sk.theplant- 第29节

　　
　　Roger
　　
　　PS：　Make　me　a　copy　that　I　can　take　home　and　read　over　the　weekend；　would　you？
　　
　　interoffice　memo
　　
　　TO：　Roger　FROM：　John　RE：　〃LAST　SEASON；〃　by　〃John　Oceanby〃
　　
　　Are　you　saying　you　set　all　this　in　motion　without　reading　the　book？　That　takes　my　breath　away。
　　
　　John
　　
　　from　the　office　of　the　editor…in…chief
　　
　　TO：　John　DATE：　4/3/81　MESSAGE：　You're　my　guy；　John。　We　may　have　had　our　differences　from　time　to　time；　but　I've　never　doubted　your　editorial　judgement　for　a　single　moment。　If　you　say　this　is　the　one；　this　is　the　one。　On　that　score；　the　ivy　makes　no　difference。　You're　my　guy。　And　while　I　probably　don't　need　to　tell　you　this；　I　will：　no　contact　with　James　Saltworthy　until　we　hear　from　Alan　Williams。　Okay？
　　
　　Roger
　　
　　interoffice　memo
　　
　　TO：　Roger　FROM：　John　RE：　Vote　of　confidence　To　say　I'm　touched　by　your　confidence　in　me　doesn't　go　far　enough；　boss。　Especially　after　the　Detweiller　fuck…up。　Fact　is；　I'm　sitting　here　at　my　desk　and　damned　near　blubbering　on　my　blotter。　All　will　be　as　you　say。　My　lips　are　sealed。
　　
　　John
　　
　　PS：　You　do　know；　don't　you；　that　Saltworthy　must　have　already　sent　the　book　to　Viking？
　　
　　from　the　office　of　the　editor…in…chief
　　
　　TO：　John　DATE：　4/3/81　MESSAGE：　First；　no　blubbering　on　the　blotter…blotters　cost　money；　and　as　you　know；　all　expenses　must　now　be　forwarded　to　the　parent　pany　on　a　week　by　week　basis　（if　we　needed　another　sign　that　The　End　Is　Near；　surely　that's　it）。　Blubber　in　your　wastebasket。　。　。　or　go　on　down　to　Riddley's　former　quarters　and　water　the　plant　with　your　grateful　tears。
　　（Yes；　I　know　perfectly　well　that　no　one　is　paying　the　slightest　attention　to　my　strong　remendation　that　we　all　stay　clear　of　the　ivy。　I　could　put　it　in　writing；　I　suppose；　but　it　would　just　be　a　waste　of　ink。　Especially　since　I've　been　down　there　a　time　or　two　myself；　breathing　deep　and　drawing　inspiration。）
　　Second；　how　can　you　call　the　Detweiller　business　a　fuck…up；　considering　how　it　has　turned　out？　Harlow　Enders　and　Apex　may　not　know　we're　ready　to　turn　the　corner　into　a　glorious　future；　but　we　do！
　　Third；　Alan　Williams　checked　the　files　over　there。　Last　Survivor　was　supposedly　read　（or　scanned；　or　perhaps　just　shifted　from　the　envelope　it　came　in　to　the　one　it　went　back　in）　and　rejected　in　November　of　1978。　The　editor　who　signed　off　on　it　was　one　George　Flynn；　who　left　publishing　to　set　up　his　own　job…printing　business　in　Brooklyn　about　a　year　ago。　According　to　AW；　and　I　quote；　〃George　Flynn　had　the　editorial　antennae　of　a　rutabaga。〃
　　Fourth；　don't　give　the　ms。　to　LaShonda。　Make　the　copies　yourself；　and　remember　the　false　title　page。
　　Fifth　（I'm　ready　for　a　fifth；　believe　me）；　please　no　more　memos　until　at　least　afternoon。　I　know　I　said　〃everything　in　writing〃　from　here　on　out；　but　my　head　is　starting　to　ache。　I　have　one　from　Bill　I　haven't　even　looked　at。
　　
　　Roger
　　
　　interoffice　memo
　　
　　TO：　Roger　FROM：　Bill　Gelb　RE：　Possible　Bestseller
　　
　　You　asked　for　ideas；　and　I've　had　what　might　be　a　doozy；　boss。　I　went　over　to　Smiler's　earlier　in　the　day　（warning：　that　idiotic　woman　with　the　guitar　is　still　in　front…if　she　gets　picked　up　and　institutionalized；　I　hope　the　judge　sends　her　to　music　school）　and　checked　out　their　paperback　rack。　It's　a　pretty　good　one　（i。　e。；　lots　of　Pocket　Books；　Signets；　Avons；　Bantams；　no　Zenith　Houses　except　for　one　dusty　Windhover　that　was　published　2　years　ago）。　I　counted　five　so…called　nonfiction　books　about　aliens　and/or　flying　saucers；　and　six　on　investing　in　the　Reagan　Era　stock　market。　My　idea　is　suppose　we　bined　the　two？
　　The　core　concept　is　this：　a　stockbroker　is　abducted　by　little　gray　men　who　first　read　his　brainwaves；　suck　blood　from　his　nasal　cavities；　and　probe　his　anus…standard　stuff；　in　other　words；　been…there　done…that。　But　then；　to　make　up　for　the　inconvenience；　they　give　him　stock　tips　based　on　their　certain　market　knowledge；　obtained　in　faster…than…light　trips　to　the　future。　Most　of　it　would　be　zen　stuff　like　〃Never　fill　your　barrow　with　old　bricks〃　and　〃Ancient　stars　offer　the　best　navigation。〃　This　crap　would；　however；　be　spiced　with　more　practical　advice　like　〃Never　sell　short　in　a　bull　market〃　and　〃In　the　long　run；　power　and　light　stocks　always　rise。〃　We　could　call　it　Alien　Investing。　I　know　that　at　first　blush　the　idea　sounds　crazy；　but　who　would　have　figured　a　breakout　bestseller　called　Zen　and　the　Art　of　Motorcycle　Maintenance？
　　I　even　have　a　writer　in　mind…Dawson　Postlewaite；　aka　Nick　Hardaway；　the　Macho　Man　himself。　The　stock　market　is　Dawson's　hobby　（fuck；　it's　his　mania；　what　keeps　him　poor　and　thus　in　our　stable）　and　I　think　he'd　almost　do　it　gratis。
　　What　do　you　think？　And　feel　free　to　tell　me　I'm　nuts；　if　that's　what　you　think。
　　
　　Bill
　　
　　from　the　office　of　the　editor…in…chief
　　
　　TO：　Bill　Gelb　DATE：　4/3/81
　　
　　MESSAGE：　I　don't　think　you're　nuts。　No　more　so　than　the　rest　of　us；　anyway。　And　it's　a　great　title；　almost　a　guaranteed　pick…it…up…and…take…a…look　on　a　rack　of　paperbacks。　Alien　Investing　is　hereby　green…lit。　On　the　cover　I　see　a　photo　of　the　Stock　Exchange　with　a　space　alien　laid　in；　shooting　cosmic　rays　（green；　like　the　color　of　money）　from　his　big　black　eyes。　Get　Postlewaite　on　it　at　once。　I　know　he's　got　a　deadline　on　Fresno　Firestorm；　but　I'll　see　he　gets　the　necessary　extension。
　　
　　R。
　　
　　WHILE　YOU　WERE　OUT！
　　
　　Caller　Riddley　Walker　For　Roger　Wade　Date　April　3rd　1981　Time　12：35　PM　Message　He　will　be　back　Wednesday　or　Thursday　of　next　week。　Winding　up　mother's　affairs　taking　longer　than　he　thought；　There　are　difficulties　with　his　brother　and　sister。　Mostly　sister。　Asks　if　you　will　water　plant　but　not　mention　to　J。　Kenton　that　you　are　doing　it。　Says　〃hoodoo　ivy　make　dat　boy　pow'ful　nervous。〃　Whatever　that　means。　Message　taken　by　LaShonda
　　
　　From　Roger　Wade's　Audio　Journal；　Cassette　1
　　
　　This　is　Friday　the　third　of　April。　Afternoon。　Bill　Gelb　has　e　up　with　an　idea。　It's　a　dandy；　too。　I'm　not　surprised。　Given　what's　happening；　brilliance　around　here　is　almost　a　foregone　conclusion。　When　I　returned　from　lunch。　。　。　with　Alan　Williams。　。　。　what　a　wonderful　guy　he　is；　not　in　the　least　because　he　treated　at　Onde's；　a　place　that　would　collapse　my　meager　expense　account　allowance　for　a　month。　。　。　anyway；　when　I　got　back　I　spied　an　amusing　thing。　Bill　Gelb　was　sitting　in　his　office　and　rolling　dice　on　his　desk。　He　was　too　absorbed　to　notice　me　noticing　him。　He'd　roll；　make　a　notation　on　one　of　those　mini　legal　pads；　then　roll　again；　then　make　another　notation。　Of　course　we　all　know　he　shoots　craps　with　Riddley　every　chance　he　gets；　but　Riddley's　in　Alabama　and　won't　be　back　until　the　middle　of　next　week。　So　what's　this　about？　Staying　in　practice？　Just　can't　get　enough　of　dem　bones？　Some　new　system？　All　gamblers　have　systems；　don't　they？　Who　the　hell　knows。　He's　had　a　great　idea。　。　。　Alien　Investing；　forsooth。　。　。　and　that　earns　him　a　little　eccentric…editor　time。
　　Herb　Porter　has　been　going　around　all　day　with　a　big；　silly　smile　on　his　chops。　He　is　actually　being　nice　to　people。　What　in　God's　name　can　that　be　about？　As　if　I　didn't　know；　nyuck…nyuck…nyuck。
　　Never　mind　Bill　and　Herb。　Never　mind　Sandra's　hot　thighs；　either。　I　have　another　and　more　interesting　thing　to　ponder。　There　was　a　pink　WHILE　YOU　WERE　OUT　slip　on　my　desk　when　I　got　back　from　lunch。　Riddley　called　and　LaShonda　took　the　message。　He　says　he　won't　be　back　until　next　Wednesday　or　so；　because　winding　up　his　mother's　affairs　is　taking　longer　than　he　thought。　But　that　isn't　the　interesting　part。　LaShonda　has　written；　and　I　quote；　〃There　are　difficulties　with　his　brother　and　sister。　Mostly　sister。〃　Did　Riddley　actually　tell　her　that？　They　have　never　seemed　particularly　friendly；　in　fact　I've　always　gotten　the　idea　that　LaShonda　considers　Riddley　to　be　beneath　her；　maybe　because　she　believes　the　Amos　'n　Andy　accent。　。　。　although　that's　a　little　tough　to　swallow。　Mostly　I　think　it's　because　he　es　to　work　in　gray　fatigues　from　Dickey　and　she　always　shows　up　dressed　to　the　nines。　。　。　some　days　to　the　tens。
　　No；　I　don't　think　Ridd