— I told you Paul. Mister Slotko called.
— Mis, you told me? You told me Slotko called?
— Well I, yes I mean I…
— Told me Slotko called I didn't what, what did he say.
— He said you, he just said it would probably be better if you spoke with Adolph, that Adolph knows the…
— Talk to Adolph doesn't know a God damn thing that's why you get Slotko, big prestigious Washington law firm know what's going on they all know each other down there that's why you get Slotko, whole God damn thing whether the estate can pick up these shares on option before this Belgian syndicate's already taken over Lendro, buying into South Africa Metal Combine see them move in on VCR whether Grimes takes a back seat he probably knows this guy Cruik-shank knows the whole God damn board ready to sell VCR out in a minute why you get Slotko down there knows everybody, what the whole God damn thing is about they all know each other why you get Slotko top of the heap that's why you what did he say.
— Well he, I told you all he said was…
— Talk to Adolph God damn it Liz what did he say! Called me here just what in the hell exactly did he say!
— He said… backed again against her hands gripping the sink, — he said he thought you were an idiot, Paul. He said you go off half cocked just because you'd worked for my father you think you, that you can call the shots he said you know as much about finance as some snot nosed sixth grader that he's sick and tired of your swearing at him on the phone if you, call Adolph if you, if Adolph can stand you let Adolph explain it. Call Adolph.
— He said that?
— Well he, you asked me exactly what he…
— He said that Liz? Slumped deeper in the chair, he sat running a finger along the clean red slit the length of his arm to the tendons outcropped on the back of his hand, — tell you what that's about… he picked up the glass, — tell you what that's all about Liz. Slotko puts on a big act he's just their Jew in the window, big prestigious law firm Slotko worms his way in they need a Jew in the window part of the same bunch, what that's all about. Same God damn bunch spreading these smear stories, hearsay rumor anything they get their hands on trying to trip Ude up now on antisemitism never met a Jew till he was twenty what do they do? Peddle some old speech they're claiming he made says the only way the Jews have survived two thousand years by being hated, move in next door buy them a drink treat them right so God damn scared they'll lose their identity so they set up Israel and think up new ways to make everybody hate them only God damn thing holds them together. Trying to get Teakell, same bunch Victor Sweet same God damn bunch using Ude to get at Teakell alienate the Jewish vote problem's somebody taped the God damn speech can't miss that voice, hear him once you can't miss that voice what are you, what's the matter…
— I just have to move some of these papers if we're going to eat, can you move your…
— Wait give me the glass, all that God damn smoke I can't…
— Oh!
— Why we've got him out tells everybody he's a Zionist right here, got it right here in the where's that ad, patch things up got him addressing these interfaith breakfasts trying to get one of their top people invite him over there take him up to the Wailing Wall have a good cry together need friends any God damn place they can, what's this.
— It's just, I thought I'd try veal but…
— What are these.
— They were mushrooms but the, I think the pan got too hot and…
— What are…
— Those are peas. Be careful!
— Just getting the God damn phone, hello…? He held the plate up for her to free the cord, to channel peas in a rivulet between the two men knelt in prayer, — Good thing you called, I couldn't get… that's why I couldn't get there, where'd you hear about it… must have been, he must have been, people all over the place he came right at me, took him out wearing his guts for garters may have to wait before they can question him see how all the God damn pieces fit together, whole thing coming in from outside like walking in a God damn mine field over there every people's congress liberation army spade they waste he's carrying his AK47 all coming in from the… See how far they can push us, took those mission boys out every God damn boy in the mission gave him a hammer out there pounding stakes in the ground staked out the whole claim, every… their own land no, on the mission land, Metal Combine coming at them one way Lendro coming the other VCR right beside them already working a claim right to the edge of it trying to get extension rights they'd be right down there under the mission station itself chew up the whole God damn thing and spit it out that's the… No it's already registered, whole claim registered in the name of a secret nominee he turns it over to the church look around for the highest bidder probably these Belgians whatever the hell they are, syndicate registered in Liechtenstein like some Liberian freighter buying into everything they look God damn peas spilling on the, can you move this? What…? No not you talking about something else caught me right in the… Read about it in the papers I'll see you down there Liz? hang this up? Already spilled something on the God damn try to keep some order here I shouldn't have told him all that. Calls up worms it out of me I shouldn't have told him all that.
— I'm afraid the veal's not very tender.
He finished what was left in the glass. — The what?
— The veal, it's a little tough.
— Little tough… He repeated that, attacked it with his fork and then put the fork down and his head came forward into his hands, staring down at the plate, the slash a red line drawn straight up to his eye.
— Doesn't that hurt Paul? don't you want…
— Little tough that's all, little tough… He picked up the fork again — problem's the, whole God damn pieces fit them together shouldn't have told him all that… grinding the heel of the fork down, giving it up, going for the bevy of peas lost before they'd left the plate, disheveling the scorched stand of mushrooms — just like the, think he was waiting for me Liz.
She got the plate away, got her own Kali fínisked oíf to a safe corner and reached for the bottle — I don't think..
— Give me that!
— Paul please, you…
— I told you! and he had it by the throat, — told you… tipping it up, up, — pieces fit together problem's just too God damn many pieces, even penetrated the Vatican's true Liz, big God damn third world peace offensive Vatican intelligence network cover the whole continent even penetrated that, Jesuits speak Swahili convert a few spades in the right places get them in the confessional word goes straight to the bishop right up the God damn hot line to Rome see that? Trying to knock out his Voice of Salvation radio's why Teakell's over there fact finding tour for his Food for Africa trying to get him through Ude same God damn bunch right down to the state level, state highway department in there says that school bus brake drums rusted right through barely got them in the ground they're trying to nail him on that, county health board in there trying to close down the whole God damn operation Bible school all of it, penetrated right down to the county level says they're dumping raw sewage into the Pee Dee all their new God damn indoor plumbing, still up there in the bushes everything fine while they were still up there squatting in the bushes put in this new indoor plumbing right down to the county level what the whole God damn thing is all about. Smear stories hearsay get him any way they can, trying to smear him with Pearly Gates down there sets up his Christian survival camp out in the hills teach them weapons use, hand to hand combat, sheriff's deputies teaching kids, everybody, freeze dried foods MIA rifles target practice explosives handling same paper here, trying to smear him with that… He cleared the page with a sweep of his hand — same God damn newspaper, pay for a full page ad and they sneak in this smear story on Gates, another page and then — wait! Where is it!