]on [s][e]t [o]v[er] the now ab[s][ur]d[l]y [e][l][e]vated [f]oot of the [b][e]d, which'd [b][ee]n [s]tuck in [p][l][a][c]e [s]in[c]e [R][ei]mi [f]irst [r][ai]sed it high as it [p]o[ss]ib[l]y [w][e]nt [w]h[e]n she [f]ir[s]t [p][l]aced her l[i]ttle [f][i]ngers on the [r]e[m][o]te, [f]ollowed [b]y a[b]out [f]ive [m][i]n[u]tes of [a] [c]ont[i]nuo[u]s, [a]rduous d[r][o]ne [p]un[c]tuating eve[r]y [a]tt[e]m[p]t to [a]djust the foot [a]g[ai]n, until they [b]oth [c][a]me to [a][g]ree the [b]ed [f][r][a]me was, in [f]a[c]t, immova[b]ly stu[c]k [i]n [i]ts place. 109:132 .826
04: [N]othing [c]ould [b]e done to [f][i]x [a]n e[l]e[c]t[r]o[n][i][c]a[ll]y m[i]s[c]on[f][i]gured [b]ed [f][r]ame—unl[e][s]s you were [s]ome [k]ind of [e]l[e][c]tri[c]al [e]ngi[n][ee]r, which of [c]ourse [n][ei]ther of them were, [s]o i[f] a [b]ed [f]rame [w]as [f]or[c]ed [u]p[w]ard, [u]ntil [th]e [f]oot of [th]e [b]ed ob[s]c[ur]ed nearly a [th][ir]d of [th]e t[e]l[e]v[i]s[i]on [s][e]t, then you'd [f]or[e]v[e]r be l[i][f]t[i]ng the [r]emote [t]o the [s][k]y [t]o in[c][r]ea[s]e the [v]olume, or to [s]w[i]tch [w]hat[e]v[e]r bullsh[i]t on [w]hat[e][v][e]r [s]tr[ea]ming [s]er[v]ice you [w]an[t]ed [t]o fall a[s]l[ee]p to. 93:115  .809
05: In short there was no [c]ure [f]or this [s]evere [s]i[c]kness of the bed [f]rame—it was a terminal [d]ef[i]ciency, wh[i]ch, Bu[dd]y re[m]in[d]ed him[s]elf, [w]as [w]hy he [w]as [s]o a[d][a][m]ant [a]bout [n]ot [i]n[d][i]sc[r][i][m][i][n][a]te[l]y [f][i]dd[l]ing with the [r]emote in the [f]irst [p][l]a[c]e, yet a[pp]a[r]ent[l][y] the [p]o[ss][i][b][i][l][i]t[y] of [r]e[p][ea]ted[l][y] [a]dj[u]sting [a] [b]ed [u]p and down was j[u][s]t too [a]lluring to [r]e[s]ist. 67:94 .713
06: Gl[a]ncing [a]t the [t]op [t]wo thirds of a [T][V] [p][r]og[r]am n[ei]ther [p]ar[t]i[c]u[l]ar[l]y found [c]om[p]e[ll]ing [R]eimi [s][ai]d it wasn't n[e][c][e][ss]a[r]i[l]y th[a]t t[r][a]ve[l]ing was [i][p][s][o] fact[o] [i]n[s][i][p][i]d, [i]n[a]sm[u]ch [a]s it w[a]s the case [a][n]y [c][i]ty [i]s funda[m][e]nta[ll][y] [m]ea[n]ing[l]ess [s]ans a [p]ar[t]icu[l]ar [p]er[s]on in the [m]e[t]r[o][p][o][l]is you're [p]ur[s]uing, [d]i[d]n't [B]udd[y] agr[ee]?—that [b]a[s]ical[l][y] [a]n[y] town is on[l][y] [a]ctivated [b]y a [s][p]ecial [p]er[s]on of [i]nter[e]st, [th]at [e]ven [th]e sh[i]tt[i]e[s]t [c][i]t[y] [i]magina[b]le [c]ould [b]e[c]ome [p][r]ofound with the [p][r][o][p]er [o]bje[c]t of [p]ur[s]uit? 117:143 .818
07: [B]u[dd]y felt a [m]o[d]e[r]ately in[t]en[s]e urge to [t]o[s]s the [r]e[m][o]te cont[r][o]l di[r][e]ctly [th][r]ough [th]e t[e]l[e]v[i]s[i]on [s][e]t as h[e] ag[r][ee]d with [R]eim[i]'s [p]er[s][p][e][c]tive, that ar[c]hit[e][c]t[u][r]al [s]t[r]u[c]t[ur]es were on[l][y] ae[s]theti[c]al[l][y] [b]eaut[i][f]ul [i]n[s]o[f]ar as th[ey] [c]on[t][ai]ned [i]n[t][i][m]ate rel[a]t[i]onsh[i]ps [b]etw[ee]n hu[m]an [b][e]ings, with [a]ll the good [a]nd b[a]d th[a]t [w]as a[ss]o[c]iated [w]ith th[a]t [c]on[t]ainm[e]nt, and ev[e]n a [s][p]raw[l]ing [c]ity [l]i[k]e [T][o][k]y[o] was onl[y] agr[ee]able to [p][eo][p]le [i]nsofar [a]s they im[a]gined th[a]t [c]on[t]ain[m]ent o[cc]urr[i]ng [i]n the [m][i]d[s]t of th[i][s] ar[c]hi[t]e[c]ture, but if th[ey], s[ay], "rel[o][c][a]ted [t]o [T][o][k]y[o]" but [f][ai]led to [f]ind the [p]eo[p]le to [p]l[a][c]e in[t]o [s]aid con[t][ai]n[m]ents th[ey]'d [e][ss][e]ntially re[m][ai]n [m][ea]n[i]ng[l]ess, and [e]v[e]n T[o][k]y[o] would [q]ui[c]k[l]y be[c]ome a drag! 160:191 .834
08: It was [a]lmost [l]i[k]e, R[ei]mi [c]ontemp[l][a]ted [a][l]oud, Shinj[u][k][u] [w]as at [o]nce the [b]est neigh[b]orhood on the [p][l][a]net [b][u]t al[s]o f[u]ndam[e]n[t]all[y] [a]t [b]ottom [e]m[p]t[y] and [s][t][e]rile? 34:44 .773

Part II: East Side Mannerists
—II-I: Community Pools & General Disgust
1380:1633 .845

01: For[c]ed to [l][i][s]ten to [s]ome [sh]irt[l][e][s]s [d]ou[ch]e-b[a]g a[d]orned in [d]esigner g[l][a][ss]es with [c][u][s]tom [c]o[l]ored [p]ur[p]le f[r]ames at a [c][o]mm[u]nity [p][oo]l [d]is[c][u][s]s—she [c]ouldn't [r]e[c]all wh[a]t—[r][ea]ll[y] [r]eite[r][a]ted [t]o [R][ei]mi [i]t was [t]otally [p]os[s]ible to [d][i][s][d][ai]n a [p]er[s]on [p]urely [v]ia the [s]ole [s]ound of their [G]od-[g][i][v][e]n [v]o[c]al [c]hords, she [s]aid to her [s][i][s]ter Ni[k]ke. 75:87 .862
02: [S][o]briet[y] [o]b[v]iou[s]l[y] [d]e[p]en[d]ed on [v][a]ntage [p]oint, [b]ut she'd [o]n[l][y] [h][a]d [p][o]s[s]i[b][l][y] [h][a]lf a [b][o]ttle of S[o]j[u] [a]t the [p][oo]l [p]art[y], or [m]ay[b][e] the wh[o]le [b]ottle at [m][o]st? 43:44 .977
03: Y[e]t [N]i[kk]e would [n][e]ver a[cc]use her [s]ole [s][i]b[l][i]ng of [l]a[c]k[i]ng obje[c]tive [s]o[b][r]iet[y], [e]ven if sh[e] was [m]ay[b][e] [r]e[l]at[i]ve[l][y] [i]n[e]b[r][i]ated, [m]uch [l][e]ss [l][e]vy [a]n [a]ccus[a]tion of "feel[i]ng th[i]ngs"—[n]o, she k[n]ew R[ei]mi [w][ay] too [w]ell for that! 49:60 .817
04: This [n][o]tion of "feel[i]ng th[i]ngs" was [t][o]tal[l][y] gr[o][t]e[s][q]ue of [c]our[s]e—[N]i[k]ke [v][i][v][i]d[l][y] [r]e[c]alled [r][i]ding into [N]ew [Y]ork [C]it[y] with [R]eimi [y]ears [p][r][i]or, [r][i]ght as the [s]e[c]ond t[r]a[c]k on her [L]ove [S]u[p][r][e]me [C][D] [p][l][ay]ed from her [s]tereo [s][p][ea][k]ers as th[ey] [d]i[s][c][u]ssed wh[a]t they [b]el[ie]ved to [b][e] "[d][ee][p] [t]o[p]i[c]s" at the [t]ime, the [t]enor [s]ax [r]i[c]och[et]ing in her [m][i]nd [r]et[r]oa[c]tively in a w[ay] that [d]i[d]n't [r][ea]ll[y] [m]a[k]e an[y] [s]ense. 93:100 .930
05: A [l]eaf that [l]aid on the [c][e]m[e]nt on Carp[e]nter [S]treet as the [L]yft re-[e]ntered the W[e]st [E]nd [l]oo[k]ed [l]i[k]e a [l]eg[i]t[i][m][a]te handle bar [m]ou[s]tache, [l]i[k]e it'd [b]een [s][c]ul[p]ted [s][p]e[c][i][f][i][c]a[l]ly [t]o [p]a[s]te on[t]o a h[i][p][s]ter's u[p]per [l][i][p] [a]t a [c]r[a]ft [b]eer [b]ar. 52:58 .897
06: Ni[kk]e, w[h]o was [p]er[h]aps more [p][r][o]ne to [s][o]-[c]alled "ai[r]ier" [q]uasi [ph]il[o][s][o][ph]i[c]al [th]oughts [th]an her [s]i[s]ter [R]ei[m]i, was [r]e[c]alling [p][r][e]v[i]ous "[s]u[mm]er-[l]ike [l]ate [S]e[p]tem[b]er a[f]ternoons" [f]r[o]m her [u][p][b]r[i]ng[i]ng, [b][u]t the [i]m[a]ges were so v[a]gue it m[a]de quantif[y]ing the [l]inear [p][r]og[r]ession of her [l][i]fe a [s]eem[i]ng [i]m[p]o[s]s[i]b[i]l[i]ty—the fran[t]ic [t]enor [s][a]x of the [s]e[c]ond [t][r][a]ck [o]f L[o]ve [S]up[r]eme [s]till h[u][mm]ing [s][o]mewhere in the [r]e[m]ote [r]e[c]e[ss]es of her [m]ind, a per[c][ei]ved [s]ordid act[i]v[i]ty for [s]ome [r][ea]son. 98:122 .803
07: [W]hereas [R]eimi [w][a]s dis[g][u]sted [b][y] a [g][uy] who was [p][r]o[b]a[b][l][y] an in[c][r]e[d]i[b][l][y] [l]oving [d]ad [d]es[p]ite a v[o][c]al [t][o]ne that [r][ee][k]ed [o]f [u]tter [p][r]e[t]ention, N[i][k]ke was in[c][r][ea][s]ing[l]y [l]o[s]t in her own [s]to[c]ha[s]tic [m]e[m]o[r][ie]s, [m]uted [c]o[i]n[c][i]d[e]n[c]es [c]on[s]uming her, [c]ausing her [t]o [r]e[c][e]de in[t]o [s]ilence as [R]eim[i] [c]on[t]inued. 74:80 .925
08: [T]welve [m]onths ago to the [m][i][n][u]te, [N]ikke [b][u]tted [i]n a[b]r[u][p]tly, [m]arked the [s]udd[e]n on[s][e]t of "a [p]re[c]i[s]e [m]onth" where she [s]u[cc]umbed to a [s]ubtle [m]adness, a [q]ui[c]k [d]e[s]cent into the [d]ivinely ab[s][ur]d, onl[y] to [e]m[er]ge [e]xact[l][y] thirt[y] d[ay]s [l][a]ter—the [t][w]enty s[i]xth [t]o the [t][w]enty f[i]fth—w[i]th an a[pp]a[r][e]ntly [r][e]newed [p]ur[p]ose. 58:79 .734
09: The st[r][a]ngest [c]ha[r]a[c]ters, [N]i[k]k[e] told [R][ei]mi, who of [c]ourse al[r]ead[y] k[n]ew [a]bout the [e]vents [a]ll too [w][e]ll, [w]ould [w]ander into her [d][ay] to [d][ay] life [d]uring [th]at "[th]irty [d]ay or [s]o [s][p]an", then [d]i[s][a][p]pear [f]orever [a]l[m]ost i[mm][e][d][i]atel[y] [a][f]ter the [f][a]ct—there was [a]n i[rr][e]p[r][e]ssible [m][e][l]an[c]ho[l][y] to [m]e[m]o[r][y], [w]h[i]ch [i]n a [w][ay], Ni[kk][e] [s]ugge[s]ted, was [p][o][ss]ib[l]y a [l]u[r][i]d [i]te[r][a]tion of [o][p]t[i]m[i]sm, to [r]ecall [p]ast ev[e]nts with [d]r[ea]d and [d]isgust, [t]o in[t]er[p][r]et the [p][r][e]sent th[e]n as i[p]s[o] [f]act[o] [p][r][e][f]e[r]able to the g[r]ot[e]sque e[v][e]nts of [e][v][e]n your [r][e][c][e]nt [p]a[s]t? 122:142 .859
10: [O]h, there was [n][o] doubt [r]e[c]oll[e][c]t[i]on was obj[e][c]t[i]o[n]able, [R]eimi [c]on[c]urred, for [e]xample the [e]xt[r]emel[y] [r][e]cent [m]e[m]o[r][y] of the [m][a]n with th[a]t g[r][a]t[i]ng inton[a]t[i]on?—[R][ei]mi's [p][r]esent st[a]te with N[i]kk[e] was [l][ea]gues [p][r]eferable to l[i]st[e]ning to the [d]ouche [b]ag [d]rone on at the co[mm][u][n]it[y] [p][oo]l [f]or [e]ven a [f][ew] [m][i][n][u]tes. 63:80 .788
11: [S]o it wasn't at [a]ll [ou]t of [l]ine to [s]ugg[e][s]t that [r]e[c]o[ll][e][c]tion [s][p][r][u]ng [u][p] f[r][o]m an [a]by[ss] and [a][ss]aulted them v[i]o[l]ent[l][y] r[i]ght when they [l][ea]st [e]xp[e]ct[e]d [i]t, [e]v[e]n [i]n N[i][kk][e]'s [c][a][s]e, [d][ur]ing [th]e [th][ir]ty [d][ay]s or [s]o, [th]ey were [th]em[s][e]lves to [s]ome ext[e]nt [c]on[s]umed with "[p]eo[p]le from her [p]ast" [s][p][r][i]ng[i]ng u[p] like [m]e[m]o[r]ies, a[tt][a]cking her [p][r][e]s[e]nt-[t][e]nse with their v[a][p]id [r]ein[t][r]oductions. 85:91 .934
12: [P]eo[p]le [f]rom our [p]ast, she [s][ai]d, in[s]t[ea]d [o]f [a][ff]irming the [l]ogical [l]inear [p][r]og[r]ession of our [l][i]ves, on[l]y [r][e]in[f]orce this d[r][ea]m-[l][i]ke [i]nst[i]nct we h[a]ve th[a]t, in [f][a]ct, our [l]i[f]e is wh[o]lly non[s]en[s][i]cal, that our [s][i]ngular pe[r]eg[r]in[a]tions are [s][i]mpl[y] [a][s][y][mm]etric [s]er[ie]s of [m][o][m][e]nts fun[d]a[m][e]ntally [d][i]s[c]onn[e][c]ted, [d][i]sjointed, [m][i]saligned—th[a]t r[a]ther th[a]n p[r]og[r][e]s[s]ing [f][r]om age [f]ive to [s]ix, [f][or]ty to [f][or]ty [o]ne [th]at [th]e n[u]m[b]ers we tr[y] to de[f][i]ne our l[i]ves [b][y] are in [f][a]ct non-[a]dd[i]t[i]ve, [th]at [th]ey're more a[k]in to [c]o[a]gulating di[s][p][a]rate [p][e]r[c]entages [a]nd [a]cting [a]s [i]f they're [i]nteg[er]s, or [p]ro[b]a[b]ly w[or]se! 120:156 .769
13: [P][eo][p]le from our [p]ast, [N][i]kke [n]oted, [s][i]m[p]ly by ex[i][s]ting and [r][e][s][ur]facing [s][er]ve to [r][e][m]ind us [th][a]t [th]e v[a]st [m]ajority of [s][e]nt[e]n[c][e]s we've [s][ai]d [a]nd [a][c]t[i]v[i]t[ie]s w[e]'ve [c]om[p][l][e]ted are [a][c]tive[l][y] forg[o]tten, [th]at [th]ey [a]mount to [n][e]xt to [n]oth[i]ng [i]n the [p]r[e]s[e]nt [t][e]nse, y[e]t their [r]e-in[t]roduction is a p[r]oof our cu[rr]ent [m]o[m]ent, [w]hich [w]e [p]erh[a]ps f[ee]l to b[e] [s]u[p]er[i]or to our [p][a]st, will al[s]o in[e]vitab[l][y] [p][a]ss int[o] [l]a[c][u]nas of de[l][e]ted r[e][c]o[ll][e][c]tion, [th]at [th]e [p]r[e]s[e]nt is b[a]si[c]ally a fo[ll][y] in w[ai]ting, [p][l]us there's on[l][y] [th]e [th][i][nn][e]st [c]o[nn][e][c]t[i]ve t[i]ssue [i]ntegrating s[ai]d la[c]u[n]as. 126:152 .829
14: [M][e][m]o[r][y] is [m][o]st d[e]f[i]n[i]te[l][y] [n]on[l][o]cal [i]n o[r][i]g[i]n, [R]eim[i] ag[r][ee]d—there was [r][ea]ll[y] [n][o] other w[ay] to phr[a]se it, yet in [s]ome v[a]gue [s][e]nse they [c]ould [p]o[ss]ib[l]y [c]ontend [th]at [th]eir [c]o[ll]e[c]tive [p][a]st [a][c]tions [f][or]med a [s][or]t of [a]b[s]t[r][a][c]t [s]ub[s]t[r]ate that in[f][or]med their [c]u[rr]ent s[e]lves, th[a]t perh[a]ps while [c]o[ll][e][c]t[e]d re[c]o[ll][e][c]t[i]on [f]ailed to [c]on[f]orm to the [m]ov[i]ng [i][m]age of l[i]nearity, [i]t [s]t[i]ll [m][ai]nt[ai]ned a [s][or]t of a[m][or][ph]ous contin[u][i]ty e[l][u]d[i]ng them [a]t [f]irst g[l][a]nce? 105:116 .905
15: [B]ut, Ni[kk][e] said to [R][ei]mi, [t][a][k]e the [t]own of, s[ay], [B]a[rr]ington—the [d][u]mp th[ey] [w]ere [d][r]iving a[w][ay] [f][r][o]m [a]s [f][a]st [a]s they could—was [i]t not [f][i]lled to the [b]r[i]m w[i]th obj[e]ctiona[b]le [m][e][m]o[r]ies? 39:43 .907
16: Was "[b]u[c][o][l]ic" [B]arrington n[o]t [f][i]lled [u][p] w[i]th [u][p]per [c][l]ass [w]hites who [f]un[d]a[m][e]ntally [o]ver[e]sti[m]ated their [o]wn n[e]t worth, [p]ee[r]ing [d][ow]n on [b]or[d]e[r]ing t[ow]ns and neigh[b]o[r]ing [d]um[p][s] with the [s]ole int[e]ntion of making th[e]ms[e]lves feel [b][e]tter a[b]out their [o]wn [o]verp[r]iced h[o]mes? 49:66 .742
17: Did [R]eimi e[v]er n[o]tice how [p]eo[p]le [o][v]er there were [a]ll [a]ff[l][i]cted with [s][o]c[i]al d[i][s]ab[i][l][i]ties, [th]at [th]e [p]o[p]u[l][a]t[i]on of [B]arrington were [b][a][s][i][c]a[ll]y in[c][a][p]a[b]le of eng[a]g[i]ng [i]n normal [c]onver[s][a]t[i]ons, [p]ro[b]a[b][l][y] [b]ecause they inveterate[l][y] [b]e[l][ie]ved th[e]m[s][e]lves to [b][e] [s]u[p]e[r]ior to the [r][e][s]t of the [s]t[a]te d[e][s]pite hav[i]ng [n]oth[i]ng of [n]ote to [s][ay]? 76:93 .817
18: [R][ei]m[i] had t[r][i]ed to [r]e[m][ai]n un[a]ware [o]f the ent[i]ret[y] of [R]hode [I]sland—[i]n [f]act [i][f] [n]ot [f]or her [l][i]ttle [s][i][s]ter [N]ikke she'd p[r]o[b]a[b][l][y] k[n]ow [l]ite[r]al[l][y] [n]othing a[b]out the [s]ma[ll]est [s]t[a]te in the [n][a]tion, and [n]o d[ou]bt [b]e [p]erfectl[y] ha[pp][y] a[b][ou]t it! 53:64 .828

—II-II: An Anonymous French Mannerist
838:1053 .796

01: [I]n any [c]a[s]e, [s][i]tt[i]ng [i]n the ba[c]k[s]eat of the L[y]ft en [r]oute to [R][I]S[D]'s mus[e]um, [N][i]kk[e] took [n]ote of a [s]mall [s]t[ai]n on her [n]ew [t]an [t]-shirt j[u]st ab[o]ve her right [n]ipple, a [s]m[u]dge she [s][o]mehow [f]ailed to [s]ee [b]e[f]ore she le[f]t her [a][p]artment—[s][p]e[c][i][f][i][c]ally [r]e[c][a][ll]ing [i][r]oning the arti[c]le [p][r][i]or to [l][ea]ving, it [s][ee]med ab[s][ur]d to h[er] she [c]ould've [n]ot [n][o]ti[c]ed a [s]mall [s]t[ai]n in [s]uch a [c]entral l[o][c][a]tion. 76:97 .784
02: Both [w]omen [w][er]e s[ur][p][r][i]sed to f[i]nd the [p][r][i]ce of ad[m][i]ss[i]on [i]nto the [m]useum was [m]ore than twenty [b][u]cks [p][er] [p][er]son, [b][u]t they [p]aid the f[ee] [s]ans [e]ven a [s][i]ngle d[i][s][g]usted eye [r]oll or [s]u[rr]ept[i]t[i]ous ag[g][r]avated [g][r][i]m[a][c]e, [i]n[s]tead [k]ind[l][y] t[a]king the [l][a]dy'[s] [d]ir[e]ction to [e]nter the [e]l[e]vator in [d][u]a[ll]y j[u]bi[l]ant fashions. 65:84 .774
03: Of [c]our[s]e it was [o]nly a [s][o]le [c]anvas they went to [s][ee] in the mus[e]um, the [s][o]-[c]alled "Charity" painting by an a[n]o[n][y][m][o]us F[r]ench [M]a[nn]e[r][i]st—th[i]s [m][y][s]ter[i]ous art[i][s]t's [s][i]ngle [w]ork [w]as [m]ore [r]i[v]eting to [th]em [th]an [th]e [r][e][s]t of the [R][e]nai[ss]ance [r]oom [c]om[b][i]ned, [m]ore [v]i[s]ce[r]al [b][y] orders of [m]ag[n]i[t]ude th[a]n [a][n][y] of the [c]on[t]em[p]o[r]a[r][y] art on the [f]irst [f]loor. 70:91 .769
04: The [p]ainting [c]on[s][i][s]ted of [s][i]x [s]mall ch[i]l[d]r[e]n, one [d][o]g, and a m[o]m who—alth[o]ugh [m][o]st [p][eo][p]le [m]ight [n]ot [n][o]t[i]ce [i]t at a [f][l][ee]ting g[l][a]nce—[h][a]d [h]er left ni[pp]le ex[p]osed as one [k]id [f]ondled the b[r][ea]st in [p][r][e][p]a[r]ation of suc[k]ling. 46:54 .852
05: Of [c]ourse while t[a][k]ing in any [p][ai]nting [i]t was [i]m[p]ortant, the [t]wo [c]on[c]urred, [t]o [c]on[s]ider the [p]ainter's [p]er[s]onal [p]ro[c]e[s]s as he [c]on[t]inued [t]o [c]reate the [c]anva[s], the [t]y[p]es of [p]r[o]blems he [m][ay] or [m][ay] n[o]t have [e]n[c][ou]ntered, [h]ow [h]e in the [e]nd addr[e]ssed th[e]m. 43:64 .672
06: [I]n th[i][s] [i]n[s]t[a]n[c]e, [R]eimi [s]aid, it st[r]uck her [a]s [p][a]tent[l]y be[f]udd[l]ing [th]at [th]e [p]ainter—th[i][s] a[n]o[n][y][m][ou]s [F][r]ench [M]a[nn]e[r][i][s]t—went [t]o the [t]rouble [t]o de[p][i]ct the [t]iny [t]esti[c]les [o]f [o]ne [o]f the [k][i]ds [p]o[k]ing [b]e[t]ween his [t]wo legs from the [b][a][c]k [a]s he [c]limbed [u]p to the [p]res[u]m[p]tuous m[o]ther? 61:72 .847
07: By [c]on[t][r][a]st in the [c]on[t]empo[r]a[r][y] g[a][ll]e[r][ie]s on the [f]irst [l]evel, the [f][i]gu[r]at[i]ve nudes were b[a][s][i]ca[ll][y] "[s][a]ns [ph][a][ll][u]s"—[R][ei]m[i] [r]e[f]e[r]enced a p[ai]nting b[y] a g[uy] n[a]med Sat[o]shi [K][o]jima on the [l]ower [l]evel dep[i][c]t[i]ng a "n[a][k]ed-[f]rom-the-w[ai]st-down [f][i]gure" "[f][r]ee[f]alling into [a]n [a]bstr[a][c]t [s]pi[r]al" with a "[K][e]n-d[o]ll g[e][n]it[a]l [s]tructure"—yet th[i][s] a[n]o[n][y][m][ou][s] F[r]ench [M]a[nn]e[r][i][s]t u[p][s]tairs was [d]e[p][i]ct[i]ng [t]iny [t]e[s]ti[c]les [d]angling from the ba[c]k[s][i]des of juven[i]les. 99:119 .834
08: Oh, it was [d]e[f][i]n[i]te[l]y a l[i]ttle b[i]t [p][er]v[er][s]e—of the [s][i]x k[i]ds, all [p][o]sed in [f]und[a]ment[a]lly ab[s][ur]d [p]os[i]t[i]ons [i]n [i]nd[i]v[i]dual [w]ays, there [w]as n[o] ph[a]lli[c] [a][s][p]e[c]t, de[s][p]ite [ea]ch [b][e]ing na[k]ed, [b]ut the [c]l[i]mbing ch[i]ld was de[p][i]ct[e]d with [t]wo [t]iny [t]esti[c]les [p][ee][k]ing out [b]e[t]w[ee]n his legs from the [b]a[c]k. 62:77 .805
09: Im[a]g[i]ne, [N][i]kke [a]dd[e]d, [p][ai]nting those [t]wo [t][i][n][y] balls with such a f[i]ne deg[r][ee] of [p][r]ec[i]s[i]on, [i]n the m[i]d [s][i]xt[ee]nth [c]entu[r][y]—[s][p]ending [p]o[ss]ibly [u]pwards [o]f a wh[o]le [d]ay on [g][e][n][i]tal [d][e][p][i][c]t[i]on at the [m][o]st aw[k]ward [a]ngle i[m][a][g][i][n]able. 55:61 .902
10: Of [c]ourse, [R][ei][m]i [s]aid, it's [t][r]ue a [m][a]le's [t]e[s]ti[c]les, [w]ith[ou]t a d[ou]bt, even [w]hen a y[ou]th, would [p][r]o[b]a[b]ly [p]oke [th][r][ou]gh his [th][i]ghs and [b]e[c]ome v[i]s[i][b]le, a[ss][u]ming he [c]l[i]mbed [u]p a [s]tr[u][c]ture n[u]de, b[u]t to [s]tick to [s][u]ch [r][i]g[i]d [r]eal[i]sm w[i]th [r]egard to "that [d]etail", while g[i]v[i]ng the ch[i]l[d]r[e]n p[r]of[e]ssional w[r][e]stler [b]ack [m]uscles and [b]o[bb]le h[ea]d n[e]cks is [p]erh[a][p]s [a]n a[p][e]x [m]ark of g[e][n]ius? 77:93 .828
11: [N][i]kke let a pen [n]onch[a][l][a]nt[l][y] dang[l]e [f][r]om her m[ou]th on the c[ou]ch in [f][r][o]nt [o]f the "[F]ontainebl[eu]" s[c]h[oo]l [c]anvas, [j][u]st be[c][au]se she en[j]oyed [j]otting [d]own [i][d]eas in a [p]a[p][y]rus thin [p]ur[p]le note[p]ad, wh[e]n a h[ea]vier s[e]t la[d]y [a]tt[e]n[d][a]nt with [a] [c][r]o[pp]ed hair [c]ut [q]ue[r]ied "Is that a [p]en?" to which Ni[kk]e [c]on[f]irmed the inst[r]ument p[r]ot[r]uding [f][r]om her l[i][p]s was, [i]n [f]act, "[a]n [i]nk [p][e]n", which [m][o]ved the a[tt][e]ndant to [t][e]ll her [p][e]ns "weren't allowed" in the [m][u]seum—[m][a]g[n][a][n]i[m]ously, the [a]ttendant [a]llowed N[i][k]ke to stuff the [p]en ba[c]k d[ee][p] in her [p]o[c]ket, as [o][pp]osed to [o][ff][i]c[i]ally [c]on[f][i][s][c][a]ting the now [s]aliva-[i]nfused [i]n[k]-b[a][s]ed [i]n[s]trument. 115:157 .732
12: The a[tt]endant con[t]inued [t]o ho[v]er [i]n the [v][i][c][i]n[i]ty of the [s]ofa where the [t]wo [s][i][s]ters and their [i]nk [p]en [s][a]t [s]taring [a]t the [p]ainting of th[i][s] a[n]o[n][y][m][o]u[s] F[r]ench [M]a[n]ne[r][i]st, and [R][e]im[i] [q]ue[r][ie]d aloud if [r][e][c]oll[e][c]tion was, u[p]on f[ur]th[er] [c]on[s]ide[r][a]tion, [p]o[s]sib[l]y "[l]i[n]ear/[n]on[l]i[n][e]ar"—if that m[a]de a[n]y [s]ense to [N][i][k]k[e]? 69:84 .821

—II-III: The Dyadic Man
255:307 .831

01: As the [m][i]n[u]tes [q]u[i][c]kly w[ou]nd [d][ow]n be[f]ore the [m]useum [c]losed its [d]o[or]s [f][or] the [d][ay], [N]ikk[e] [n]oted, [s]t[i]ll [s][i]tt[i]ng on the so[f]a in [f][r]ont of the a[n]o[n][y][m][ou][s] [F][r]ench [M][a][n]ne[r][i][s]t's work, that every [m][a]n w[a]s "[f][u]n[d]a[m]entally [d]y[a][d]ic", [s]pe[c][i][f][i]cally [i]n [th][a]t [th]ey con[s][i]st of [a]n [i]n[d]e[p]en[d]ent ph[a]llic [e]ntity [a]nd also [a]n in[c][or][p][or]eal [a]s[p]e[c]t—[b][u]t [b]e[c][au]se of this men l[a][c]ked [a]n org[a]ni[c] [a][c]tu[a][l]ity of any [s][or]t, [s]ans the ph[a][ll]us of [c][our]se, they were [s]ouls at[t][a]ched [t]o [c]o[c]ks, [w]here[a]s [w]omen, Ni[kk]e said, were [a][c]tually org[a]n[i][c] en[t][i][t][ie]s [w]oven d[ee]ply in[t]o [s]aid in[c][or][p][or]eal [s]ouls. 129:151 .854
02: [M][e]n weren't [e]ven t[e][c]hni[c]all[y] hu[m]an b[e]ings, [R][ei][m]i [r]etorted, th[ey] were l[i]ttle b[e]yond [s][i]m[p]le [p][e]n[i][s][e]s with [s]ouls, h[a]lf org[a]nic dy[a]ds, [t]o the [e]x[t]ent they [e]x[i]s[t][e]d [i]n the "[s]o-[c]alled [c][or][p][or]eal g[l][o]be" it was [o]n[l]y via their [u]sual[l][y] [p][u]n[y] third [l]egs, [s]ans [p][e]ni[s] they [c][ea]sed to [e]xist on the [s][e]n[s]ible [p]lane at all! 64:84 .762
03: It was [th][r]ough [th]is p[r]e[c]ise l[e]ns, [N][i]kke [s][ai]d, [th]at [th]ey [n][ee]ded to [r][ea]l[l][y] ana[l]yze the [m][a]le to [f]e[m][a]le t[r]ans [m]ove[m]ent—as a [f]e[m][i]n[i]ne urge [f]or [a][c]tual or[g][a]ni[c]—[n]o, [R]ei[m][i] inte[rr]upted, [n]ot in the [g][a]lle[r][y], gen[d]er [d][i][s]course was [s]t[r][i][c]tly [p][r]oh[i]b[i]t[e]d, even more [s]o than [p]ens! 62:72 .861

PART III: East Mediterranean People Shields
—III-I: Chain Smoking Next to Children's Hospitals 
1635:1982 .825

01: [S][a]ns [a]l[c]oholi[c] [b][e]ve[r]ages, [R]eimi [s]aid to [B][u]dd[y]—wh[a]t d[oe]s an[y]thing [e]ven r[ea]ll[y] matter an[y][w]ay—[w]hat[e]ver city you r[e]side in, [b][u]t [B][u]dd[y] [r][ea]ll[y] wan[t]ed [t]o [r]ec[ei]ve the juice f[r]om [R]eim[i] [R][E] what N[i]kke all[u]ded t[o] [r]e[p][ea]tedl[y] [r]egarding this a[ll]eged month [l]ong [r]a[p]id [d]ec[l][i]ne [i]nto [i]ll-adv[i]sed b[i]nge [d]r[i]n[k][i]ng sh[e], N[i]k[k]e, en[d]ured. 68:89 .764
02: Y[e]t to Rei[m]i [m]a[l][e]vo[l][e]nt [l][i][q]u[i]ds [l]i[k]e [a]l[c]ohol were [a][c]tual[l][y] fundam[e]ntal[l][y] n[e][c][e][s]sa[r][y] [t]o [r]e[l][ay] these [t]y[p]es of [i]nc[i]d[e]nts [i]n a [p]ro[p]er w[ay], that she could "[s][i]t out" "[i]n the [c][i]t[y]" [t][o]tall[y] [s][o]ber and [t]a[k]e n[o]te of a [c]urious l[a][c]k of a [c]on[n]e[c]tion she h[a]d [w]ith a[n]y [O]ne[n]ess, th[a]t from a s[e][l][e]ct v[a]ntage point you [c]ould [l][a][c]k a [c]onn[e]ction [w]ith a "[O]neness" in [c]on[c]ord with a [d]ef[i]c[i]t of emot[i]onal d[i]sru[p]t[i]on—was it [p][o]ssible when [c]ha[o]ti[c]al[l]y [l]usting ar[ou]nd t[ow]n The One as a [p]ure s[p]iritual [F]orm [f][l][o]ated c[l][o]ser th[a]n wh[e]n you were being a gr[ea]t st[ay] at home [m]om. 110:154 .714
03: [O]n[l][y] when [o]nerous[l][y] f[a]lling [a]p[a]rt [a] [c]ertain [s]p[i]r[i]tu[a]lity [b]e[c]omes [p][a]l[p]a[b]le, your dreams [b]e[c]ome [f]ertile [t]erri[t][or]y [f][or] v[i]s[i]tation [f]rom [a]n [i]nd[i]v[i]s[i]ble one[n][e]ss [i]n [i]ts [i]n[f][i][n][i]te [f]orms, [w]hereas the "[w]ell-adj[u]sted", [b]e[c][au]se [o]f our [p]e[c]uliar [s][o]cial t[o]tem [p][o]les, [s]omehow rem[ai]n [b]arred a[w][ay] this [O]neness, [b]y [b]ec[o]ming [a] prod[u]ctive m[e]m[b]er of [s][e]cular [s]o[c]iety you [b]uild a [b]arrier [b]et[w][ee]n your[s][e]lf and [w]hat's quint[e][s]s[e]ntiall[y] [O]ne, she [s]ugg[e][s]ted, [n]ot [n][e][c][e][s]saril[y] a[s]serting it [a]s f[a]ct [b][u]t j[u]st "tossing it out" to [B][u]ddy. 109:145 .752
04: [B]ut [w]hile [o]ne[n]ess [p][o][ss]i[b][l][y] [c]o[mm][u][n]i[c]ated [e]x[c][l][u][s]ive[l][y] via [e][m]otional [t]u[m]ult, the [m]e[t][r][o][p]olis, [R]ei[m]i [s][ai]d, was a ph[a]n[t][a]sm en[t]irely—that in [a] [m][a][t]e[r]ial [s][e]nse her a[s]tounding f[r][ie]ndsh[i]p w[i]th [B]ud[d]y had [d]uped her into [b]el[ie][v][i]ng [D][C] was [s]ome[th]ing o[th]er [th]an [w]h[a]t it [w][a]s—[s][i]tt[i]ng by her[s]elf [th]e o[th]er [e][v]en[i]ng sh[e] r[e]al[i]zed the ent[i]re [c]ity was a [c]e[s]s[p]ool of the [i]n[s][i][p][i]d, th[a]t [s][a]ns her [f]ri[e]ndship with Budd[y] the cit[y] [f][e]ll [i]nto [i]mm[e][d][i]ate [d][i][s]repair, that a [s][i]ngle [i]nte[r][e][s]ting [f][r]i[e]ndship, only [o]f the l[o][f]tiest [or]der, [c]ould ma[k]e any [c][i]t[y] [i]nto [f][ou]rth [c]entur[y] [A]thens, th[a]t in all [r][e]a[l]it[y] [c]it[i]es were [r][ea][l]l[y] n[o]thing b[u]t [ph]i[l][o][s][o][ph]ica[l]l[y] int[r][i]guing [r]e[l]a[ti]on[sh]i[p]s, de[p]rived of these [b]onds there w[a]s n[o]thing left [b]ut [p]oorly [d]r[e][s]sed hi[p][s]ters and [t]a[l][e]nt[l][e][s]s [t][w][e]nty [w]hat[e]v[e]r [p]rof[e]ssio[n]als [w]ith abso[l]ute[l]y [n]othing of [n]ote to say. 190:226 .841 
05: [R]eimi [c]ould [r]e[c]all her own [i]n[d][i]v[i]dual [d][i][p]s [i]nto [d]ee[p] [d]e[p][r]essions [p][r][e]-[B]udd[y]—their [b]ond, [i]n[c]lusive [o]f all [o]f [i]ts f[au]lts, [c]ata[p]ulted th[i]s [p]ett[y] [c][i]ty [i]nto an ex[a]lted [p][l][a]yground of imma[c]u[l]ate [s][p]e[c]u[l][a]tion, the [s][t]reets were no [l]onger [l]ittle [h]ell[h]oles, w[a]ste[l]ands of [s][t]er[i][l][i]t[y], [b][u]t on[l][y] [b]ec[au]se [B][u]ddy w[a]s a [t][r]ue maest[r]o of the [i]ll-[t]em[p]ered, the [i]ll-[a]dvised, [a]nd the [p][a]tently [a]b[s]urd, [R]eimi [s]aid. 86:106 .811
06: B[u]ddy w[a]s of [c]ourse [f][l][a]ttered [a]nd h[e] [c][l][ea]r[l][y] [f]elt the s[a]me [w][ay] to[w]ard R[ei]mi, [h]olding their [b]ond [i]n a [s][i]m[i]lar [h]igh e[s]t[ee]m, [b]ut n[e]verthel[e]ss R[ei]m[i] [n]ow w[a]sted [n]o time [n]ow add[r][e][s]s[i]ng h[i]s [p][r][e]v[i]ous [r]e[q]u[e]st, to [s]ome [e]xt[e]nt, she [s][ai]d, [p][r]oc[r]e[a][t][i]on is [a] [ph]i[l][o][s][o][ph]i[c]al [a]bomin[a][t][i]on, [a] [s][p][i]tt[i]ng [i]n the f[a]ce of The One It[s]elf, a t[a]cit [a]dm[i]ss[i]on [th][a]t [th]e u[n]iver[s]e [i]t[s]elf [i]s [a]ctually [n]ot cont[ai]ned in the [m]irror you g[a]ze at yourself [i]n [i]nter[m][i]tt[e]nt[l][y], wh[i]ch [i]s [i]t[s]elf a [b][l]a[s][ph]em[ou]s [f]al[s][i]t[y]! 117:133 .880
07: [B]e[c]ause [i]f the un[i][v]er[s]e [i]s [l]o[c][a]ted [i]n [ph][y]s[i][c]al [s]p[a]ce [i]t's d[e][f][i]n[i]te[l][y] [i]n your [v][e][r][y] mi[r]ror as you g[a]ze [i]nto [i]t—the [c]osm[o]s is of [c]ourse wh[o]lly [c]ont[ai]ned in your [o]wn [r]eflection, y[e]t in [a]ny [c][a]se, [R]eim[i] [c]ontinued, the ve[r][y] [n]otion of [p]o[pp]ing out [k]ids, [N]i[kk]e h[a]d always [c]ons[i][d]ered [i]t [a]b[s]urd, and [R]eimi [b]y [d]e[f]ault [d]e[s][c]ribed it as [b]asi[c]ally obje[c]tiona[b]le, yet [b]oth [s]i[s]ters [s]at on the [ph]one [w][ee][p]ing (bawling [e]ven!) at the [p][r][o][s][p]ect of [R]ei[m]i's [p][r][o][b]a[b]le [m]isca[r]riage just last [F]all. 98:127 .772
08: [R]ei[m]i's [i]m[p]end[i]ng [m][i]sca[rr]iage [b]rought them [b]oth [t]o [t]ears, [t]o a [p]lace of [t][r]ul[y] [w][ee][p]ing, [p][r][o][b]a[b][l][y] [o]unces [w]orth of [l]a[c][r]imation [r][e][c]k[l][e]ss[l][y] [p]oured onto their [f]our ch[ee][k]s [o]ver the [ph][o]ne—[a]nd "th[a]t" was the [f]irst [p]art of Ni[k]k[e]'s [s]o-[c]alled "m[y][s]t[i][c]al b[r][ea][k]down" f[r]om th[a]t [p][a]st [y]ear, [R]eimi [s]aid. 68:66 1.03
09: [Y]es, the [f]irst [s][e]ction was [c][e]ntered on the [t]wo [s]i[s]ters [l]a[c][r]i[m][a]t[i]ng on the [t][e][l][e][ph]one [b]e[c]ause [R][ei][m][i]'s [b][a][b][y] was [c]l[i]ng[i]ng to [i]ts life by [th]e [th][i]nn[e]st of [th]reads, [th]at was on a S[a]turday [a][f]ternoon, [a][f]ter R[ei]mi h[a]d a[cc]ompa[n][i]ed [N][i][k]k[e] [f]or a [f]ew [d]r[i]n[k]s early [i]n the [d][ay]—and they'd bumped into, [w]hat [w]as his [n][a]me, of all [p][eo][p]le on the st[r][ee]t, having [l]ite[r]a[ll][y] j[u]st [b][u]mped into him [l]ess than two w[ee]ks prior. 80:104 .769
10: Budd[y] [s]aid he [r]e[c]alled N[i][kk][e] [s][ay]ing [s]ome[th]ing to [th]at e[ff][e]ct—[R]ei[m]i [c]on[f]irmed it was a[f]ter sh[e]'d [m][a]de N[i][kk][e] t[a][k]e her out for an [e]spr[e]sso, to which Nik[k][e] then m[a]de her pop in The [D]ar[k] L[a][d]y for "j[u]st [o]ne [d]rin[k]" where they [s]t[u]mbled [u]pon th[a]t ex[a]ct [s][a]me [S]t[e]ve Miller, of all [p][eo][p]le, a[pp]a[r]ently [p]aying the [t][a]b for his [t][r][a]ns com[p][a]nion. 62:81 .765
11: [S]o [b]ump[i]ng [i]nto M[i]ller w[i]th h[i]s [b]eauti[f]ul [w]i[f]e again th[a]t [s]ub[s][e]qu[e]nt [S][a]tur[d]ay [w]al[k]ing [d]own the [s]treet, when [d]uring a [d]ecade in [D][C] they'd never [s][ee]n [S]t[e]ve ran[d]om[l][y]—it was a b[i]t [p]er[p][l]exing, [p]erhaps even m[y]st[i][c]al to Ni[kk][e], [a]nd the stop [a]nd ch[a]t [c]onver[s][a]tion was [e][q]ual[l][y] d[i][ff][i][c]ult to [f]o[ll]ow—it [c]ertain[l][y] [d][r][o]ve Ni[k]ke to [d]own a [f]ew [d][r]inks a[f]ter, [f]orced to li[s]ten to the [s]ame [t][i]red d[i]a[t]r[i]be "[o]v[er] and [o]v[er]". 84:106 .792
12: [S]o on a Thursday [n]ight, [B][u]dd[y] re[p][ea]ted, [N][i]kke [b][u]m[p]s [i]nto th[i]s [S]t[e]ve at The [D]ark L[a][d]y, [th]en [th]e [s]ub[s][e][q]u[e]nt [S]aturd[ay] y[ou] t[wo] [s][ee] [S]t[e]ve [w]al[k]ing down the [s]tr[ee]t [w][i]th h[i]s [w]ife and [c]on[c]lude that [e]ven[i]ng [w][ee][p][i]ng to [ea]ch o[th]er on [th]e phone [d][ue] t[o] [a] [d]egr[a][d][a]tion in the [s]t[a]te of your [p]regnan[c]y? 65:72 .903
13: [C]o[rr]e[c]t, [R]eimi [c]onfirmed, and in be[t]w[ee]n the [t]wo [S]t[e]ve [s]ightings, [sh]e [sh]ould [n]ote, [N]i[k]k[e]'d pop in The [D]ar[k] [L][a][d]y [a]gain, [a]ll [a]l[o]ne, where [a] [c]on[f]ounding [f]igure—at [l][ea]st [a][c]cording [t]o the s[t]o[r][y] N[i]kk[e] [t][o]ld [R][ei][m][i]—[w]ould [b][e] "s[ee][m]ingly [w][ai]ting for her" at the [b]ar, [a]sking [a]bout her [a]s soon as she [a][rr]ived [a]nd or[d]ered [a] [d][r][i]nk, the [f][i]gure g[o]ing s[o] [f]ar as to [n][o]te "you [n]ever k[n][o]w when it's your [t]ime [t]o g[o]". 78:98 .796
14: This ty[p]e of ab[s][ur]dit[y], un[s][ur][p][r]isingl[y], [p][r]om[p]ted Ni[kk][e] to st[ay] at the [b]ar, g[u]l[p]ing [d]own a [c][o]m[p][l][e]te[l][y] unn[e][c][e][s]s[a]ry [d]ou[b]le shot of te[q][ui][l]a [p]rior to [c][l]ose. 39:43 .907
15: [A]nd then [a]fter [s][ee]ing [S]t[e]ve a [s][e][c]ond time, N[i]kke [s][ai]d, she [s][a]t [a]t [s]ome Le[b]an[e]se [b]ar d[ow]nt[ow]n where sh[e]'d [s][ee] "the un[d]er[s]t[a]ted b[ar]ten[d]er from The [D][ar]k L[a][d]y" [s][i]tt[i]ng a[c][r]o[s]s the [b]ar as a [k]id int[r]o[d]u[c]ed him[s][e]l[f] as "[B]o[bb][y]" and [d][r]un[k]enl[y] [c]on[f][e][s]sed to his [b][a]d g[a]m[b]l[i]ng h[a][b][i]t, unt[i]l h[i]s [m][i]ddle aged [m]om a[rr]ived and d[r][o]ve [h]im [h][o]me. 77:83 .928
16: After b[e]ing in[d]i[r][e]ctl[y] [r][e][m]in[d]ed of the [m]y[s]te[r]ious [s]t[r][a]nger via the p[r][e][s][e]nce of [s][ai]d un[d][er][s]t[a]ted barten[d][er], Ni[kk][e] [w]ould a[w][a][k][e]n to [a]n ev[e]n [m]ore [m][y]st[i][f][y]ing [ph]one call, at [f][i]ve am, [f][r]om her [f]ath[er]'s n[u]m[b][er] [b][u]t with a [s]trange [v]oice on the other [s]ide [d]e[m][a]n[d]ing an i[mm][e][d][i]ate wire [t]r[a]nsfer [t]o [a] "[V]en[m][o] [a]cc[ou]nt", [a]lle[g]ing he'd [j]ust br[o]ke [ou]t of [p][r][i]s[o]n [o]nly [t]o en[t][er] th[eir] [p]a[r]ents' [h][o]me where [h]e n[ow] "[h]ad them [b][o]th [b][ou]nd and gagged." 99:113 .876
17: [A]nd then [p]erh[a][p]s the most [c]urious [a][s][p]e[c]t [c][a]me th[a]t [n][e]xt [n]ight wh[e]n [N]i[kk][e] [s][ai]d to [R]eim[i] sh[e]'d [s][p][e]nt the [p][r][i]or [F][r][i]d[ay] a[f]ternoon ho[pp]ing [f][r]om [b][ar] to [b][ar] until, [f]airl[y] in[e]b[r][i][a]ted, she st[u]mbled [u]pon The [D]ark L[a][d]y again [o]nce more [w][i]tn[e][ss][i]ng the un[d]er[s]t[a]ted [b]arten[d]er [b]ut not the [c]on[f]ounding [s]tr[a]nger, "just [f]or a [q]u[i][c]k [d]r[i]nk, you know", [a]nd th[e]n [a]m[b]led to a r[a]n[d][o]m [d]ive [b]ar where su[dd]en[l][y] N[i][kk][e] [c][a]me u[p]on an im[p]al[p][a][b]le [a][b][i][l][i]t[y] to "share her f[ee]lings" with the va[r][i]ous [r]an[d]om [r][e]gulars in att[e]n[d][a]nce. 113:131 .863
18: But of [c]ourse the [o]ddest [p]art [o]f [a]ll, [R]eimi [c]on[c]luded, was th[a]t [r]ight [a]s Nikk[e] a[pp][r][o]ached this [d]ive bar, t[r][a][d]ing [a][n]e[c][d][o]tes with [s]t[r][a]nge [d][r]un[k]s [a]nd [f][ee]ling at h[o]me [f]or m[ay]b[e] the [f]irst time, [s]moking sh[i]tty un[f][i]ltered [c][i]ga[r]ettes [i]nto the [A]M, [R][ei][m]i was ad[m][i]tt[e]d [i]nto the ch[i]l[d][r][e]n's [h]os[p]ital j[u]st a [c][ou][p]le [h][u]n[d][r]ed [f]eet [f][r]om the [d][i]ve, in [d][i]re [c]on[d][i]t[i]on as her un[b]orn [b]a[b][y] was off[i]c[i]a[ll][y] a[b][or]ted from her [b]o[d][y]. 92:105 .876

—III-II: Shrooms at the Dominican Shisha Spot
1598:1889 .846

01: Reim[i] s[ai]d the [n][e]xt [n][i]ght [N][i][kk][e] [c][a]me b[y] her fl[a]t to [c]ommiser[a]te, th[a]t she w[a]s s[o]mehow, i[n][a]nely, in b[e]tter [n][e]t [s][p]ir[i]ts than her [s][i][s]ter, the [t]wo [t]aking a [p]atch of [f]ur o[ff] the [d][o]g, w[o]n[d]e[r]ing [a]l[ou]d [a][b][ou]t the [p][o]ssi[b][l]y h[au]nted [r][i]ver [f][l]ow[i]ng [i]n the m[i]ddle of the [i]nv[i]s[i]ble t[r]iangle [c]onne[c]ting the Ch[i]l[d][r][e]n's Hosp[i]t[a]l, [D]ive Bar, and [D]ark L[a][d]y, with Ni[kk][e] in [p]art[i][c]u[l]ar [s][p]e[c]u[l][a]ting th[a]t [p]erh[a]ps [a]s [s]oon [a]s th[ey] [s]te[pp]ed [p][a][s]t the inter[s]t[a]te highw[ay] th[a]t barric[a]ded the w[e][s]t [e]nd of the [c][i]ty from the r[i]ver, that a [c]ertain dar[k] f[or]ce, a [p]o[ss]ible [c]loa[k]ed [p][or]tal of [s][or]ts [b]eg[a]n inter[a][c]t[i]ng w[i]th [b]oth of them? 125:157 .796
02: Yet even with [th]at [th]ought sh[o]t into her [b][r][ai]n, it woul[d]n't st[o]p Ni[kk][e], [R][ei]mi in[f]ormed [B]u[dd][y], [f]rom wal[k]ing [b]a[ck] [d][ow]nt[ow]n the [s]ub[s][e][q]u[e]nt [S][a]tur[d]ay—but only [a]fter [p][o][pp]ing into a [m][o]s[q]ue to [m][a][k]e a [d]o[n][a]tion to the unre[c]og[n][i]zed [d]ead [i]nf[a]nts [i]n [P]alest[i]ne, [d]r[o][pp]ing [o][ff] a [f]i[f]ty [d][o]llar [b]ill to an A[f]ri[c]an I[m]am w[i]th a [m][i]ni water [b]ottle of [M]ez[c]al [s]urre[p]t[i]t[i]ous[l]y [s][l][i][pp]ed [i]nto h[er] [s][w]eatsh[ir]t [p]o[ck]et. 88:106 .830
03: N[i][kk]e [w]al[k]ed s[w]iftl[y] d[ow]nt[ow]n, [p]urchased a [p][a][c]k of [c]igarettes, [s]t[o][pp]ed to [p][o][p] in the [s][p][o]t f[r]om the [p][r][e]v[i]ous w[ee][k], [c]r[a][c]king a jo[k]e wh[e]n [a]n old [f]u[c]k t[oo][k] what at [f]irst l[oo][k] [s][ee]med to b[e] a d[e][c]ent ti[p] [th]en stu[c]k [th]e [c][a]sh b[a][c]k [i]n h[i]s [p]o[c]ket—then B[u]ddy interr[u][p]ted to [n]ote [N][i]kke would m[ee]t [u][p] w[i]th h[i]m that [e]ven[i]ng, [p]our[i]ng them b[o]th an [e][s]pr[e][ss][o], [p]o[pp]ing the last [c]ou[p]le [s][q]uares of a p[s][i]lo[c][y][b]in [c][a]ndy [b]ar, [a]nd [th]en [th]ey [b][o]th would g[o] sm[o][k]e hoo[k]ah at a Dom[i][n][i][c][a]n [n]ight [c]lub. 110:115 .957
04: Bu[dd]y [s]aid he [d][i][s]t[i]n[c]tly re[c]alled un[d]er[s]t[a]n[d][i]ng [S]p[a][n][i]sh th[a]t [n]ight [s]u[rr]oun[d]ed b[y] f[l][i][c]ke[r][i]ng [l][i]ghts—Ni[kk]e was [p]o[ss][i]b[l][y] [s]t[i]ll [c]om[p][l][e]te[l][y] un[h][i]nged, [i]n a [h]eightened [s][p]iritual [s]tate h[e]'d, [f][or] sure, s[ee]n her en[t]er a [f]ew [t]imes be[f][or]e! 60:57 1.05
05: Then ag[ai]n, Rei[m]i [d]ef[e]n[d]ed, a [m]ixture of [e][s]pr[e][ss]o, hoo[k]ah, [l][i][q]uor, and p[s][i][l]o[c][y][b]in [c]ould pro[b]a[b]ly [c]ause any[b]ody to [b]e[c][o]me a [b][i]t "[u]nh[i]nged", to wh[i]ch [B][u]ddy repl[i]ed the [b][a]ch[a]t[a] h[i]t d[i]fferent that [n][i]ght, that [N]i[kk][e] [w]as [w][ear]ing a p[air] of f[a][k]e [r][ea]ding glasses for [l]ite[r]a[ll][y] the en[t][i]re du[r]ation of their [t][i]me out! 64:84 .762
06: In any [c][a]se, [R][ei]mi [c]on[t]inued, [r][e][l][ay]ing what [N]i[kk][e] [t]old her [r][e]garding the [s]ub[s][e]qu[e]nt [n]ight where, sure, she beg[a]n the [a]fternoon [s]eeing this [c]ertain [A][f]ri[c]an Imam [A]bdul [L][a]t[i][f] [s]p[ea][k] [b]r[ie][f][l][y] [a][b]out [c]on[t]em[p]o[r]a[r]y [p]o[l][i][t][i]cs, [a][tt]em[p][t]ing to [a]void the [t][r]iangul[a]tion she'd [r]ecognized with [R][ei]m[i] [t]wo w[ee]ks p[r][e]v[i]ous, but e[v]entua[ll]y in a [f]oo[l]ish a[tt]empt [t]o [v]eri[f][y] the [n][i]ght where sh[e]'d, [N][i]kke, [f]i[n]ally [f]elt  able to [q]u[o]te [u]n[q][u]ote "[o]pen [u]p", she s[u][cc]umbed to am[b]ling [b]eyond the [i]nterst[a]te "[b]a[rr]i[c][a]de" [b]a[c]k into [d][ow]nt[ow]n, to the [d]ive [b]ar, [b]ut in a [s]t[a]te of i[rr][a]tion[a]l [s]pi[r]itu[a]l [a]gg[r]av[a]tion. 123:160 .769
07: And when [N]i[kk]e arr[i][v]ed at the [d][i][v]e an un[e]xp[e][c]ted [n]on-[d][e]s[c]ript old g[e]ntleman—[n]ot [e]ntire[l]y d[i][ss][i]m[i][l]ar [f]rom the m[y][s]te[r]ious [s]t[r][a]ng[er] [f][r]om The [D]ark [L][a][d][y]—was [s][ee]ming[l][y] "w[ai]ting [f]or h[er]" and her [o]verwh[e]l[m]ing [e][m][o][ti]ons, [n][o], [n]ot [a][b]out R[ei][m]i's [a][b]or[ti]on, [b]ut the [P][a]le[s]t[i]n[i]an ch[i]ldr[e]n [b]eing [m][a][ss]acred [b]y her t[a]x [p]ay[m]ents! 78:86 .907
08: N[i][kk]e'd [q]u[i][c]k[l][y] [d][i]s[c]ard the p[s]y[c]hoana[l][y]t[i][c]al ol[d]er [d]ude, even in her [d]i[l]api[d][a]ted [d]run[k]en [s]t[a]te she [s]till rea[l][i]zed the ph[y]s[i][c]al m[i]nd had [l][i]ttle t[o] d[o] w[i]th her [i]ssues, [a]s she was tr[a][pp]ed in a [p][or]tal of s[or]ts, in f[a]ct, be[s]ide a my[s]te[r]ious [r][i]ver, [i]n[s]tead she [i]nt[r]oduced her[s]elf to [a]n [a]dv[a]nced in [a]ge [l][a]dy [p][l][a]ying [p]ool [i]n s[k][i]nny b[l][a][ck] [d][e]n[i]m w[ea]ring the [l]oo[k] of [p]ure [d][ea]th in her eyes. 81:102 .794
09: Her name was [E]ll[e]n, she was s[e]venty [o]ne [y]ears [y][ou]ng w[i]th a [f][i][f]ty s[o]meth[i]ng [N]ordic h[u]s[b][a]nd [n]amed "[P]etter", [b][u]t, [d]es[p]ite her [c]ollo[q]u[i]al in[q]uir[ie]s, the [c]ou[p]le [d]i[d]n't s[ee]m [p]ar[t]i[c]u[l]ar[l][y] in[t][r][i]gued with her [d][r]un[k][e]n [d]ig[r][e]ssions in[t]o the [t][o][p]i[c] of "[d][o]llar [d]e[n][o]mi[n]ated [c][r]ude oil" or [c]ontem[p]o[r]a[r]y [c]o[ll][e]ge as [e]ss[e]ntia[ll]y a [r]uth[l][e][ss] [c][or][p][or][a]tion, [e][x][p]loiting the [e]xact stud[e]nts it was all[e]ging to [e]du[c][a]te. 90:109 .826
10: Yet [d]i[d]n't [th][ey] m[ay]b[e] [d]eem [th]at [c]on[c]erning?—that [s]o-[c]alled [P][o]et[r]y [P][r][o]fe[ss][or]s [c]ould no [l]onger [b]e [c]on[s]id[er]ed [p]u[b][l][i][c] [i]nt[e][ll][e]ctuals, [i]n[s]t[ea]d they were r[u]thless [t][oo]ls of [i]ns[t][i][t][u]tions that [p]artnered with the [s]tate and ex[p][a]n[s]ive fin[a]ncial [b][a]nks to [s][a][dd]le [b][u][dd]ing y[ou]ng [p][eo][p]le with [f]ive and [s][i]x [f][i]gure [d]ollars of [d][e]bt that [c]ould n[e]ver be [e]x[p]unged! 76:86 .884
11: A lu[c]rat[i]ve [e]n[d]eavor [i]n[d]eed!—n[o], th[e]se [P][o]et[r][y] [P][r][o]fessors were, to a [m]a[t]e[r][i]al [e]x[t][e]nt, [c]ertain[l]y [c]r[i][m][i]na[ll]y [l]iable th[e]m[s][e]lves, a[c]cording to [N]i[kk]e, [n]ot on[l][y] for [n]eed[l]ess[l][y] pr[o]fiting [o]n the [b]acks [o]f their [o]wn stu[d]ent [b][o][d]y [b]ut als[o] for the [d]egra[d]ation of the [a]rts as [a] wh[o]le! 59:78 .75670	
12: The univer[s][i]ty [s][y][s]tem, the g[r]eat contem[p]o[r][a][r]y [f]unding [a][pp][a][r][a]tus of the [f]ine [a]rts, was n[o] [t][r][u]e s[p]eaker of [t][r][u]th [t][o] [p]ower, and it's cent[r]al r[o]le [i]n l[i]te[r]ature was n[o] doubt a [s]ort of [s]ilen[c][i]ng [i]t[s]elf—[n]o, [N]i[kk]e [s][ai]d, the Am[e]ri[c]an u[n]iver[s][i]ty [s][y][s]tem was j[u]st a [m][a][c][r][o] hedge f[u]nd [m][a]s[q]ue[r]ading [a]s an art[i]st[i]c [c][o]-op! 70:88 .795
13: [C]on[s][i]der, for [i]n[s]t[a]n[c]e, [N]i[kk]e [s]aid, the [c][r][i]m[i][n][a]l [r]ehab[i][l][i]tation of the Nazi-[s]a[l][u]ting Gert[r][u]de [S]tein, who, for the [r][e][c]ord, was, [i]n [a]dd[i]t[i]on to an [a]tr[o]cious [p][o]et, a g[e]nocidal art [c]oll[e][c]tor. 41:54 .759
14: Of [c]ourse, [N]i[kk][e], li[k]e [e]veryone [e]lse, had a [ph][a]se [w]here she al[s]o [b]e[c][a]me "[f]a[s]ci[n][a]ted" [b][y] [S]t[ei]n, wasn't it [r]evo[l][u][ti]o[n]a[r]y how [sh]e [u]sed, you k[n]ow, "[l][a]nguage [a]s [s]ound"—until [N]i[kk][e] was [f]or[c]ed to [r]e[c]all, with her [f]un[c]t[i]o[n][i]ng b[r][ai]n [c]ells, th[a]t "l[a]nguage [a]s [s]ound" was in [f][a][c]t j[u]st the [f][u]nda[m][e]ntal [b]a[s]is of [m][e]t[r]i[c]al poet[r]y it[s][e]l[f], wh[i]ch'd [f]or [c]h[i][m][e][r]i[c]al [r]easons [b]een [b]anished [b][y] [l][i]ttle [H][i]t[l]ers [l]i[k]e [S]t[ei]n [h]er[s][e]lf! 97:100 .970
15: Gertrude Stein [w][a]s [[o]]ne of the a[p][e]x un[r]e[p][e]nt[a]nt char[l][a]tans of Eng[l][i]sh [l][i]te[r]ature s[i]nce the [l]anguage [i]t[s]elf was [c]odi[f]ied [f][r]om [f]ar-[r]anging [c]osmo[p]o[l][i]tan [l][i]ngual [p]ools, and it was a tru[l]y [c][l][a][ss]ic ex[a]m[p]le of the [c]ontem[p]o[r]a[r][y] [l]ite[r]a[r][y] [c][r][i]t[i][c] to [c][a][s]t a[s][i]de [S]t[ei]n's [c]on[f][ir]med [f]ascism in the [p][ur][s]uit of [s]ome [s]te[r]ile F[r]eu[d][i]an i[d]entit[y] [d][r]enched [s][y]mbol[i]sm. 82:98 .837
16: No, St[e]in [d][i][d]n't [l]ove that [l][i]ttle H[i]t[l]er—she was ju[s]t [e]xpr[e][s]sing her Z[i]onist l[e]sbi[a]n [s][e]nse of [s][e]lf [b][y] w[r][i]ting in[s][c][r]uta[b]le [p][r][o]se [p][o]ems [a][b]out [c][a][r]afes, of [c]ourse! 39:41 .951
17: The univer[s][i]ty [s][y][s]t[e]m was [i]n fa[c]t the [m]ost [c]r[i][m][i]nal [c][or]ner of [c][or][p]o[r]ate A[m]e[r]i[c]a, y[e]t [E]llen and [P][e]tter, while not ex[p][l][i][c][i]t[l][y] "d[i][s]agr[ee]ing" w[i]th th[i][s] [p]assion[a]te o[p][i]ni[o]n, [d][i][d]n't [e]xa[c]tl[y] "[e]n[c]ourage N[i][kk]e [t]o [c]on[t]inue", [a]nd with th[a]t ing[e][s]t[e]d she [s]ub[s][e][q]u[e]ntly [e]x[i]t[e]d the [e]stablishment [r]ight a[r]ound [c]l[o]se to wal[k] [s][a]dly b[a][c]k h[o]me, [o]ver the a[pp]a[r][e]ntly [p][r]ot[e][c]t[i]ve [i]nter[s]t[a]te [h]igh[w][ay], on [h]er [w][ay] do[n][a]ting a spare [ei]ght [b][u][c]ks to an attr[a][c]tive e[n][ou]gh [b]l[a]ck girl [s]tanding [b]e[s]ide a homel[e]ss sh[e]lter, off[er][i]ng to [s][er]v[i]ce h[er] [s][e]xuall[y] [f]or [a] tw[e]nt[y] be[f]ore [d]is[a][pp]ea[r][i]ng [i]nto the d[e][s]o[l]ate [n][i]ght [l][i][k]e an a[pp]a[r][i]t[i]on, [l][ea]ving [N][i][kk]e dr[u]n[k]en[l][y] h[u]mming: 158:176 .898
18: R[ei]mi—who'd been st[ay][i]ng at [N]ikk[e]'s that [n]ight—[w]as [w][ai]t[i]ng [f]ast a[s]leep for her [s]i[s]ter, who arrived b[a]ck well p[a][s]t [m]idn[i]ght, [q]uite [c][l][ea]r[l][y] b[l]a[c]ked out [a]nd in a tr[a]nce [a]d[m][i]tt[e]d to Rei[m]i a[b]out [b]eing [b]othered, [n]o, [n]ot [b]y [i][nn][o]c[e]nt [k][i]ds [b]eing [k][i]lled [i]n ge[n]oc[i]des a[ss][i][s]t[e]d [b][y] her [t]axes, [b]ut [i]n[s]tead [b]y [a]n [i]n[s]t[a]n[c]e of [s]o-[c]alled "childhood [s]exual [t]rauma" that she'd never [t]alked [a]b[ou]t [a]l[ou]d, even [t]o her [s][o]le [s][i][s]ter, m[o][s]t of the [s]pe[c][i]f[i][c]s in fa[c]t [b][e]ing [b]y [n]ow eter[n]all[y] ob[s][c][ur]ed [e]ven to [N][i]kke h[er][s]elf, ex[i][s]t[i]ng [p]ast [n]or[m]al e[p][i][s]te[m]o[l]ogical [l][i][m][i]ts, [a]nd th[a]t [k][ee]p[i]ng this "[s]o-[c]alled [s][e][c]r[e]t" was un[f]ortu[n]ate[l]y [n]o [l]onger tena[b]le, [b]e[c]ause [f]ailing to [c]on[f]ess [i]t [i]n [p]er[p]e[t]uit[y] [d]id n[o]thing b[u]t ma[k]e her [c]on[t]in[u]all[y] want to [d]ie. 157:192 .818

—Conclusion
What is being said is more or less the following: if we postulate, after the One that rules over and is generative of all things, the prior unit of the Two, there will be a twosome formed from the ruling Ones and this unit, even before the Two comes into being. And again, if we co-ordinate the two units of the Two with the first One, we will get a three, even before the Three comes into being; and so at each stage the quantity of units will anticipate the numbers proper to them. But that this is foolery rather than serious argumentation we have demonstrated many times before this; for to apply this sort of partibility and material division to entities that are partless and non-quantitative and entirely indivisible, and to practise upon them mixture and transposition of elements, and from firsts and seconds and all that follows on them to create and generate one single thing by composition, is the action of a man who is not even aspiring to a true study of real being. And hence in what follows he actually gives an indication that he is making statements quite irrelevant to the doctrine of those men. - Syrianus, On Aristotle Metaphysics 13-14