/fry

"Have wimd, will BLOT it. Have tody, will LM&ATK it«"

; V

THE THINKING MAN'S JEKYLL & HYDE...

. WJ

by the same author and available at Dexter Press

KWONOO—Two Black African freedom fighters —the 1960a—are trapped by the Portuguese 1 —in one act...........................₀.£L»00

TTJAREQ—Seeking spiritual aolace, seeking to find himself, a young Arab aristocrat —in this drama of the Southern Sahara-finds items quite other, as he and a young Tuareg woman confront a band of ex-OAS brigands driven from Algeria. A SHORT NOVEL (originally a stage-drama and winner of the Wayne State U. playwriting contest of 1976).............$2*00

POEMS FROM THE PRISON

OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION.. ..................

SEX 4 TOB STATR—and Other Essays.........•$2.00

THE VAGINA AS DATA

—a peek at the pro-patriarchist pre-monogamist prehistoric implications of the female genitalia...«.«»»««*»*»*»«»$l*00

"Hm hm," snlokers HJK# bringing the steaming glass to his llps« *Do I say goodbyef Or farewellI

*For...lf I don't come baok. If the trip oome out one-way

—If I'm STUCK in the land of the ugly, the brutish

—If I'm STUCK In the atrocious, the feroolous, the chastising, the bullylng, the snarling, the menacing, the tyrannlilng, the overriding, the ooldhearted, the orude, the devilish, the shrewd, the bloodthirsty, the lewd

—IP,..I'M STUCK,

IP I RUN AMUCK/

I.....DOH'T GIVE A FUCKU"

He gulps It downi

by SA¥ COUIAN

Dexter Press 150S5 James Counens Detroit Ml 18235. All rights reserved.

the characters

HORBXRT J09VATR1H KRAUSMETKR (the chemist) CAROL, his wife

SHSLDON PAUL KRUZZX, her enelyst

THE TIME IS THAT PERIOD OF PAST-6000-TEAR CIVILIZATION 1W08E MBTCKEHA PECULIAR TO SAID PERIOD—^ALIENATIOW, KHHUI, THE VOHX ETHIC, ATaaZATIOK, HEGHANICALKATIOW, JJESERSITCZATIOff, URBANIZATION, SUBORBAKIZATKM, DHATUHIZATICW—-ARE AT CLIMACTIC LEVELS. TO WIT, the pre3est.

THE PLACE..U DETROIT SUBURB...SOUTHJTKLD.

"Chi¹¹ she sobs. "Ch ho ho ho ho hoi"

"There now, missus...Krausraeyer," consoles the analyst. "There...missus..."

—¹"Vh, call me," she sobs, "Carol!*

"Suppose...Carol... we begin. ..frow the beginning."

"It was," begins Carol, "like any other... evening. Except that...his usual...aanplaints.., seemed a bit more—how ehall I put it—cutting.*

"I'VE HAD IT I'VE HID IT!" thunders Norbert Jonathan Krausmeyer, as we FLASHBACK, Carol relating it. "HAD IT HAD IT HAD IT HAD ITl"

He heares a loog seething sigh* "SIX DIFFERENT TUBS I tell that ignoramus known as supervisor, •POTASSIUM CHLORIDE is what I need. Okay? POTASSIUM GODDAMIT CHLORIDEIV And six different times...that god...dam₀..sonoYa..obitch^,n..."

—"Darling,* smiles Carol, entering from another roam.

—*lhy why why.....I* he whines.

—"you're just gotten hone"—taking his wraps—"you¹ Te had a not-so-easy day. So for now..."

—"THY.....I"

—•we just sit down and..."

—•did I ever get into this whore-mongering soul—grinding shit-**ting CHEMISTRYl"

—•and we take it...easy."

•HOT...did I ever get into itl"

"'And we...relax»"

A hush fills the living room, his dark piercing eyes slowly upon her...

•RELAX she tells me. TOO should spend eight hours daily to that...

mo MEEDS IT mo MEEDS IT I WO.....i"

•Shall I...answer that? Or shall... two little mouths to feed...known as Randy and Roberta...answer it?*

"Feed•..feed," he Titters, gazing into space, "into...the SNI..•reaction.••as it proceeds...Tia the carbonium.•.to the ion... mechanism. Ies...l The reduction of an aromatic ring by hydrogen and a catalyst. •• tends to be... slower.. .than the corresponding reaction*.. of an olefin* Ihy? Because the reduction of an aronatic rin^ has to or ere one its resonance energy. SHIT11

"KnowledgeI To what endi VO end. NO goddam endo A hound chasing its goddam tail I

"Ch yes, the ccapany I'm with doea make s one thing. Does indeed I Know what it makes? A profit 1 A fat profit I And me? A salary. Maybe even fat. Now...know what they can do with that salary? SHOVE it. UP THEIR CfflSKCO-FLASTIC ASSES!

"A man's work...is from sun...to sun."

"Dinner, darling..."

"A chemist's work is GODDAM DtOIBIi"

—"is ready."

"NHO NEEDS IT 1H0 NEEDS ITU"

"This empty TOMUT," she smiles, patting his stomach, "might be needing it?"

He glares at her. "I'm...SFEAHNG... of... I "-—seething sputter. "And you., .speak of TUNNIES 1 AAAAKHi:

"Oh I "—his face suddenly in his hands. "Should hare...been what I was.. .MEANT to be. Nhat I., .believe it or not...STARTED OUT to be. ANTHROPOLOGY!2 —If the word isn't too enozmous for you—for that"—sputter—"gRAIN of yours.

"GREEDY*. .is what I was_ft A GREEDY S0N07ABITCH1 I go for the aura... of private industry* And lose,„.know what I lose? Not much* 0nly,o_Oc;y soulii"^:

Silence...

"In the meantime, darling," she smiles, "dinner..₀"

—'*IS_#._#READTi! Nevermind the soul, just feed the BODTl Til it's FAT! Til it... CAN¹ T THINK anymore! Got a problem? SAT! Or SCREW! Or WATCH T?!"

Silence.

*Norbert?"

"That's my name."'

"How much...does...an anthropologist.• .make?"

Lips tightening, eyes sharpening, his face turns to a boil. "You," he boils, "still don't...seem to see...that I speak of... my SOUL. Can't you—oh I—understand that! Can't you.• .under..•STAND?*—"a lunge toward her. "I...was only," she says softly, "speaking...of...

—"Money! Right? RIGHT? Carol, the Tery fact you even ASK, even RAVE IN VIND, such an item, shows...it just SHOWS...that.. —sputter. "Anthropology, you dumbass—fuckin¹ goddam dumbass—is my SOUL...! And you...ask... how much does...an anthropologist. ....AAAARGHI lⁿ

He picks m, the newspaper, flips through it. "lOfFH! Such a QUESTION she asks. MMMFHll WHY! WHY Bust you ask such things! Can you please tell me why? Goddamit TELL me. TEL^ JCE.....1" he shrieks.

Carol's response is silence —like South field on a Sunday afternoon —a silence not unmixed with MLK#

Norbert heaTes a heaYy sigh. "Zanies on the JOB, sanies at HOW.....I"

He scans the newspaper. "How much,* he hisses while scanning, "does an anthropologist makeI" More scan. "As though one can compare... the green stuff .to..... TOT HEAR? AS THOUGH," he shrieks, "ONE CAH CCKPA1E THS QRKEH STUFF TO..... I"—sputter.

"You'll soon be green in the FACZ," she snaps, "if you don't EAT something I"

"I AM IOT.. .HUMOR Y1I"—knocking orer a cup.

She slowly picks it up...

"I AM...hungry," he laughs. "But of THIS hunger, this LATTBt hunger, what would TOU knew I IOU...I" he seethingly sputters.

Carol slowly steps out of the room. "What would TOU know," he goes on, "about the hunger...for a lost...souli Nor did I say of a lost soul. I said for...a lost...soul.

"Like a lost"—gasing into space— "continent!

"But...find you again...I shalll I., .promise I"

I

"And," sobs Carol, ^ttthat funny... gleam in his eyei*

She slowly recanposes herself•

"It was...so rat two weeks later... when. • • • .oh I "--sudden sob.

"Please," the analyst,

"Missus..• Carol! Please...go on."

Carol Krausaeyer slowly rsccnposes herself. "It was about two...weeks...later."

"CHI" blurt® NJK in the midst of scanning his newspaper—a■ we FLASHHACfc~"I should look for another JOB, huh? Great I (ffiEAT! Tou figured it out all by ycurselfl All*••by your pea-brain self I Yesterday, as went your wisdom, all I need is a vacationl It'll fix things all up! Just...a little vacation! Today*..another <ob. Okay, what KIND of a Jobl Teahi Figure THAT one out!"

"Well," smiles Carol, entering the roam, "like.*.* "Teah?" he seethes, "Item," she ponders, "selling!"

"SELLINGI Selling WHAT! SNOWBALLS maybe? To ESKIMOS?*

"Well...like Tonyl After ha—remember?— didn't care for*.*his old Job, he.**went into.*."'

—¹"I...am not*• *T0NY1 'This year I made this much I Next year THAT much I Vy...electrical., business!' Electrical," hisses NJK, "business! BLOOD BROTHER I To CHEMICAL business* Meanwhile he still has to sell STORM windows on the side*

"I am NOT BUSINESS! I am NOT H201 I am NOT CARBONIUM ION MECHANISM! Nor ANT mechanism. I am NOT A REDUCTION OF AN AROMATIC RING BT HIMOGEN AND A CATALTST! I am ME!! NORBERT JONATHAN KRATTSMETERl 1 Tou never heard that time I GOTTA BE ME? Huh? Ton never? Well DID TOU OR DIDN'T T0U1

"OH..*!" he groans. "Inanes to my right, pea-brains to my left..*"

—"Tour PSAS"—she points to his dinner— "are getting cold*" He goes cm, however, perusing the newspaper* "See therm?" he blurts* "'$2% of the public hate their Jobs!* See? 'Many...will not even talk about what they do*« Sme? They won't even TALK about it, they hat* it so goddam much* See? Carol?"

"Tea?"

"See? So I'm not exactly ALONE!"

"So that's OOODt Toil now...don¹1 have to feel so*•o"

—"CHI So if others have cancer I shouldn't mind having it, right? RICHT? STUPE!"

He heaves a long weary sigh* "All this," he sputters •••"like TODATl At the ccnpany's 'enchanting¹ laboratory* Those oh-ao~ vital experimental On 'cuter colors, prettier dyes, brighter fabrics1¹ 'Better things...for more people I' SHIT!"—toesing the newspaper aside* He looks boringly about* He graba a book, opens it, reads..,

"Well, whatya kuowl" he cynically beams, hia eyes on the page* "Kauftoann,. .on Bradley.,* on Hegel, ••on Aristotle* •• on tragedy I" More reading the book. He slams it down, paces, picks it up, tosses it aside, sits, picks up the newspaper* "They can take my salary and SHOVE itl"'

A hush.,.

"Would you liks," she asks, "your coffee,••

BOW?"

"SHOVE itl" More him scanning the newspaper. "How why the shit"—scanning—"don't the Arabs wipe the Israelis off the map or the Israelis the Arabs I The whole thing's probably phoney anywayl Probably a CIA plot anywayl

"fhcney,• *phoneyI Jboney JOB, phoney WIPE.,* Ho, Just PUOTT wife. Real fanny. HA HA HA I Tou can die laughing I And the biggest phoney of all? He I mfl Cause I WOW I'm phoney. Tou others at least have an excuse I ASTRONOMICAL HOV-AWAUffiSSi Or just.. .plain.. .imbecility!

"Tou"—wnacingly moving toward hei>~-"poor..•HOLLOW... i"—sputter* "T0U...0 infant masquerading as adult...TOU...TOUR HIONETNESS, PLASTIC ITT, if enclosed. • .ENCLOSED.. .in a steel web of...I"—sputter* "Tou think—hmf, can I use the word THINK?—this i« the bast of all possible homes, all possible husbands—after all, wasn't your oath to love, honor, cherish and obey?— all possible children, all possible suburbias, all possible color TVs! THE BESTl Of all possible.. .worlds!

"Well, I—0 birdbrain—happen to be aware of ANOTHER world. HEAR it, 0 happy idiot,

0 meatball on two feet? HEAR it, 0 banal-anal? ANOTHER world !

"What this other looks like, I«a not... certain. Maybe uglier. I kncwr uglier. But goddamit to hell NOT IHONEY! Not roles... unreal. Not roles period!

"And this," he purrs, gazing into space, "other., .world...I...shall see. See...have... be it..«againl

"To touch...OB TO TOUCH, TO GRASP... the.. .ULTIMATE!

"So what are you looking at! My wife imitates birds. She watches me like a hawk!

"And knc*r this nowl Now and forever more!

1 am not...NOT...pulling down my pants at bedtime! Those pants you'll see on...or off. But being pulled down...you will not see!

"Oh, to grasp...grasp...the ultimate! Where ARE you...ultimate! Where ARE yon.*. Norbertl REAL...INTRINSIC...Norbert!"

A hush..*

"Tern knew, :esr,ⁿ smiles Carol, "we urn...acmetin-?,₀.have to<,.."

—¹"AC.„.CEP?I ! If I hear that just one time more ouz of you.o.just ONE TIME MORE.. „ l^w He sighs, "Okay, finish 'er up* FINISH ^fER UP, 0 moralizer, sweet eivilizeri ^TIXFE HAS¹—yea?— 'LIMITATIONS! 50 SUCH THIKQ AS FULL FREEDOM! ETCETERA ETCETERA !• Well, TOU try putting H and 2 and 0 together all day. Only it doean't cone out water. It comes out BULLS!ITi ALIENATED. • .BULLSHIT!

"Or haven't we heard of...ALIENATION 1

"Hmf | Here I am asking one with a vocabulary that doesn't get beyond DIAPER, DINNER, SHOPPING, TV, HATR-DO—-and all points cuckool DEEP IN THE HEART OF SUBURBAN CREEP! Here I am asking,.„if this...^,mind^,...has ever heard of a sociological terml Norbert Jonathan Krausmeyer, you've got to practice talking with yourselfi There's nobody else abouti AIN'T NOBODY HOME! .Nobody but...three kids. Two are small. Sie is the size of and looks like a grownup. Two are PRE-idiota. One, sometimes known as wife or mother, has already made it.*

A hush...

•Tour dinner," she says...

—"Already..."

—"is getting cold."

—"made it.*

NJ1 slowly sits dewn to dinner. "A TV dinner 1" be claps. He proceeds to eat. "Tour meals, I must say, are well THAWED OUT, But it's okay, okay. No problem. Know why? Cause that should be the WORST of the problems here I

"So...if todayo••you*re too pooped to cook..."

—"Too ALIENATED," she twinkles, stepping out of the room, ⁿTo say nothing of* —grinningly peeking in—"too....ESTRANGED."

A hush. Ke bursts out laughingl

"See?" she grins, reappearing. "We TOO know big word"—flopping on his lap. "Especially"—kiss for him—"when I take"—kiss— "that course"—kiss—"in anthro.. .oology!ⁿ—Vi«*« "And b«...not as dumb...as I seem"—long kiss.

"DumberI" he blurts, shoving her aside.

He up and pacesi She begina quietly sobbing.

"Look," he sputters, You're gonna take an anthro-oourse. Like... that'll fix everything all up! Like that'll..."-—sputter then weary sigh. "Can't that mini-e&nd of youra see that anthrooology is not in itself the problem? But only...the symbol? Symbol.„.you,..stupid.„... oh.••I"

"But,..you...said..

—"tthat! What did I sayl"

—"that you...should have been...an anthro...

—"It's what X MEANT! It's...you can't FEEL it? Tou can't ba...juat...a TRIFLE aware of it? It's what I MEANT! MEANT! Oh.....I

"Tou don't yet know what I'm talking about, do you! If you did, I wouldn^T t—famf—ha ve to be talking.

"Ya know, I believe I got it all figured about you—ALL FIGURED! Khtfr what it is? Tell, it's about your brain. If you had another, you'd be a half-wit I

"I'll b9t you think the moon is made of green cheese I* he rages on. "You...cheezy...

nincompoop* You.cluck. CLUCK!!"

He picks up the book again. "Kaufmann... on Bradley...on Hegel...on Aristotle...on tragedy. Now all we need is somebody on KAUFMANN! * He slowly, seethingly turns hia piercing eyes toward her. "You've got THIS MUCH NOTION" —gesturing zero—"of what I'm talking about, right? THIS MUCH!

"If...you knew...what I'm talking about, you'd...but inasmuch as you don't, inasmuch as you hare NO FUCKING IDEA of what I'm talking about —no FEELING about it—not the SLIGHTEST VIBRATION— about all you can do is be sublimely silent! Hoping like hell it'll all pass and we can get back to the serene world of SMALL talk.

"Well, it WON'T pass* Goddam your suburban soul, it WON'T!

"Tou want SMALL talk, get on a TALK show.

"AGAIN AND AGAIN you're gonna hear*.. THE SLAGHEAP...OF LEARNING!

"See? I just said it. I SPILLED THE BEANS! KAUFMANN ON BRADLEY ON HEGEL ON ARISTOTLE ON TRAGEDY.. .STMBOUZES, • ♦ TOE CONTEMPORARY ~LAGHEAP_a..OF LEARNING!

"Quite a little PROBLEM of this modem era. Don't you think? Hm.....?

"Okay.. .now SAY it. ¹ THE SLAGREAP... • SAY it, sublime silencel SAY it, you hunk... of sulk!"

She remains sulkingly silent»

"AGAIN AND AGAIN you¹ re gonna hear it J And where," he harshly smiles, "you gonna run I To your bedroosi? Or TV room? If you had a brain bigger than a domestic ccar's— or anykind of sensitivity—hear it?—SENSITIVITY]—for anything outside these four walls—you wouldn't have to run® You could easily, so easily, RESPOND to this particular beef of mine, get INVOLVED with it, enter.*aENTER...the problem. Tell me, madame, have you evero..ENTERED...a problem? One, that is, beyond babies and buttermilk? Have you EVER, cute cow? Have you EVER, beautiful boobs and mind of mush?

"You theA c6uld easily, so easily, respond...with like...*Norbert, if you don't like slagheaps, go straight to the horse's nouthi^; Aristotle...himself1¹ But since you don't know horse's mouth from horse's ASS...I Wei], SAY something.

"Tell me. Do you know what I mean by horse^fs mouth? Do you? Do you?"

"No. But don't bother looking for it. You've already got iti"' She exits.

NJK looks through the book a bit more. «fHERE'ARE THE BRATS I^r—tossing the book aside. "I'm SPEAKING to you. WHERE...ARE THE BRATS 11"

"Asleep," replies Carol fram the other rooo.

"HOCVHAl" he clap*. "Not, for a change, messing around my workroc®!

"I got OHB .fOB for you, ONE J0B1 KEEP THOSE LITTLE EASTWARDS OUT OF BUT ROOM! GOT IT?

"The next..., -ime_0#.I_e#*aee Randy...or Roberta...around »y₀. .workroom. ..know what I'm gonna do? Huh? know? I'M GONNA TEAR OUT THEIR ETESll GONNA FOT THEIR HEADS THROUGH THE WALL! 1

"In my workr-::or>— or no»2>—I DON'T GODDAIGT WANT 'EM!!

"Ya listening'

"Do youoooSEiAB mel"'

"Yes."'

ⁿTou. oodidc .near me?" "Tea,"

"Okay, let*3 near what I said, Carol?* "Tou...said* > —"All I saiii.c"

—"that you xiarc't want •••Randy • „."' —"OR ROBERTA. ^r

"Or•• .Robert * • . playing...in your. ..workroom."¹ "Flaying ther* MOT AJfHfORIl" "Wot. • •anymore-. "

"Hot REAR it. WEAR it, you.••nincompoopi"* The harsh faee ilcmCtj btcameB a ha rah a*ile. "On SEOOVD thought* the brats ean't really upset anything. • .anymore* Ko"—trance—"not •. .anymore . It allfla wade I l21.....MADE I*

DYLAN THOMAS

ⁿHHAT...Carcl,ⁿ asks the analyst, ^Wwaa aadel" "Tfhat he...waa WORKING an..«waa Bade."' "Working on?*

"For," she cigji®, "MONTHS I suppose. I knew he was up to something. ..oddo But...HIS room. So long ss—-ha ha—no WOMAN there. But aa the days wore on, MORE AKD MORE la he In that. • .work.. _#rocsi. Like"—sudden sob—"a hermlti MORE AND M0BK.».of.

"Of WHAT, Carol I More and more of WATl"'

"Of the...primitive!" She "All those—when I'd cone in to clean—books en it.*

A hush fills the analyst's office...

"Then ha dli let you cone in," asks the analyst„."*/ clean?"

"But not...!-* ter. Later... NOBODY...gets in. Later..."—soft sob.

"BOOKS you s«y. On...the PRIMITIVE?"

"Books! Armeies! Journals! Clippings! Even...his jokes.*

"Jokes?"

"Jokes."

"Can you.. .IECALL any?"

"Din," she pcoders. "Ch, what difference would it make!"

"I suppose none. But...then again..."

~"Tfe*...yBa, One caveman is talking to the other. 'MOW THAT HE KNOW HOW TO TALK, ROW.. .IS BUSINESS:^?

Scribbling it, the analyst smiles. "Anymore?"

"TJm.ooBasm...1 still don't see what all this would hare to do with...I Yes!" she seethingly recalls. "And TEIS one he seemed to take e SPECIAL delight ir- I've heard it more times, I guess, than a caveman HAIB on his chest. The o a reman is by the FIBS he's Just invented. In steps the woman. She folds her arms, looks sternly at him, and says..*' mST IT'S THE WHEEL I WOW THIS!'"

The analyst *cts, snickers, Jots, snickers. "And I bet I know what he ANSWERED her," he grins. "I bet he answerec...'NOW ALL IE HAVE TO DO IS THIW 0? A WAT TC HJT IT OUT I"'

"I'm sure Norbert would glow at that one too,*

"Ha ha ha I Ihich reminds me of another, A group of aoes, Says one to a second,,, 'THAT ONE WITH COT THE TAIL..,CALLS HIMSELF AD AMP Ha hat Calls himself, ha ha, Adam J AHEM!"—clearing his throat and quickly resuming the jotting,

"Doctor Peruzzi, what have I been doing that's not right! I try being.,,devoted,,,loyal,"

"And..,you are,"

"Yet..,try.»,9s I may..,"—sigh, "My world.,•it's"—-sudden sob—"crumbling I Stone...by stone*

"Maybe I should have all this time —I don't know—been making less TV dinner a. As though I never cookj, Do you, doctor, think, if I'd be cooking more,,,that,,*"—sigh* "I,,,thinkwe both know," he replies, "that cooking would not exactly be..,the particular,,,"

—"And CLEAN? You show me a wife that cleans morel" A hush, "Alright, I'm CLEAN-crazyl But do I aak HI* to help? Would I for a moment drage HIM into it? So he ought to be HAPPY that.,, like I see in the PAPER the other day, a cartoon. According to him I never read beyond cartoonsI Anyway, this guy's closet is a holy mess I 'YOUR CLOSET,' says the wife with folded arma, •IS BACKENO UP!' Ha ha I Backing upl Well, THAT kind ef talk he never has to worry coning from MEl"

"Or like," grins Paruzzi, "Missus, um,,, ah we'll aay Missus Sibelius—good a metaphor as any. She steps into her huaband's study —as he is composing a new symphony—and,,, 'JONNY, TAKE OUT THE GARBAGE!' Ha ha ha ha ha| AHEM I "—quickly resuming the jotting*

"You show me, Doctor Perazzi, a wife that nags less! Whatever else he says of me, a nag, no I I've had enough of it from my mother, I'm sure he has tool"

"From your mother?"

"HIS.. .mother. Vine...not a word does she tell him, not one! Show me a man with less in-law problems 1

"Am I, doctor, as dumb...as he seems... to think? Like he once asks me, 'What is E.S.P.!¹ 'E.S.P.,¹ I answer, 'is Esp.¹ Oh, you should have heard that raani 'IF YOU'RE PLAYING GRACIE ALLEN' —only eight times that loud—* I'M NOT PLAYING GEORGE BURNS!^f"

Carol sighs. "As though I don't know that E.S.P. is Extra Sensory Perception!"

"But you then TOLD him...that E.S.P. was...?*

—"When I said Esp I was kidding!"

"Uh huh. But you TOLD him you were kidding?"

A hush. "No. Because sometimes... I'm NOT kidding. .Mummy Just...never told me soars ef those brainy things. Like she told...her sons. Like school TRIED telling me. Or I THINK they tried. Good grades I got. For what? Forxbfcifcg 'sugar n' spice n' everything's nice'! MICE! —If little girl never loses that one little goal—marriage, family, homel That one.• .candlelightl And now...flickering."

He gazes at her. "Carol, yem*..are elequemtl" More gaze. "Your eyesl They're...blueI"

"Not yet turned red...frc«..»7" —seething sputter*

"Eyea"—he geea em gazing—"ome caa enly... paetizei" She nodeatly look* downward*

"Sol" he anapa, reaming buaineaa. "The problem—and problem it appeara ahaping np aa...

—"Slight," ahe aynically amiles, "problem."

The analyst la auddenly holding hia head* "£•».3.•.PI Shall we," he grine, "Solve it all like thia? I...FEEL aamething. Naw aak me what."

"Conaider it aaked."

"X feel...a headachel From HOLDING MT HEAD!" "Ha hat"

"Sel" he anapa, looking over hia natea. "But I—honea1>—don¹1 elown with ALL my clients."

"Only with females?"

"Only thoae...with blue eyea."

At which eyes he again ia gazing. "Soi"—anapping back to buaineaa. "Una problemei ^hich...ia not quite TV dinnera, certainly not a aeaay house, and equally certain, no in-law trouble. Oh tea, hia...father-in-law?"

"He aeea my father once a aeasonl"

"Se...no...daddy-in-law problem." She bursts into tears again. "The am...Carol?"

She alcwrly reoanpoaea heraelf. "I'm aorry."

A hush...

"'me," he queries, "PRUIITIVl...yon say? The pre...hiatoric?" She alawly a ads. "The journals," he eoea on, "the careoan jokes.

the experiment.... .you did say,. •EXPERIMENT.. • of his?" She slowly nods.

"You of course...asked him...what this experiment...was? Carol? You did...ask?" She slowly nods.

"And.. .his... reply?"

"Alright," spouts NJK, as we once again and final time FLASHBACK TO THE KRAUSMEYER HOME. "You're gonna know alii—if you wanna know so bad. ALLS And know what else? You...are going to helpl We're gonna put that mini-mind of yours to workl Maybe it'll, ha ha, grow...with exercise!

"Tell me, were you imagining my mind on another female? Bet," he laughs, "you were!

"Another female? HA HA HA HA HA HA HA! Another world!

"I, dear apouae, have been conducting —as I trust I bit-by-bit had been making cleaiv-an...experiment. No, not the kind at the job. Not QUITE prettier things for more people. Not QUITE the 5-hour daily. But, ha ha, the NIGHTLY!

"This nocturnal work, my dear...my ownl To break, shall we say, the monotony? Ha ha ha! Yes...! To break...to aay nothing of realizing —in one stroke, CHE STROKE—all...that I had eTer.....the formula...at last...FINI as they aay in French? The chemicals all, ha ha, arranged!

"Anthropology, non-alienated anthropology... I jret shall have ycu. Have? Ha ha ha ha ha! Be!

"THERE...is your rival! THERE... what your husband had been courting all these months! A crertmre known as...HOMINIDI

The human...as suchI NORBERT...aB...auch. Aa for the slimey civilisational clockpunching REST..harsh triumphant amile.

"QAZE, 0 georgieus empty-head, gase welll I...am on the threshhold, THRESHHOLD, of the REALi The...authentic 1 To see it, to gaze at it, all we need.•.is uncover, UNCOVER, a stinking civilizational crustl

"If I'm a chemist, then chemistry it is I If I'm a formula-man, then fonoula...IT SHALL BEl" And off he rushes to another room I

He reappears...a glass of ateaming liquid in one hand and a eloaed filled-up bottle in the otherl He slowly, cminously sets both glass and bottle on the table. "lou aee in front of you... whan* Norbert, yes. But whcei I Man.^cr FRE-manl Or are they, ha ha, the samel Ha ha ha hal Or one...IMPLICIT...in the other? Ha ha hal

"No, you cannot see this PRE, oan yeui Well, you may. In a few moments you just, ha ha, may I

"Ha ha ha ha hal AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAI"

"Norbert, I...*—getting mp to leave the room.

—"SHUT IT I Keep your mouth ahwt... and yeur womb epenl Or isn't this shutting all you've eveiwfrom girlhood—desired I All you've ever known, er CARED to know I Well NOW, domestic cow, you've QOT it. You life-long WANTED it, you've QOT it. And we'll Just KEEP it this way. Tour co*-siouth...SHTJTl"

A hush...

"Pre...if you will," resumes HJE, "manl

•Now I How much of this PRE...is still in us I

lhat...ia the question I Hoir is THAT for a suburban little pr-oblemi African Genesisi Predatory killer zinesI How mueh...are they still in ust"'

A hush* Bssnart! The telephone!

"Don't," he urders, "answer!"

She turns toward the phone₀ "DON'T," he bellows, "AHSWER!*

The rin*s cewae. "Not," he hsrshly smiles, "tonight. Tonight.* .this night...reserredI For, ha ha, soMtlmaf...elsei

"Know how olci cirllizstion is? Or" -seethe-"shall 7 rephrase it! Know hew old TOU are? TOU"—seetht*—"and civilization; TOU" —seething sputter^—"snd₀ •••«!" He slowly recaDposes himself' into that harsh smile. "Ten thousand.. .an most...years. And man himself? As SUCH? Shear how old KB is? A million...te fire ail lien I Maybe taml Maybe eren. • . twenty 1 Man.• .plus FBI mem. HCMIMID.. .aa I...was ssying.

"Ihat we new de"—•ominously picking up the flsss ef steewraing petis«—."is simple: KILL., .the past liI»,000..»elTllizstienal...years, mx TOT 10,0001 OBLITERATE, LIQUIDATE, ASPBTHAT1 them I they're beemn put on trial and found. .. guiltyl By at IflUST...two social theorists... from three.

"OUILTTl"—maenacinfly moring toward her— "of unreality!

"Hot good, met bad. Just...not real.

"No, QOODl The '(JOQD¹ ef 8-hour daily bores i The 'GOOD' ef oossmercial chores! The 'OOOD¹ of so many soul—sel' ring...whores!

"All we now"—ominously soring toward her— "to this •GOOD¹—all we now do...is....."—Bzzxiti Several more rings i SHE BREAKS FOR THE FHOWEl He beata her to it, blocks her handl

"All we," he repeats, raising the steaming glass, "to this 'goodness' de...ia DRIVE to it.

"A TOAST I And...QREETIWG81

"QREJStmQS.. .Neanderthal! C8tKKtmQ8... pithecanthropus Erect us I QREETIMQS... Australopithecus i GREETINGS..."

—"Norbert, I..."

—"Zinjanthropuai"

—"I think I'll say...goodnight."

"Ten will"—blocking her—"when this is over.

"You don't...wish.. .making a TOAST with me? You DON'T, dear spouse? Ha ha ha ha ha I HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAl Dear...DEAH spouse.

"Tell me, 0 10,OOO-one"—holding up the steaming potieo—"whcsu..do I ne*r<,..thia moment... remind you of I Whom...obviouslyI Whom...clearlyI As elear as your kitchen table, your kitchen sink, your glittering white kitchen stove! IE (Ml"

She ponders...

"Don't let those brains RATTLE," he harshly smiles.

"You, dear epomse, READ, don't you? Something other than recipes? Or at least DID... in grade sehocl? Then you surely recall...a little...yam? By R.. .L.. .Stevenson? Rings a bell? Vo? A doctor.. .and a mister?

"Now"—-like parent to child—"tell me... the mister¹ s...name.. Tell me...or I'll ten... your.. .HIDE I Tell me...or you'll hive no olace... to HIDE!"

A hush...

"Mister," she moftly replies..."Hyde."

"The bell doeg ring," he claps.

Carol pointa rar the steaming glass. "Then..."

—"You, ha ha, are getting itl I juat DP/ he cynically smiles, "it wouldn't take you all that long."

She eyes the rreaming glass, "But..."

"Question?"

"It was...onlT- STORY. Not...a real..."

—"No, not rambl. But of course all thia sweet SUBURBIA is rwl. YOU are real. I am real. Oar KIDS are real. Tke 8-hour DAILY is real. And this? Only a £laaa...of borie acid, beaieic acid, resorcinal, mvnthol, thymol, alcohol and water. With of eauree," he gleams, "an item mr two added. Like—just a da ah—amphetamine! Think I'll get a ticket for...SPEEDING? Ha ha hat

"Or like—a garni just a da ah—that which is used in...cosmetics- Until, that is, barred by the government...at?, ha ha ha, dangerous! As affecting, ha ha ha ha, the brainl To wit, hexaefclorenfcencl

"Which should nut, ha ha, a HEX ce the whole business? The whoI;e*..eivilisaticnal...brainl

"This"—railing glass—"may just —how shall we put it—DR-civilize...the brain? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hat AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA J

"And maybe even de-civilize," he laughs, "the body? If body and brain...be ONE!

"Though who in civilization would AUCT... it's one I Or if admit, would act.. .accordingly! 1H01 Tou know who? Rnm? N0BBERT...JONATHAN... KRAUSMETERI

"R. L. Stevenson does it on paper. N. J. Krauameyer does it.

"Have mind...will B1XM it. Have body...will LIBERATE it.

"Now...if your OWN brain...were anywhere beyond pea-site—if not by nature, HUKTUHI— but pea nonetheless, pea eophstioally, PSA," he bellows, "AS PATENT AS TOUR PEACE-AT-ANT-PRICE.• ." —seething sputter—"raOPEKSITT!!" Deep sigh. "If...said brain...were anywhere BETOND...said... aize, ycu.could then eaaily, ao easily, respond... 'Norbert, if you are bitching about my brain as pea-size, WHY ARE TOU OUT...TO SHRINK TOURS 1'

"Good...question. And...my...response... RESPONSE...

If, Carol, it must be pea, suburban-pea, let it at least be... ABORIGINE I

If it must be madness —civiliaational-aaburban madness-let it at least be...WILDERNESS!

If it must be cretinism —oivilizational-auburban cretinism-let it at least be...SENSUALISMI

If it must b«t barbarism,

lot it at lewirt be...NIETZSCHEISMl

If it must be TfILD /a lunge toward her7... CIVILIZATIOflLLLT.. .TECHNOLOGICALLY.. .IlLD.. .

At thi» point you c cone up with...'OSCAR' 5 And we'd, ha ha, both nave a laugh*

IF /Iunge7 WTLD,

let it bo IN THE HAWl TOOTH...and CLAW!

If j/calninj^. **it must be.*.banal —eweet^-auDturban banal— let it at lemst be...E7ILi

If boor, let it bo...JTJNQLE-MOQR!

If hate...ha ue, let it be...PRIMATE!

If aggression., lot it be...FUN!

If angst, lei it be...AAARGHI /Iunge7

If nut, lot ~_t be...OUT!

IF IT MUST 3S WAR, 0 MODERN-MAN WAR, LET IT AT LEAST BE...THOR!

IF ATTACK.. ATTACK,

IXT IT BE..-BAREBACK! /ripping off hia ahirt7

IF MASSACRE, LET IT BE...MAI STIBNER!

IF MACABRE, IXT IT BE CAT-BOB 1

If /calninj7...it mat be...boatility, letTit be..a tree."

A hush...

"Civilizatimnal savsgory," ho goes on... "and aavagoryl TTVA LA DIFFERESCEl

"But...to TTUD this difference, to I0CATE itl Or is it, ka fan, ^n my handi"—eyeing the a teaming glass in his ham.. "Hn ha ha ha hml HA HA HA HA I

If not...soon., «in the body?

HA HA HA HA HI HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA1* "Nerbert, I..."

—"AH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAi Hm ha hat"

"I..,must be...dreaming ell this. I..."

—"WEN WAKE UP! To the real I THIS"—raising glsss—"real. The SOU real. SOU 11 Only let's spell it S...O...U...L!

"Tou act like I'll be Uister Hyde right after this ia I* me. Well...I may. IF...it takes. The odds, if it Bakes you feel any better, are against ito Hence . • .CHALLENGE!

"N<wr"—like parent to child—"all you do —listen, now. Listening? Wanb AND ears open? All you do...is hang on...to THIS!"—picking op

the closed bottle.

"Take it," he orders. She ia motionless. "TAKE IT...1" he bellows.

Carol slowly takes it.

"Tou now possess," he smiles, "what is known as.. .antidote! Say it. SAT IT, TOU SILLY SACK OF CIVILIZATIONAL SPEW! SAY IT!"

"An...tidote."

NJE heaves a heavy nigh. "Antidote... for THIS!"—raising glass. "Just in case. Just," he besms, "in easel

"Tou then will have Mister Hyde...drink it. The...in case you've already forgotten...ANTIDOTE... I'm talking about. Get him to drink it in any way you can*

"Se..*you see? If I'm hurled into this land, I shouldn't be there...for very long. Just long enough fer**.s glimpse* A moment. I shall...teare that...m«aent* Shall...hare that...TRIP!

"As you"—tossing her pad & pencil— "are taking.*.not*-*. Tonight...you¹ re a acientistl Well, isn't that omta sight? You should be**, bubbling over I

"Read—raising glass. "You...know whst you're to del READY?" She slowly nods. He slowly brings tfee glass te his lips*..

"OH CAH'T II," she blurts, blocking the glsss, "talk it. * .rrer.*.a bit*..more?"

He heares a seething sigh. "You know you aIraoat spilled it? You know? BITCH I Ya goddam BITCH I I goddamit to hell TOLD you. The chances of this going anymmere are QODDAM RWl"

"But...if it...does 1 You won't be" —sudden sob—"my IGRBERT1"

"I got news for you. I'm not your Norbert NOWl In fact, I DON'T KNOW WHO THE FUCK I AMI But baby, I'm goau find out! Or tryl DAMN tryi

"Now let's"—rsising the steaming glass— "try 'er once agalm. Pencil...padl And hang on to that little BOTTU in your hands." He slowly brings the glass to his lips...

"Ch you're"—blocking—"Just...kidding mel This**.it's sll s JOKE...isn't itl SURE, it's, ha ha ha, a JOKEl Ha ha hai That's, ha ha, WATER ya got. Isn't it? Ha ha hal H..oha ha ha*.. 2...01 H..." "Oicsy," he answers, "H20. But you just keep that ANTIDOTE ready I"¹ NJK brings the stemming potion to his lips*..

"HI GODl"—blocking. "THE CHILDREN! Would they...be safe from...?"

—"STOPS I CLUCK I DUMBKOPF! Since when does FRE-wan, SUB-man, beast, ANT beast,

fall upon his own family!"

He brings the glass to his lips. "I," he ponders, "did eat dinner...tonight? I did!"

Glass to lips. "Die frigidaire!" he blurts.

"Filled? Well, is it?"

"I...think so."

"Well, CHECK it, woman, CHECK it!" She disappears to the kitehen. "I mean MEAT!" he snaps.

"All...full!" she voices free the kitchen. "MEAT?"

"In the freezer!"

"Freeser? Put it below! And put the REST in the freezer!"

"Vegetables too?"

"EVERYTHING in the freezer! Except. •• what pre-man...prefers! Except...tke PLESH-food. That...shall be his! That.,.unfrozen!" A hush. "Carol? CAROL?"

"Yes?"

w^hat the hell are you doing!"

"Oh ^ust...locking...the children¹*... bedroom door."

A hush...

"Okay," he yrcnrls, "get back in here. Bitch I I said i£ nerel"

"Ccmingi" She reappears.

"Let's for ctLrissakes get this over withi Or," he beams, "ZXOS'S sake? Or JOVE? JUPITER? BACCHUS? 0r...T5OR? WOTAN? Hm hm hm," he snickers. "MOLOCJF? Hm hm hm hm hml HAHAHAHAHAHA HA HA HAI

"Pencil.. .pac I"' As she picks these up, he slowly...once again...brings the steaming glass to his lips. •.

"Oh yesl" he oeama. "Teal Why not J Put OA...HDU" Sfc»e looks puzzled. "PUT...ON," he orders, "RICHASD. • .WAGNER!"

"A...record?*

"A recordI"

Carol searches. Finding a Wagner record, she inserts it to the record player. "When I go like SO," he snaps, suddenly raising high the glass, "CUT IT OFFI Catcfc? Huh?* She slowly nods.

He brings the glass to his lips. "Hi... first... tell me. What...do you think... of Wagnert* A husfc. "WHAT...DO TOU THINK... OF WACBIERi*

"Tli,* she grins, "he's.....whi..."

—shrugging her shoulders.

"Just.•.••?*'—imitating her shrug. "Meaning, dear wifte...you neither him love... nor hate. Tou neither him idolize.• .nor despise. Neither revere...aor jeer. Neither worship nor rip. Neither sanctify nor decry. Neither venerate nor

derogate, consecrate nor inflate, enshrine nor malign, yearn-for nor abhor.

"You feel neither excited nor alighted, delighted nor mi tad, enthused aor abused.

"And then you wonder...why I'm drinking thisl

"You aee, dear land of middle.• • middle-brittle-twittlel 0 land of mid, where ia thine id, 'neath some.. .pyramid? You see, dear daffedil of squaresville, if you would tell me... like...'Wagner? HE MACS ME FEEL I'VE JUST EATER A ROTTEN EGG I JUST KISSED A LEPER I BATHED II A GUTTER I SWAM II A CITY SEWER 1 SWALLOWED A JAR OF JISMi A JUG OF COWS PUS! A BOTTLE OF ROTTEI HORSE-BLOOD!' You then...would poasess... that which is known as...a view.

"Pro...con...but...a view.

"COLOR! All, that is, but.. .grey.

"Our daily day"—trance—"ia grey. Then...twilight. If it be grey, let it be... dooaadayl If twilight, let it be...OF THE G0D81 TORI IT 01!!"

Blaring forth—NJK gleamimgly holding the a teaming glaaa—is Wagner's RIDE OF THE VALKTRIES!

On it plays 1 He raises the cup high! Off it goes! He slowly puts the potiem te his lips...

Dropping everything, Carol bursts into tears!

He eyea her. He slowly steps over to her, gently lifta her chin, gazes into her soft-sobbing eyes...

CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK! Acroat both aides of her face!

She lets out a howl! He calmly atepa back to hia position*

"Pencil," he orders.*."paper!" She slowly picks these up. "You were HOT," he snapa, "0 suburban clot—domestic cow and middlebrow— you were not exerciaing mental faculties BKPORK! Don't start HCHT1 It'a a bit*** latei Just*..new...do sll you're TOU) to do. Question?" She slowly shakes her head HO. "Very," he smiles harshly, "well!"

HJK slowly brings the steaming glaas to his lips. "Hm hm! Do I say goodbye? Or farewell! Because.*.if I don't ccme back, if the trip come out one-way—if I'm STOCK in the land of the ugly, the brutish—if I'm STOCK in the atrocioua, the ferocious, the chsstising, the bullying, the snarling, the menacing, the tyrannising, the overriding, the coldhearted, the crude, the devilish, the shrewd, the bloodthirsty, the lewd

—IT"—shriek—"I'M STOCK. IF I RON AMUCK, I.....DON'T 0171 A

He gulps it down!

New I have died. It ie gome. Spider, what de you spin around me? De you want bloed? Alaai Alas I The dew falls, the hour approaches —the hour whom I shiver end freeze, which asks and asks snd asks, "Tti© has hesrt enough for it? Who shall aay: thus shall you rum, you big and little rivers I" The heur approaches. 0 man, you higher man, take caret This speech is for delicate ears, for your ears. WHAT DOSS THE DEEP MIDNIGHT DECLARE?

Zsrethustrs

Clutching hi* throat, following the gulp-dow»— faiMnjr, coughing—is NJKl

Tumimg hia f_rom Carol,

he goea on thia wa.louder••.LOUDER 1

He bolts to *.w*ther room I

Frm that room \₉ heard a bloodcurling ahriekl Another shri*ai Another! A hush...

Out steps.... . what looks like an APS I

Carol stands frozen...

"AAAKQB...I* It lunges at heri She screamingly retreats I

"AAAAAltGH.....1 "—chasing her round-and-round

the room, she screamingly ducking, tripping over thingsI

•mi.....I" It fellows, "KILL.....t"

—As the ohase goes on, chairs kicked over, tables upsetl

The creature stops I And ponders. "MEATt"'

it suddenly cries, bolting to the frigidairel

It reappears with—and biting into— a stuffed chicken. "MM..... 1*—smacking lips.

It Donders. • And...OTHER...kind...of meat?

Tes.....OTHEftl"10.....I* she cries. "HOT...

THE CHILDHEV1*

"Tes.....1 HA HA HA HA HA HA HA t"—tossing the

chioken aside and bolting toward the children¹ a room I

"*0.....I*—screamingly blocking the creature.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAl" it roars, shoving her aside. "AAAAAlWH.....l*-«di_Mpp_#«_ri_ng_#

♦nI.^Eli" SlS ^mrixuy?>JShe breaks to the phonel "OH.....I" she utters, dialing!

"Yeu"—reappearing—"eluekl Teu mean" —remeYiwg the turns—"you didn't know X

waa in thia?"

"Ohi" she cries in relief.

"Of all tha..>DODOSi"

"Ch hohl" she Isughs and cries,

"Of all the*,, I TOU, darling, are 3-D!"

"Oh hehl"

"DODO, DtJMBBKX.a^MPDt"

a 'Joke, Ho ho ho ho hoi The whole... thAg"—eliding int» hia anna—"WASl Ch he., .you... oh-h: ho hel Playing this... J0D5 on me. Ch ho he he ho ho he hel" More laugh then a "tush.

"Who* were you calling I" he snaps, breaking fro® her. "WHO WSBK TO CALLDKJl"

"Mother.*

"Tou mean"—the—"you were calling

your

mother?"' "TOUBSl" A hush...

"Well," he y«wma...»taRorrcw...I guess... I'll make it to wor*...bright...and early. So..

—"I'll set ttt» alarm. I'll do it now so I won't forget. Sewen?"

"Em, make it* mi...six...thirty. I feel...KUBGKTICi BBR.....getie."* —sudden strange dr-op ef energy.

' * - «.

""But. ••the next morning," intones Carol, "be*••doesn't go to work*

^M0h, he's up at 6.301 But .^doesn¹1 gol" _

—sudden sob. "KOR WE MKT MOHMIMOl NOR THE MEXTt"

She slowly recaiposes herself. "The fourth morning.. .he's gone*"* "QOHE?" echos the snslyst.

She slowly nods. "If he's with s girl friend.• .so I'll giro his s night er two( Why notl 7s know, some people shouldn't get married?" She heaves a sigh. "The next dsy I'm on the msll, a few blocks down—shopping. A neighbor ssdfrcingly tells me she's semn my husband. Ihere? I wouldn't ask you to guess. Just south of 11 Mile, just west of Greenfield. Hhst's orer there? A GREEK FIELD I Sometimes kncsm ss woods 1 Just across from Lincoln Center. Too know where. You must hsve shopped there.

•Just across...are those...woods I And now.. .inhabited I"

•Tour.. .husband?"

•Just off the dirt road. Sitting.*'

•Sitting?"

•And gazing. At a sunset. In his lapel... a dandelion. In his hand...a pad. And...peneil."

Again into a sob, ahe reecmposes herself. •He.••doesn't knew me." A hush* •Tou can sea him*.oiost anyday. Just off.••the dirt...road. Nhen he'a not.,.back into the woods. And hia little...shack,"

A hush...

"So fro® people," exclaims Peruzzi, "he has withdrawn!" •Withdrawn?" she laugha. "Quess againt For all mho happen by —and I don't mean just humans—he has a greeting!

"I mean frcai this greeting no living thing. _## escapes ( I mean right down to the caterpillar I ExcuseI BROTHER caterpillar. Or...SISTER.

"And children? Anybody, hmf, trying te get him out of thome woods and I swear you'd see a children's riotI"

•Ifa HMi And...his <wm...children?"

"He knows them no more than he knowa me or his own name I"

"Not even...same kind of...RECOGNITION... of his own...?"

—"No more, no less thsn of OTHER children.

But he st least now seems to know his twe kids exist! Hmf i At least thst!"

"And. • .his wife I How...is she... greeted?"

"As I said, Doctor Peruzsi, nothing escapes his greeting. Or his...love."

"LOTS.. .you did say?" She slowly nods. "WELL," he blurts, "TREK..."

—"Are you, mister, head-fixer," she chuckles, "out of yeur head? I SHOULD TAKE UP WITH A MAS TAKDI0 UP WITH ANTS, CATERFILLABS AID RGDEHTS? I should—yes?—be 0VERJ01BD...at ssid...level And dancing on that dirt road 11 What I, hmf, SHOULD do, on this 'slight¹ case of desertion, is csll the lew!"

"Tiiy...didn't you!"

Carol aigha. "Maybe too busy wondering why am neighbor didn't. I'* afraid though... I'll...be doing just thst. Unless, DOCTOR... you csn a owe up with s en e thing.

"'Do this,' I tell hi*, 'when VACATTOW-time comes up.'"

"And?"

"'Sister Carol,• he smiles, 'you have eky-blue eyea!'"

"I, he ha, know what he means!"

"'Sister,' he smiles, 'Join me for a vacation...permanentI As we Join...the lilies of the field! Which neither toil...ner spin, lfcey Just...growl'"

■LT7I...with him?" asks the analyst.

She slowly nods. "WELL, 5HEN...1" ho blurts. "Oh. Not...with...all the..."

—"Ante...catexpillaro—thank you, doctor, for your understanding—and rodents!

"Don't look now, but ho asks everybody to ccme liro with him. --

"Ho obviously noods help. And you're the doctor! If...you can DO anything... I "—sigh.

"I'to heard of people living in their backyards but. • .nor would I object! Did I object to his workrow, his night>-aftor-night experiments, hi......but this!

"HE VAT BE IN THE WOODS BUT HE'S OUT OF

HIS TREE:

"So...if you can do anything, okay! If not..."

—"Carol. Wo...shouldn't...bo hasty about this." '"Oh really?" she ehuokles.

"I mean..."

—¹"My husband turns roadside hobo I And you...tell no not to be hasty!"

"Analysts don't...pull rabbits...out of hats.

"Well, TRTl I swear evorytime I'm on the sail I get from somebody...snickers! Not that I care what neighbors think! But..."

—"But ymu...eare. Nhe those mass-man days doesn't! Who those days"—he gases into spaceman roally...stand up to it!" Mora gaze. "To be a man, once uttered Ralph Waldo Baerson, is to be... a non.c.eon.....h<mr long"—snapping out of gaae—

kl

"has your husband been in th ose.* .woods t"

"It⁹s near into the second., .month I"

"How...does he EATl How...does he..."

—"When people USE you, it's hard to starve. Though MEAT," she chuckles—"don¹1 ever bring him THAT! What does he like? Greens.. .peanuts. .. ODD'S food he eslls it. MOWKET food I call it.*

"Go on."

"To where I A roadside log? And on it he sitsl SUWset-watohing, BIWMratohing, UXT-wa tch ing • And •••poems? Haft I swear he's scribbled one about every woman that's walked by! And gives me a copy!"

"Gives you...?"

—"Fancy THAT one. Writes a poem on a female and"—seethe—"hands me a copyt"

A hush...

"May I...SB one?" asks the analyst.

She heaves a wrought-up sigh. "T" —opening her purse—"guess there's one swiming around here...somewhere." She seethlngly pulls out a sheet of paper. "Msryanne...01 "—tossing it on his desk.

"Who," he aaks, picking it up, "is Ma ryanne.. . 01" "He sees her once," boils Carol, "talks to her ten minutest That's who Ma ryanne 0 1st"

"Oh?"

"Oi"

"Oh.

Inner," reads Bsruszi., ."symphony,

Sis sling* • .simplicity

—is Maryanne*

A desert ea re wan I —as the sun ^troches the horizan

—is Maryanne*

Triumphant tan., PRE-tANCIENT CLAN

—is liaryanne.

A French chateau, Riviera glow, A meadow, moonlit nightI

—is liaryanne...Ol"

A hush...

"Pre," ponder* Peruzzi, "ancient.••clanl Hmn...l Not Just....ancient •••but,.. PRE I"

"Susanl" seettnes Carol, tossing him another sheet*

"Hair of red, he reads, "Athene's head, Eyes of brown—a or own I

Susan* • .the muni

Star, aoon, satellite of June I

SU...SANI A midsummer. • .fan* —As she ran.—.onto the mall, Into the beams.••of alii"'

"She sure ran into HIS heart," snaps Carol, "lois 1"—brusquely^ tossing kirn another sheet. "And her THIHO,"* sneers Carol, "on canvas. A COKE bottle she usints. Just..*COXE bottle* And for him? Hoo-*aa"—ire—"hee-hee hee-hee hee-hal"

"Xois," reads the analyst, "and ker thing... on canvas.

I»3

A bottle? A throttle? A towering twaddle? Hay, a gustl A thrust I An sncient bust! As though blown from Moby Diek's belly, And lsnding In a Rosisn qusyl

Lois I

Whose eyes...s dreamy Danube, Mouth...a warm Mediterranean, Lips••.Italian sunsett All reaching. • • For sn ancient polls, Romulus & Ramus, A silver sarcophagus, A cosmic trussI

And her tfcing on canvss... touching them."

"Maei" growls Carol, tossing kim another sheet. "We.. .YORK together. *

"WORK together?¹¹ "Chi" she chuckles. "I didn't tell ya. I took a Job! Waitress* I.o.hsd to get my mind sn something other than..* One day I'm hiring a sitter and off —it's on the mall—to (Jus's Dining Room I gel

"And guess mho steps in sbeut every other day! Thm woodsman himselfl The philosopherl The...sll the OTHER items he's known as. 5mm kids, ha ha, call him the 'Buddhist¹• One little girl calls him SCO-man. 7a kncsr, ECOLOGY. She's se cute. • Eco-msnl' Ha ha hat

"One afternoon, eating that big bowl ef Oreek salad that {tas always puts in front

of him, my husband spots Mae. Conversatisn...

then THAT! "—bitterly jabbing at the sheet. "She's part Cheretaae. Ihich drove kin just...I" —stocking the vootean¹! being turned en. "Maybe I can find ass* Indian blood in MB!" she cynically snaps.

"A blue sea," reads the analyst —"touch ef aborigine —dash ef Geaxrgian Cherokee, A tucked-swaT" cart -Appalachian bouquet —aagnolia-trM array Is Mae!

Happy. . .birtfauiay!

"Her.. .birthday?" "And," cynically replies Carol, "her FHKSHP?!"i—jabbing at the poea. "Well," he grins, ^rI can think ef worse birthday gifts." "Patricia...C!" she sneers, tossing hia another sheets

"Teu," he asks, "KNOT this Patricia...C?"

"Only freau.*SLAf!"—seethingly jabbing at the sheet.

"A blesssaU"* he reads, "Is all I im, When first X aee Patricia C.

A blessen! That yet fiafts it At times

Hard.•• to blast. Ihisparing At times •Only when HTMUITY blesses will I.t

Ii5

"Interesting...XHDIWO," he remarks.

"And then we have," she cynically smiles, "Joyce.,.Ml"—tossing his another sheet. "From north New Tork. Here one day. 00 DATI But long enough to get WAT written about her."

"Glow at twilight," he reads, "Glitter at dusk, Primordial voice

—Joyce I

Ghosts of Iroquois, Shades of ancient Troy, Primal poise

—Joyce I

Up a wild St. Lawrence, Through north New Tork, Through Lincoln's Illinois

—Joyce I

A doe darting, eagle soaring, The trees rejoice

—Joyce I

Indian stwsier, Sky. ..bush...stem

—Joyce Ml"

A hush...

"That's it?" he asks.

"Im't that enough?"

He grins. "Okay, Carol, where is it I"

"Hhere is whatl"

"The poem on...CAROL!" "Tou tell MX1" she bitterly chuckles.

U6

"But® • oon every wanan he canes by, you say...he..."•

—"Well, he^r j working on it. Or so he ssysl 'For you, Sister Carol,* he beams, 'it's the BIO one. For you... something... special I ■"

"Special I 1*12 welli And you growling about being on tfe* same plane as the OTHER..."

—"Meanwhil* I've yet to hear beyond the FIRST LUE!"

"First...Ham? Ihich...would be...?"

Carol sighs. "Sky-blue... Chi"

"Kay I, Card, have...said...line?""

She sigfrs* *Sky-blue.. .her eyes."

"Sky-blue," be echos..."her eyesl"

"Tesh," she ritterly chuckles, "maybe TOU can get beyomt it."' "Tou...never can tell,"' he grins. "Sky*-b.lM," he ponders..."her eyssl"

"For me is smarm the big one. The big,", she mocks, "CUE.. *XDfEl"

"Sky-blue la ponders... "her eyes I

"CARMEVi"—tapping up. "ESPRITS1 TJV BEL DI1

"And," he croons, sitting back down,

"I guess I'll stt^k to...payihiatry.....i"

She giggles. "Bwt I did,¹* he grins, "make a STAB st it."

"We'll give i^sm A," she grins, "for Absolute effort.* She beip-ne lesving. "Or S for Stsh."

<4f

"Going • obi ©where 7"

"Oh.••just a little place known ae Southfield police."

"You're not,..really,..going to..."

—"Well, YOU'RE not doing anything. Outside of reading poensI Poems are for a POETRY session. Even poems on womenI Goodbye, doc tori"¹ Exit.

"Caroli Waitl You can't just...CAROL! I've something. • .to ask you I I'VE...!"—a hush.

"Peruaai," he says to himself, "ya blew iti"

He hums•• .then slowly pulls frem the desk a newspaper. The front-page is one massive word

DREAMS'. Humming, he flips to the pages inside —reading, as he flips through them, the sundry page-titles:

"'HISTORY IS A HIGH WARE FROM WHICH I'M TRYING TO AWAKE.'

'DREAMS PRCM CALIFORNIA PRISONS.'

'THE DREAMS FREUD DREAMED.¹

Ah.....1

'WHEN WILL MAM, GREEDY FOR THE

SMALL CHANGS OF REASON, STOP NEGLECTING

THE TREASURES OF HIS DREAMS 1'

)ta*»..l" he nods.

"•WE ARE ALL A DREAM IN THE MIND OF GOD.¹

'DREAM OF A RED CHAMBER.

THE SSMOI DREAMERS OF MALAYSIA.¹

* BREAM W k QUEER FELLOW.'

Ii8

•IF TOTJ CAHJOT SEE,

HE DOVm AH) QO TO SLEEP. '"

Slowly closing the newspaper, Peruzxi gazes into space. "Sky-fclme...her eyes! Sky-bine..." —slowly re-entering is one with sky-blue eyes.

"I'm., .glad," he softly says, "you came...

back."

"Only...for what you wished asking me."

"I um...wished...asking...you...un..."

—"Goodbye, doctor!"

"CAROL! "—hopping up but TRIPPIWG (accidently or otherwise). "Ch!" she cries.

"Would yon," he asks, stretched out on the floor, "hsre DIMMER. ..with ne?"

A hush...

"Thank you...anyway," she repliea, helping his up. "Look!" he blurts. "If you think I'm asking because I dig you, you're right! But...ASIDE from that. Maybe...if we can... relax erer...a well-done STEAK...or something... we might—who knows!—oomo up with...something.

"Let's see!" he chuckles. "Shall I buy you a steak? Or—what with meat prices—a gold watch!"

"Goodbye ... Joker 1"

"CAROL'."—blocking her. "This thing... this...CASE of your»...is, honest, as heawy with me as with you! It's far out! It's... fascinating! It's..."

—"But not for K!"

U9

"It's a cas« far, subjsct for, different. . _#3CmCXS S A subject. . .for.

—»ⁿHEWSPAKE reportere? T7 canerae? 'MAN FOUND LI7I2K...uie A MCWKKTi OHAIOUTAII ' they'll think to SOU 'pretty' thing like that. 'MAV FOUKD.. JTOT IX THE JUNQISS OF AFRICA. BUT...H THE.•.^r*—breaka dcwn In aob. She slowly recompeaea hera&lf.

"Then whatye say, Carol, we get cmr noggins together and sea if we can cone up with acne thing 1 MTOHD, that la, Hie tin star and brass knuckle* TDTT know what follows the fuss* It say er nay not be a newspaper reporter. It WILL be*..a clinic. If not...an ssylanl Like...one not Tory far fron here* Known as PGVTIAC.

"Hist a nana far a place where people are lacked wpi A liberty-lowing Indian! But then... what a SCHQ... far* those singing It while beating th< heads ef Algerians. The liberty-lauding MARSKLLAI33

"I osn...TS2X you thinga about ny profession. We put people awwy, Pentiac er other track, that in other eountrLea would be given bluest honors I

"Anerioa. First settled...by Puritans. And guessi They're still sbouti—churoh-holy, psychiatry er etthnrwlae. And a till pretty good at telling us what OBAUTT nsana, what SH neans, what VASTIVO TOB 4 K»-PB0UWT1V1TI mean —0 Gospel ef Woxrkl—what lOB-ADJUSBffiHT neans.

"Don't tell ny colleagues what I said. But they can read: it, if they can ewer break swsy from thsir suburban hidesways, In sny sociology ef psychiatry, amy analysis of peyuheenalysisl Including ny own-..if it's ever finished.

"Still...we analysts, thersplsts, are not AI£...Biariseee» Sose of us...try a bit BXTCED...

that* Though Ttmr of us.♦•MAKE it. Help me, Carol, * fee one of those...few.

A hush...

"l®iat»..do r *ol" she asks.

"A real gotmr beginning...is dinner with ®e."

Carol pooden. "Dinner. . «with . . .*y —is this what ias known in psychiatry as... Transference?"

"Just...trainee. Mine! At the.o. rather.o.strikin^roo«n4 unusual...features* —smilingly eyedzag her bodily features— "of this...case. **

"Hm hm inn,"* chuckles Carol Krausmeyer* She and her analyst are at a restaurant, dining*

"And than he says," grins the latter —"Wanna hear what else he says? ^fI^fM TOUR HAH,¹ he says, 'FOR. THE JOB OF 5ECRETART OF HEALTH, EDUCATION ABU WELFARE I I'M HEALTHT, I'M EDUCATED, AND I'M ON WELFARE I'"•

"Ha ha hia," she laughs* On they eat*

"Well dame?" she asks, referring te his steak,

"Net***Al£ that well* Tours?*'

"ALL that, well* So**.your book cones out***

when?

"Whoa, I hawwan't even done all the research I But ycnur ease—wow—shall mndoubtwwlly be part of itl Hint least this ticklish businsass of when to bring nn the law***when not-ao-quiimk to© Might call it* * * HETCHIAIRT AMD LEGAUTT* Ta ZikeT Huh**

"limn, I don'-x know* Kinds• • •ma*• • schoolish! How auiout** oPSICHIATRT AND*** I don't know* DDF? BUMBLEBEE? What's fuxmy^J*

"Ha ha hat Uarol, you're nothing short of smascaentt"

■I'm only tryamg to put scae ZI? into itu. I'm sure you'll c<sms up with your own** "As I'm sure,¹" he grins, "It'll now be anything but FSTCHIATRY AMD LEQALITTt So you see? Tou did.♦♦that tittle.. „ JAR it***a trifle*"

"Glad I'm gooid for SQMEthing* If onIy***jsrrinc^'

He chuckles* On they steafc-eat**»

"Might even wll the book,"' he grins, gazing into her ejfms, "SET BLUE.**HER ETESJ"¹

"Hat hat"¹ she chuckles *

•Anyway,"¹ he goes on, "you now, I believe, see whr1^f» in no rrush to buss the fuss* Big'"*"

"I DOf'T dig*. Tell that to the next rietia of the MxtL*.»auig*rl"'

"I'll*••tell it***to**»your illustration Carol, a a ens s bl*.» ••■■■•••unfair* Or.**un.«^.¹¹

. —"TELL THAT*.••TO tHE MEXT.**l I'm sorry* I^fa Jusst***aot ay»olf.•♦these day®**

"Nor"i—fssine into her eyes -"kaybe •**!»*

On they teat...

"So yon took DA1CE lessonst" hs axe la in* •

"ITas gonna BE a dancer* Til I one day come by « certain chem-grad student* I got news for yat I was gonna be, cnce upon a tine, a child counselor tool"

"Social workI"

"Children only* I love 'awl Soon, though X«_B busy with wy own. And into the land —as a certain VJK puts it—of aiddle-brittle-twittlel Or is it s DOGOIE, as he wore than once shouts it, WAOOIHO ITS TAIL I Tell we, doctor..."

—"Shel."

"HJB?"

"Sheldon* ..Paul* * •PerueziJ"'

She sailes. "Tell me***Shel.*»"

—"Anything t"

"Were you analysing ay husband...or ael"

"Iftsa," he penders*

"Or do you hare to look in your notebook to find outI"

"Ifall..."

"Like saeetlwes the way you'd be eyeing we... when I'd be bringing up, ya know, the notion of*** other wenen he wight be...seeing* la know, like..." —eigh*

Si

"A real, a sowing problem in thia society of ours, £*rol—this oh-ao-sane sooiety— would be..♦monogamy. I almost said Jealouayl Which, from mcmasmmy, is—<ie7—e direct flow. Historically, thla problem of monogamy goes back to no more than. .asms

—"Problem? Miliars Of...society."'

"Pillar? fcnrv-etre. But what would you say about all xhose...gaga about itl"^f

"Gags?"

"THAT IS PARA2E8E? GST MARRIED THEH 1HIWK BACK! WAT IS THE CAUSE OF DIVORCE? MARRIAGE* WHAT 12 WEDLOCK? MORE LOCK THAI WEDt Want anymore?"' already,"' she chafes,

"made your point*"*

On they meatamt..*

"80,"' he gmw, "what's my pointl"'

"That I drcrwe him to the woods. Well, did IT*

"Whst?"

"Drive him %m the woods l"'

"Item, ne.""

"Did I...PMHLT?"

"Ho more tfcusc any other.••spouse."

"That^fs not what I asked you*"¹

He smiles*

*Then," she exclaims, "I did..•partly•••"'

—"If you were now in my office, I'd say you're CHAST1SIWG yourself."'

"And...with good.•.reason?"

"There•• .IS the problem.• .of the mate's honest~to»goodness acceptance...of the other's...*

-—"HO...I Don't talk to MS of acceptance! That's my middle name! Unless you'd like adding LOTALTT.. .DEVOTION."

"Even unto...dwelling with him...in the..."

—"Ch, come on I" she chuckles. "Sheldon, cobm on I

"Okay, TOT bed down with all the lilies of the field 1 Teahl We'll let TOU hare that 'pleasure'. Have your clientele on LOOS instead of couches. As they listen to a babbling brook, a robin redbreast! As they tell their dreams... of climbing Mount...Everest!"

"HA HA HA HA," he laughs. "As they gaze up at Luna," she goes on, "to see if they're locneyi"'

"HA HA HA HA!"

"Up st the stars...for more balaneyj"

"HA HA HA HA! Carol, you're too much! Hey, but their ids, libidos! THESE, in the great outdoors, should more quickly—hm?<—unfreeze!"'

"As they sneeze n' wheeze!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HA!*

On they easteat...

Ta know," he smiles, "this is...kinds nice.

You...me...this little...table. La la lele la"—breaking into the Strauss BLUE DANUBE—"la 1a, la la—La la la la la. la la, la lal"

"HA HA HA,* she laughs.

"And a blue,* he smiles, his palm slowly passing over her soft blue eyes, "n very blue... very-very blue...a sky-blue,..soft blue... Danube.. .River I"

"Hm hml" she giggles.

A hush,,,

"Vienna breathes of spring divine"' —he suddenly is singing the Strauss TALES FROM THE VIENNA WOODS—* that looks up to the cloudless skyl lol Southfleldl

• •.breathes of spring divine, that looks up to the cloudless sky, Southfield breathes of birds that sing, that always cones with every springl

Can you HEAR heri

The tales Southfield would fulfill, the songs about the wishing well...

PATRICK.. JfUVSXL!

So full are tt»y..*of"

—high note, gwsing at Carol—"love.....1"

Carol olaps. *Wsitl"' he smiles. "She⁹ 8 not finished!

So full are ttaey... ef.. .love.....1

I love every great delight,

gaity and laughter bright,

ah Vienna—S0DTH7IKLDI"u-quickly correcting

himself—"nh Southfield., a hush.

"Better stick to Vienna 1¹¹ she chaokles •

"Ah Vienna," he sings on, "ah Vienna, la la la, la la la la—la la la, la la la la —ah.. .Vionna-South field you're happy once...aore!"

"HA HA HA I"

"Are you.. .happy, . •once more?"

"No, but you.,.are funny!" "Only in Austrian-Parisian-Romaanian carts!" he grins* "And... Roman!"

"And in your office tool" she grins•

"Truly?"¹

"Truly as you're novr eating.••steak!" "Aw," he grins, "yon tell that to AIX the.analysts." She ohuokles. On they neateat...

"Tou rsmimd we," she says, "how Norbort Is NOT! Or, ha ha, ISl Is WMl I'm, I gaess," she ohuokles, "mixed up!"

Carol sigha. "If we oan only... this thing... an., .mix!" "Bring hin back," ami lea

Porassi, "to reality?" .

% '«

"Jaat...to »a."

■Ton," he grins, "neaa..."

—"Right! Minus om fsmalea, poetise or otherwise. Ma, a home and two loraly ohlldraa! Siat's enough far oma mam's mlmd. Ike rest of

the world? It'll take care of itself!

"Lowe everybody? UatAl everybody lavas me, it's my family first*

■I didn»t mmj first, last and always. A hermit I hap* Z*m aat. Ce—mii [j things I haps I'm inta. Bat family...first!

"!•« na phJJLmaepher, Shel, but this I know: Wi cling to this tiny—call it even TIDBIT— thing called faacUy. Or cluster ef families called suburbia. 3r cluster ef suburbias called my country. W* ellmgl Like, ekay, infants I Te their...nipple*I IB CUTOi Because.., there is nothing., .else I"

A hash...

"Unless," wkm adds, "you ean SHCTt me something else.*

•Talee," ha grins, "ef the Semthfield..."?

—"Tixieh woeAa...oan get migbty eeldl Ilka I ask him...Tfeat are ya genna da whan nam eaaes!' 'abater Carel,' he sailea, •hem da I knam.. .winter ia eomingl•

"Parden my fatalism, eall it even conserve tisa, bmt winters de arrive! The winters" —gazing inte specm "af the heart. ..earnl..." —a hush. "Serry, Sheldon. There ia ne eso aping •.•these...winters." On thay meateat...

"So in all Hd±s.. .winter," he reaarks, "the one •••warm spot. . .would be..."

—"RightI That small...suburban...bungaloi"

"Tet...surely there is scsMthing... I mean SIQVOTCAKLY scmiething...beyond... my little well-kmprt lawn...my...little..."

—"Dh huh,* aba cynically injects, "better to give than to vmceive! Hey, isn't that what the WORE said? Batter to give...than to...as she giggles at the foamy things ahe⁹s learned in school.

Like « body worth only 97 eental

"Hero X cm talking about whoresi" aha ahucklea. "Blame him for that tool Ha put the word WOBK in wy wind ao many tiaaa it*a oowing out of my..*earsi To him I'm whorryl"

"Xaant, of course, in a different way*¹"

"I DOW ufciah way he wesnt it*

I'm a sellouti So in a sellout world I'm s aelloutl With my husband, everybody's a two-bit.*.I" —seething sputter* "I mean the 0U> Herbert,"' she ehmekles, "the 2-month-*go forbert."

"To***", he grins, raiaing ewp, "UK But new? Or oldi Tales of the Southfield Woods? Or***"

—"If seek talea," she seethes, "if msm lOOOSKAI, drink alone* To" T-smllingly raising sup—"your book!"

"Of uteieh Carol and her eaae***ie part*.* H. * jafWBIBLtt ^saying it, with a twinkle in his eye, in French* "To," he toaata, "the eesel" They drink...and reaume meateating*

"So I'm only part of your re sea rah I * aha grins.

* •

"Part"—edging up to her—"moat. .* RK38XI Or most"—gaming into her eyes—»"BI2W"

A hush, their lips almost touching***

"How," rite maimers (lips still clowe), "is your*••steak?"'

"Hard*"⁴

"Hard?"

"Like.*.the rock...of angels*"'

"Snow," she asks softly, "what yow._##need?"

"Hist...do I...needl"

"A. ••dessert*"

"Dessert?"

"Dessert.""

"Like?"

"lee creaml"

"Ice,••cream?"

"For coolinf»,*offl"

His lips mowrn slowly swsy from hers*

"Ice cream 1" he exclaims* "As soon" —rigorously cutting into his steak—"as I finish, •• this 1

"And to think"—holding ip s piece with the fork—*we once ate this raw J"

"We?*

"0«i omit Bmrly msn, BUM man* He amst hare had.,, THE® i^B

"Or FAWK*

""AAAWH," he grins, his month open* "AAABQR," she grins, slipping a piece of steak in his momtfc* Tfcmy langh,

SUMS," lie grants, "good***goodil» they lawgh...and on they meateat,,.

•wjj know?* vtters Carol. "I warn reading

sonswhere...early man wasn't all that wild I Not like everybody thinks!"

Perusal ponders. "Ii know you're right? He didn't eren BAT meet."¹

"Didn't? Oh come on—not et ell?"

"That is •• .VEST early men« HB-«an, SUB-wan. Woman tool Rmf, can I ever forget itl It like screwed up my 'A' in anthropology! Or was it prehistory! It was! Pre yup history!

Orer that one...damn little.....TRU1 OR FALSI!

MAM BXOAV 15 MEATRATHR!

mark TRUS," he croorja, tthe prof ■arks KHHHHi I nark troi, the prof marks HHHHHl I mark TRtJ*...""

—"HA HA HA I So you got a 'B'l*

"A ^fC'l 3embody up there didn't lore me,"

■Ch?"

"All X was gonna do was bmro down the HOTC beliding.*'

On they meateat...

"Were you?" she asks.

"Ihat?"

"Burn down the HOTC building?"

He chuckles. "Facifistically..«ye8. Pacifistically...Symbolically...I did.

"Ita km, HOfl"

"A lethal weapon known as a picket sign!"

She eyes hi*, "Are 100...the one... thit tossed s rotten tomato st Hubert Htmphrey?"

"HA HA HA! Well..."

"It was...yes I Some...PSTCHIATRY... student...that..."

—"That ncm, in Ann Arbor, runs a crisis clinic. I SHOULD have tossed it. As I TOO, I think, should be running a crisis clinic. "Instead of," she sniles, "listening to suburban-wivea' tales? Tales...of the Southfield... housewife?"

He reap cms with a chuckle. He so on again is into the BLUE DAHUBE: "Da-dtm, da-dum, da-dun, d\sa-dun!" "Da-dun," she responds with the second bar, "da-dun, da-dua, dun-dunI"¹ They laugh...then find themselves gazing into eaoh other's eyes...then quickly resume eating.

"Or," he grins, "I should have been s chiropractor! And gotten BACK pay."

"AH HA HA HA!" she loughs. "So now you're getting HEAD pay."

"How I'm getting...HA HA HA HA! HEAD...HA HA...HIMT!"

"Think anybody visiting you ought to have their HEAD examined?"

"HA HA! Only if they're poor. The fee WOULD make them feel bad enough to need a shrink."

On they meateet...

"Did osrly man have an analyst?" she asks.

"If that's a true-blue question, he had s SHAMAV."

♦

"Witch doctor!"

"Uh huh."

On they meateat...

"Did the shamen eat meat?" she asks.

"I.. .suppose."

"Early man?"

"Early men,"

"Very early?"

"Very."

"SheldonI"

"Hm?"

"Tou before said early man ate no me?»tl"

"I.,.DID, didn't It We've been eating it only sbout...cho..the past quarte^-aillion years. Might even stretch it to a HAU-oillicn. But don't aak Robert Ardreyl Nor Konrad Lorenzl Kcr Naked-Ape Desmond Morris I THAT crowd, THAT creed, would make it FIVE million. MUDflJMl No, don't ask THAT bunch." "Okay," she smiles, "I'll ask TOUt"'

"Ask and you shall receive. Something OTHER than an Ardrey-Lorenz-lforris notion—or implication— of man as killerl Killer instinotl IMSTIMJT1 Ihat unmitigated crept" Pause. "Ihat do TOT thinkl"

"ifcat do I think? Funny, isn't itt The aame question from NJK, SAME 10KDS, would be enough to send SHIVERS up my spine." She sign. "Ihat do I think? I think man. *.ia.. .imperfect.*

"He doubtless is. But your tone implies he's alao born in ainl But let's gat back to how he began. V"—making V-sign—"for Vegeterisnisml

"Look at our coma ins—naost of than —«pas, cfcimpe, gorilla a I Ever aea MEAT on their menus? ?ery... seldom! Look at our jaws I they're made for meat, my name la Pork Chops!"

She slowly feels her jaw.

"Think it IS,* he smiles, "made for meat?"

"TeahJ If we"—suddenly cutting her steak— "cut it into tiny pieces!" He chuckles. "Maybe," she adds, "pre-man didn't yet hare a knifet"

"Or didn't mse it as much as... fcmf, if ILL he was doing was baling skulls, would we, his descendants, be around today?"

"Mm h*. But that man with the club," ahe chuckles_r "couldn't hare been very friendly!"

"Mam, no more titan the...gorilla. Let's LOOZ at cousin gorilla. Four hundred poundal Of what? Shyness! Ferocious, sure! Ihen ATTACKED! But bssically.. .pacifist. Hot quite the Osndhisn variety. But not quite the meatesting lien or tiger!

"So cousin gorilla, and so...early... vegetarian.. Jimaen!

"SURE that human got uptight. But...ever see a PRIMITIVE uptight? Ouess what he doesl Re picks up s club... and bang»-bang-bangs it against the neareat tree! Mow tell me who is more intelligent, he... or the civilised.••"

—"Nearest tree," she cynically chucklea, "or nearest HZBKI Mas rest...bloody..."

—•"Less bloed than BOOIK! Ia how tribes battle. Burst after burst...of bellowing!

And when the smoke clears, not one ato»-bowb had been dropped. Not even a little napals.

"Ha ha, glad I didn't finish this steak! HA HA HA!*

Perussi's face of mirth slowly bee cues a strange gase...

"CAROL!1" he blurts.

"Sowebody calling ■e?"

"Tou...are a genius I Ttiat you, ..had READ I that. • .ARTICIJtl"

"About, he be—a "TO know—early Ban as not SO..JLAAB0RI Hot so...*'

—"Chi"" she chuckles*

"Then," he twinkles, "don't you see?"

Carol ponders. Her fsce bit-by-bit lights up. "Then.• .VOKBBtT.• .would be...this... oh it csn^ft beI Just...can'ti

"My godI Tou...really, 3hel... think so? Reslly think...he's turned into this pre...historic..."2

"But...if...sol If...sol Then...

—"Right1 Eight, Csroll The antidotal"

"Acti"—staring into spec*—"doteI"'

"AITID0T11" he echoe. —"If it's for bringing one back to Use present, and place civilisation! Well it's"—«ccTted—"worth a try, isn't itt*

"Ch," blurts Carol, now likewise excited, •it's*,."

—"Damn If it ISH'T worth a try!"

—"toe good.,,to be truel It's.oo"

-—"What osn we losell"

"Do you," she beans, "really suppose... that..."

—"Do you have it! The BOTTUt't" "ttn..."

"Tou've got to have it, Csroll He...did...give it to you?"

"I t's...sround...somewhere! After he left, I wouldn't touch it with s fifty-foot pole J"

"Well," he beans, "TOTJCE it. And...FASTI"

"I...think...I might...be sbls...to..."

—"Look, it's not yet sundown! He should be...SW5BT-watching. QST THE BOTTLE, HXAD FOR THE 10GDB, OR HIM TO DRIHK IT! It's...it looks like...cur only chancel If it works, BACK for him...to REALITY!" "RE...ALITT!" she beams*

"Tske ay carl*—handing her the keys. "I'll be up in s cabl Just after you'to had tine enough to get him to gulp it down! I VOUU'T MISS TEXS TOR ALL THE SCHQ8 IV UDDU AID ALL tBX MELODIES H BOOUMIA!

"Head there WCM, Carol," he beamingly olaps. "MOT!"

She rises.••

"tod,••Carol, ioetf*—ertendimg hia hand— "luckI Or as they say*—hand in hie— "in e Parisian ctfl-U *hsre you and I

It must here been...wheTw we...met. As they in said cafe...B<».. JBAMSEl*

Gazing at each otfc^r, they go on holding hands• She slowly slipe hers frc® his.

She steps to the doer...

"Carol? Hcsr...d±2 cos* by,., that...articlet Om early...manl*

"I don't.. .remember. I do rerember... it written...by a wrmxii Something about... I'm trying to think ^ -=.at title! But can't-* seem to.....something a «o*it.. .matriarchy I Long ago., .matriarchy;* Erit_#

Sheldon Paul Peruzs::. is gazing into apec»*»

He slowly picks tt zjlb coffee, sips...

"Da-dum, d*-dmi_p tj—chai, DOM-IJUMi" —expounding TALKS M YIEWKA WOODS. "Do-ds-dum, da-dum, dum—Sip.

"Peruzzi," he say? iz himself... "I hste to interrupt little melody, your -offeo,

your continentsl serenity. But I believe.. TA BLEW IT AQAHtl"

■ —as Carol put it—a "green field" —a clump of woods* Inside is a snail hut. It could be that of Henry Thoreau at Walden* It 13 that of Horbert Jonathan Krausneyer (though he kncws himself not ss such).

)

"her...eyee?"

"sounds familiar,

And fr<» the :«egirming he does. "SKT-BLTJEo • >HER TTSS! •

"AH. . .1"' she rynicslly swoons. "That great FIRST -JO a gain I"'

He this tine, towerer, goes on —on to that 'big¹ rrae—as he beamingly picks tip a large tattered piece of cardboard and proceeds readx^ from it:

—■An Amazonia... sunrise I

Sky-blue.. .her SMILE, A rhapsody in son-rile I

Sky-blue ...her IAUGH, A magnificent* ..seraphI

Sky-blue...her WORDS, A swarm of hmmiLingbirds, A summer lull, escape from dull, All this...is Daroll

All...a moment; A murmerl A cosmic.....stirl"

A hush, she gating st him...

"Evening," he reads on. "Mundane...eating place.

Enter..•evening shift.••Carol.

Suddenly. •. nIgz tingales I A gushing fomtaini A thousand colors I

CEESCENDOSl ^ moonglowsl Splaehes...of frescoest Fig-trees, oozing from the floori

The counter... the Nile-Congo-Niger i The wslls...4 wondrous jungle rsinfalli The windows...massive greenleawesl

A eizzling soireet A RAT, a TROPICAL BAY!

And Carol....,£•" Carol K. gazes at him..*

"A bit...108N...around...the edges," he says shyly, feeling the cardboard edges, "I...did have in mind*•.a PRAMS for it. Just yesterday...Jimmy said he'd...bring me one... on his way...to school."

He—this poem on grizzled cardboard— slowly hands it to her. "Pending," he smiles, "a frame."

He gazes at her. "Those•••eyesI Oriental? Uh uh. Eurasian? Mo. SOUTH Asian? We're getting," he beams, "warmer! African?" He beamingly nods. "DOORMATS!" he bursts,

"Sky-blue • • .DOORMATS ! To massive.. .mosquesI Dancing.•.minaretaI Mediterranean melodies, Red Sea ariaaI THE DEEPEST...CONGO 1

Those eyesI And that.,,gaze! A polonaise! Prehistoric...blazeI

A potpourri! Of sll that grows! 0 bursting bloom...of a red...rose!

let how"—gazing into her eyes—"deep! Reminder! REMAINER'. Of evolutionary...sweep!"

Carol gazes at him...

He slowly picks up the cup, slowly puts it to his lips...

"CH M01"' she rlurts, blocking it.

A hush... "

"I man," she smiles, "I didn't...yet... sweeten it.* *Ch,* he chuckles, putting it to his lips again, ^MOTHER MATURE has already done thatt"

"HO.....!"—*rein blocking. "We'U^-she smili^ly takes it from him—"okay? —drink later.*

"0...kay."

He slowly loccs about. "Maybe u»... we can...for this •—pointing to the poem on cardboard—"find. . • a FRAME. Should be one SOIETORS...around,,,this...*

—"Frame?" eh« utters, happy tears rolling down her creeks. "Darling"—clutching the cardboard to h«r bosc®—"I don¹1...need... s frame. Ch, this is,.."—happy tears.

"Frame? I. • J5LAYE it. The poem I Toul All this!*—featuring around the woods. "It's all...this is all,,,USl TOU.,,and ME'.

"Darling, do you know nhat I'm saying? I'm...I'm going to; I'M QOHO TO LITE IITH TOT1" —throwing herself in his aims.

"Ifcy.,,Sister. .,Carol| This,,,is so,,,"

—"Just you,.»me...and the lilies —TOUR words, TOURS—the lilies...of the field! Which neither toil nor spin. They Just.. .growl

"You,, .me .. .and—now MT words—TIMEt To watch clouds I ?o see... the earth t To find,,.tree hollows,,.and magic...placesi To WRETCH1 And SOTTi And FEEL!"

A hush...

"Well!* modestly grins the woodsman» "Urn.•.had I KNOWN...all this...I mights been...a bit more—ahem—ready. That...little...shack of mine... it's...a messi So..*guess I'll...scoot oyer there*., and.

—"HO HOI" she smiles, prilling him back. "I want you,..just...as you arel Don't"—lips close —'"change. Don't EVER...change." Long kics.

"I am," goes on Carol, "don*t*..know if you... recall. I...have children. "You mean," he grina, "I don¹1 yet know who Randy and Roberta are? We'll build, just for the®, s SECOND...hut. Children...if but the world knew...enjoy their privacy ne leaa than grownupa. We'll build it... TOTOt Not far. ..from ours I"

"Chi" she beams. "And shall," he smiles, "begin....."

—"Howl What'a first!"

"First, Sister Carol, we...hi, Brands I" —waving serosa the dirt road. "Hi, kids! Back from the ball park EARLY I see. A good dinner must, ha ha, be waiting! See yal First" —turning back to Carol—"we eollect...aome mud."

"Hud?"

^wUh huh. It goes...between bricks and boarda. Then...as it dries...we..."

—"Uudl Wherelⁿ

"Behind those two elegant...ELK trees. Soma BOARDS there too. We'll BOTH go."

"I'm going to ehow you"—blocking him— "I'm not afraid of the woods! How...far do I goi"

"Oh, those couple trees should be... about fsr enough."'

"Be back"—quick kiss for him—"in s jifl Container there?"

"Dh huh."

Stepping offi she stops, beamingly turns toward bin. "And to thinkl Not 60 minutes ago... I^fm telling somebody...there is nothing...else! Nothing...but thst...suburbsn..."

"Hmm?"

"No thing I"—grinningly rushing back to him and quick kiss. "Something!"—quick kiss. "Nothingi*—quick kiss. "Something I quick kiss.

He giggles...and into the woods she disappeara.

Humming, he turns te birdwatching...

"Sparrow eparrow...fall not...like an arrow. He turns rightward. "Not," he chuckles, "a Brazilian redbirdi

"0 redbird...sc far...from home. Are you searching, ha ha, for Rome?.

"CAROL? Sister...CAROL?"

"TES...?" comac the unseen reply.

"HOW IS MT SISTER CCMWO ALONQl"

"QOMIA BRING 1OT THE PRETTIEST MUDPTES TOTT'YE E?ER LAID ETES OWl"

"Ha hs hs," he chucklea, then more birdwatching...

"I LOVg TOU," she shouts.

"I LOVE TOU," he replies.

More birdwatching® Slowly pulling up ia a cab.

Out steps Peruzti...

"Good evening, brother I" smiles the woodsman*

"Good evening."'

"Now," twinkles the woodaman, "there is

something about you.....can you be.••one of God's..•

children? HA HA HA HA HA1" "Is thare anybody," grins the analyst, "not?" Both chuckle,

"My name," smiles the woodsman, extending his hand, "is"—ponder—"well, just call me* ••*«•••" "WOODSMAN!" smiles the other, shaking handa*

"Hmf!" intones the woodsman. "Why not I If 'woodsman⁹ be good enough for the children, it's good enough for thoae.••grownupa...who can wall be like little children again! But you must" —he points to the log—"have a seat! And welcome! To my little.••abode! "Nature," grina Perussi, sitting down on the log, "a la mode!"

"Ha ha ha!" laughs the woodaman. "Hi, kids!"—buoyantly waving acroea the road* "Oh, Bruce! Tell Jimay when you see him...I'll not be needing the frame! Tell him much thanks anyway! See yal And tell mom n' dad HELLO for mat

"So"—turning back to his guest— "in civilisation* ••you are known aa .•••• don't"—grin—"tell me! Priest? Reverend? Rabbi?" "1 think," grins Perussi, "all three! I'm s doctor."¹

"WELL, then.••brother.••doctor! Would you*••have a drink!"—setting 1he cup of antidote in front of him* "Hi, Alice!" waves the

woodsman, "Ton tell your Dorrny ho should paint his next picture HERS I 'Neath that aunseti Ha ha ha I 'Bye,,.!"

"TJta," utters ?*russi, pointing to the potion, "what is ii?"

"Nectar, •• of the godsi"

"Tt..«must ha^e..•EFFECT.,,on folks. Like,••maybe,..can CHANGS.••them?"

"If gods can,"

"Tt looks,"* n>ds Peru«2i,,,"lovelyI"

"And likewise the one that brought it,"'

"<Ch?"

"Sister... Carcli"

"lie HVi And wr*ere,..is the sister.. .now?"

"Collecting mod.*

A hush...

"And," asks the analyst, "left this drink... with you?"

"Eh huh. Oh but you go aheadl Tou'ro the QUEST, doctor, I'll get myself another,"

The woodsman rnxlls out a container, "Grapefruit juice',* he beams, pouring s cup and setting it on the log, "Nhich sister Alice, bless her generous soul, hss left for me. Hi, Psull Hi, brother Jerryl Hy, sister Sheila I See ya all later..,I Ch and Jerryl Don't" —•smile—"be forgetting what school Is sll sboutl As much for knowinc TOURSELF,,.aa knowing a job I See yal"^?

A hush***

"Tou.••know lots of peoplel" smiles Peruzzi*

The woodsman chuckles. "I try knowing my own species, if this is whet you mean." "To ssy nothing," grins Peruzzi, "of OTHER species 1" "Tou know itt" laughs the woodsman*

"To know.**one's...species," adds the latter, gazing into space, "is to know. * .thyself* To know*. * thyself* .*is to know***at last*** to know*** but shall we, doctor, hare a tossti"—reaching for the grapefruit juice*

"Why noti" replies Peruzzi* "IS THAT"—suddenly pointing—"CAROL THERE?"

"Hm?" utters the woodsmsn, turning*

"Those"—Peruzzi tries to switch drinks but csnnot quite—"TREES over there*"

"Ihiohl" ssks the woodsman, again turning*

"TJn, THOSE! THERE I UW..." —tries to switch but still cannot in time*

"Thoae two," asks the woodsmsn, pointing, "EUGART ones?"

"Tk...yeshJ Those...twol"

"That*..is where wonderful**.sister*** CAROL is."

"Is the sister* **WAVIVO st us?"

itHm?"—turning a third time*

"Tea," says Peruzzi, "I**.think"

—SWITCHES DRIVES JUST IV TIME!—* I... see her* No, I**.guess not*

"And to...*— tbe analyst picks up the grapefruit juice—*to WHAT...were we toaating?"

"To...ⁿ ponder* the woodsman, picking up the potion.

—"To pre," injects the analyst —"how¹ a that I—pre , • .history!"

"Pre.••••way HIT back.""

They drink!

"How...do you feell" asks the guest.

"Alright."

"Al...right?"

"Uh huh. And you?"

"Al...right."

A hush...

"Well, my broker," smiles Peruzzi, shaking hands, "it* » been...pleasant. Prehiatorically...primordially.. . preciTilisaticxuUy...pleasant. But...got to rush! Back to 20th-century, ha ha, retrace! Or let us just say. ..a 20th-century CAB is waiting."

"Tou will...jdn ue againt"

"As sure as prehistoric...vegetarian.. .PEACE.

"Peace!" gestures the woodsmsn.

"And to TOU peace, brother...woodamanl"

Perussi walks nack to the cab, gets in. It pulls away...

The wood wan—Just aa Peruzzi had found hi*— la sitting, gazing at the sunset. ,,and birdwatching, ,.

"Darling 15 calls the unseen Carol, "WOODSMAJIl"

"Tes..,?" he sailes.

"Were there aupposed to be—CAN TA HKAfi ME?"

"Uh huh,"

"Were there supposed to be soee soae board* here too?"

"Ch Just.,,to the right!"

A hush.,.

The preciTilizational twinkle —the look of the Tasadai, the primitive gentility, Rouasesurian proclivity—this, bit-by-bit, turns into sense thing Civilizstional, something grey, hsrd, nundene, strsight, ¹nine-to-five¹

—the face, bit-by*bit, re-arranged...

"BUT HURRY IT UP," bellowa *JK,

"AFRICAN GENESIS1" THUNDERS NJK,

"PREDATORY KILLER APES I

HOW MUCH*. ♦ ARE THEY STILL IN US!"

HOW MUCH INDEED! OR HOT MUCH VALIDITY THE NEO-HOBHESIAN ARDREY-MORRIS-LORENZ THESIS OP HUMANS AS INNATELY, PREHISTORICALLY BEASTLYt OR THE STEVENSONIAN NOTION OF CIVILIZATION AS PRECIOUS THIN CRUST, AS "JEKYLL", AND PRECIVILIZATION AS "HYDE"? —AS HE READIES A PSYCHIC TRIP! INTO THE DEPTHS OF PRECIVILIZATION, PREHISTORY!

THE LAIR*. .AND LURE. ••OF DAWN MAN!