by Zac Funstein
The protesters outside the government building nearby who were demonstrating to demand information about the location of students who were detained by local authorities-interrupted momentarily with their noise.
When the buzzer sounded Leon tried to fit in some setting where this had been heard before.
It was childhood with his friend Oronzo in New Zealand. Ingenuity- perhaps a redundant virtue now-born of the time when the next supply cargo was unsure was of a premium then. There was a some breeze-blocks, a primitive wound electric motor, a bicycle bell, plus some nasty seeming skewers. Throw in some corks, the obligatory paper-clips plus some ancient spare keys the original purpose of which had been lost many moons ago. When someone hit the buzzer the corks with key hung by paper-clip hit the bell. This ingenuity was called something in New Zealand which had been lost like the keys analogous lock.
Rows upon rows of washing machines might not be everyones suggestion of a good time but since a message had come that they had found traces of washing powder suggesting that the mysterious jeans were pre-washed it seemed sensible to learn about this mysterious term as much as possible.
Pre-wash testing at Murilo Azevedo Vinto Ltd is deemed the most superior in all of Canada indeed there are the standard features that seem to go with such an establishment-fading linoleum which has started to crumble with ancient newspapers underneath with peculiarly interesting copy which at the time of publication had been boring. There is even a mean seeming attendant in those granny glasses that stick out at the sides with a new dry mop plus gleaming empty aluminium bucket which rattles. Leon Filipović can almost guess what this hallowed veteran might be called indeed there is a name-tag but as to who this is, no one knows because it was made in such antiquity that the inscription is faded. The setting might be complete except there is no slot for coins or dodgy heat control setting that everyone knows isn’t connected. There isn’t anyone huddled against the glass watching the washing going round to keep warm in their underwear. Everywhere are plastic containers in which the washing powder is measured to an absolutely fine degree-presumably to determine how much (or how little) is necessary to get the desired softness.
Leon was taken to when gangster Adone Lettiere had damaged the self service laundry of Gualtiero Napolitani. It had been his responsibility to clear up the mess-not literally-but as in piece together just what really happened.
They guessed that Adone had arrived at some god-awful watch-hour then having picked the lock moved the deadbolt-until it gave in. What greeted were rows upon rows of washing machines such as these ones at Murilo Azevedo Vinto Ltd except this wasn’t under perfect conditions but more like the laundrette we are used to with packets of detergent scattered everywhere.
The large sledgehammer that had been brought must have been used to good effect for the damage was total, by the arrival of Filipović every machine had been smashed-the damage assigned done the next appointment was made for-another mission completed.
The manager Renan Martins Correia who lived downstairs had not heard anything in his dingy ground floor flat strewn with washing lines-despite only having a bedsheet for an entrance. Even though his usually noisy family were not there (having visited Mrs.Isabelle Oliveira Carvalho his mother-in-law).
Rafael Cunha Correia -MAV Ltd’s chief manager tried to convey his enthusiasm for pre-washing without appearing too gushing in so doing. Leon listened respectfully.
“The manufacturers are in a dilemma as you can surely understand Mr. Filipović. The public have got the notion of ‘pre-washing’ lodged collectively now there is nothing that can be done-one must pander to their whims or they take their custom elsewhere.”
“Which is where you come into the picture Rafael.”
“Try to see it from the manufacturers point of view Leon-if I may call you Leon-since we are on intimate terms.”
“They make beautiful new jeans-when they’re ready washed-but I’m sure you’ll agree that is a dilemma.”
This unwitting introductie was clearly meant to know what was ‘going down’ but it missed him unfortunately.
“If you would go into this a little deeper please.”
“Finding the correct balance is the problem wash them too much will mean the product is life-reduced, but if you neglect to do so the softness that is liked will be missing with resultant loss of sales.”
“That is your Eldorado then-the finding of the balance between the minimum wear ‘n tear.”
Momentarily Rafael sounded like crossfade lending softness/smoothness to a family album- a cloying vignette of children growing up.
“You sell some jeans that are too pre-washed but others are going to desist from buying because they won't last, yet they want the softness that pre-washing gives. It is ‘Hobsons Choice’ you might say-’as in no choice at all’.”
Some scribble the word ‘innovate’ on their personal stationery then put it under their pillows at night before retiring-this must have been what Rafael had done.
“Your ability to innovate Rafael is inversely proportional to your client's self-perceived sophistication."
“That’s just it. Now here’s an example- I saved up for special grip tires recently (after nearly skiding into a ravine on bald tires in these treacherous mountains). Tires may have metal studs , but such tires are prohibited in certain other jurisdictions because of the damage they cause to the road surface. There’s always different priorities you have to balance. It’s all just another shiny thing on a conveyer belt already groaning under the weight of similar shiny things – an environment where the only interest is to innovate is to get shinier, more glittery, lustrous sparkling things coming off the end.”
Then Rafael moved over to one of the washing-machines although shaking violently had stopped. A plastic cup which had some powder in was tipped casually into an open drawer. Then (having opened the portal) several pristine neatly folded jeans were inserted into the washing machine. Correia sprinkled powdered detergent into the cavity, closed the glass turned the knob. Leaning against the machine it was then confessed.
“We tried sachets which are then placed directly into the washing machine, thereby minimizing the risk to the laundry worker, powders in this setting it was found however may cause respiratory problems, indeed in confined spaces toxic fumes may even occur. But I digress do you have the facts/figures that I asked for.”
“Somewhere here,” exclaimed Filipović hunting amongst his effects.
Rafael snatched what was needed rudely.
“I can’t say immediately but I believe that what we have here is what is known as Powder B.”
“Sounds a bit oblique-like there are powders A-Z.”
“There are but B is what most used. That’s not us anyway-we leave them to themselves.”
Finding the correct department was tricky Leon realised when an assistant rudely told him that it was necessary to change into completely dust free clothing. Each apparel maker was now developing dust-free working clothes which envelop a person completely to ensure that there was no leak of dust the new entrant was told.
This took Leon to when first married when working in a coal-mine had been the only choice as per employment. A rental company changed uniforms for clean ones regularly. Usually this included a working-shirt (denim but not always) slacks plus overalls all which returned mysteriously pressed/gleaming from some unspecified laundry. When it was cold there was thermal underwear but since it was an above ground position the dust-free regular wear could be dispensed with-after getting covered in coal dust- it was a blessing.
Filipović got a cart went to the clothing department set about getting what was needed like when younger as if in Loveridge all over again. The pants were a little tricky as the new entrant didn't have any idea what size worn since Leon had been wearing the kind that tied at the middle. Taking several sizes to try on eventually the newbie was able to find a nylon sweater plus a nice plain shirt.
“How do I look….sorry I don’t know you
r name?”
“George J. Heidrick, but call us George. The director, Mathias A. Kristensen one gathers, wants a commune atmosphere purified of all its difficult- perhaps unpleasant associations, a kind of utopian model to hold out to today's radical youngsters.”
The response was indescribable it was wondered where seen before. It was a bargain-store model from Taiwan, the plastic figures had been painted in a very approximate fashion without any attempt at expression.
Heidrick (also known as ‘Doc’) had to pause when anyone said ‘how do I look’. They might have splashed out on makeup or stood checking every imperfection in the makeup mirror. His wife Beatriz always spent ages but seemed to be same-at least to him-when finished. It was the person underneath that mattered.
Then Igor mumbled:
“Relax, you are fine! Its more being dust free than any aesthetic that counts-don’t bother about appearances.”
A pager bleeps. Doc turned this off then stuck it into his jacket pocket, scowling as the jeep pulled to a standstill in the nearby visible courtyard.
“At present there is no technology on the horizon that is going to render the pager obsolete. Matheus Santos Azevedo relies on a loyal group of disciples, each on a pager. I am fortunate to be one.”
“That is who we are going to see this Azevedo?”
It seemed immediately this was someone important.
“Matheus believes every granule of soap powder every embellishment ‘is a study of human behavior in microcosm,’ with all of its flaws and failures. But don’t listen to us meet the great man yourself.”
“You are in awe of him-it comes across!”
“Mat struck us not only as highly educated but, more importantly, highly educable, meaning that he seemed capable of mastering problems on their own terms rather than with reference to pre-existing dogmas.”
Was this a project executed by well-intentioned people that began well, ended badly-they were going to find out. How little we know didn’t need to be reiterated. Everyone understood that we are strangers to ourselves, that society is an immeasurably complex organism-a new take would be nice.
By obliging all visitors to pass through a series of hermetically sealed checkpoints in each of the buildings complexes they eventually come to where Matheus is.
Watching him remove the dust mask, Leon is brought home to how the term ‘dust’ mask for the non-rigid soft felt mask is somewhat of a misnomer since, in modified forms, they can provide a barrier against not only household dust but even acid fumes.
“It’s okay gentlemen we can remove the air-purifying equipment-we can talk here.”
This request is complied with.
In a chatty mood Azevedo soon is the recipient of something of a resume of his career to date.
“Microcircuitry of a computer must be manufactured in an extremely clean,dust-free environment. Only in such an environment can the ‘design’ of the microcircuitry be actualized-it was so intent in my last capacity that I became interested in this principle generally. Dust that enters the environment then inadvertently becomes ingrained was a real problem. The work was slow/tedious but because it yielded such a huge amount of…………..”
“How did you get into soap-powder?”
“We were attempting to make ersatz-Elizabethan mock-up detergent, approximating to some incomplete sketchiness of the original, providing an anodyne facsimile of Elizabethan experience, from which the roughness had been removed. We found that the less dirt the better the approximation possible. Ruffles, lace, pin tucks, gathers, folkloric embroidery or edging are the perfect accent to a pair of well-worn jeans, but something else was needed.”
“That’s when you hit on using the pre-washed feature,”
“That Mr./Mrs. Ordinary is a fussy aesthete, ‘a man or woman of wealth/taste even if impecunious,’ should come as no surprise to anyone steeped in popular culture. Public taste increasingly demand new features to tempt them in an already saturated market. I've heard the phrase ‘it's unsustainable,’ or something close to it, repeated by clients including corporate executives, government employees, hospital administrators, physicians, school administrators and teachers. When I put to them the intimation of washing the product before use-they accused us of being irresponsible.”
“It took some getting round-to get them to accept.”
“We tried different powder combinations anyway. There is a wonderful scene at the start of a Lukas Moodysson's film when the inmates of the house argue about the washing up that acted as inspiration. The sporting polo shirts/jeans worn by the lawyer Yohannes Medhane after his transformation from high-flying socialite to federal inmate seemed to hit the publics fashion sense hard.”
“Jeans were in again!”
“Someone found this powder that went with pumice that made it soft/resilient.Pumiceous pyroclastic products (P.P.P) are found near the southern Guadeloupe volcanic island-there is nowhere else that has this.”
“This is what is in Powder B then!”
“Demsas Tesfalem, whom I already knew, liked- would unhesitatingly describe as a genius, was soon attached as instigator, instantly brought a new sensibility to the existing recipes. Tesfalem put in this like you cannot believe. Moreover we managed to get exclusive supply from Melpómene Cove, where there is a former weather station staffed by a detachment from the Mexican Ministry of the Interior. The site is known as Campamento Roache Sur (‘South Encampment’) I believe.”
“So if we find any it is almost certainly from this source-that is good to know.”
Matheus had wandered off however.
Statistical sampling methods are just like any other kind of scientific instrument in that they must be calibrated against known results but that takes a while, Leon was told.
“I simply don’t have the patience for this,” was his heated reply.
The Lord blessed Leon with many special attributes, among them a unique stubbornness, a special form of loving, confident arrogance, a quaint sense of humor, an unconditional tolerance for all, but no patience. When God was operating the patience-line then Leon was going down another belt.
Bessie J. Welton’s quiet apotheosis was often offered as an alternative to histrionic theatrics such as this-they were a perfect match.
The walk in the cold crisp Canadian air before-did her good-it made her more alive somehow after the fug of before. Walking down up through the square admiring the magnificent tall buildings-the unusual Xmas decorations still left from the season before, the old gentlemans clubs with geriatrics in Panama hats or waistcoats-the antique shops with dubious artefacts in the window was invigorating. Bessies brother Adam told her that it was traditional to hold Christmas Eve parties among Jewish singles living here — after all, the following day was a public holiday. The parties were for such because Christians were assumed to be with their families on Christmas Eve. These parties which were called ‘Matzoh Balls’ always attracted a unique decorative feature. What was unusual was despite the absence of advent calendars or presents they seemed to attract a lot of participants that gave favourable results.
Another recent addition was the Grove, an outdoor mall, which had basic amenities as well as department stores plus more boutiquey shops.
In ancient times, when the city of Rome was at the zenith of its power/ splendor, it was the custom, as it is in fact now taken for granted with the inhabitants of wealthy capitals, for the principal families to possess, in addition to their city residences, rural villas for holiday retreats, which they built in picturesque situations, at a short distance from the city, sometimes in the interior of the countryside, sometimes near Rome. There were many attractive places of resort of this nature. Among them was Antium. Here amongst the senile Bessie-the amateur Roman scholar-often believed herself in Antium for some reason-the home of Drusilla, Caligulas sister for there was much empty property in stasis until it got warmer.
Her geographical comparison might even have been with Edmonton-it was missed if the truth wa
s known-here did not seem like home in the same way however. That was the trouble with any kind of employment you had to align yourself with it, even if you didn’t always appear settled.
Bessie had embraced Iqaluit too it had helped her get over Rodney M. Bartlett, but here wasn’t Iqaluit either. Childhood had to be rejected not by Bessie but by everyone it was driven into her-Iqaluit was dead in that respect it must be realised.
Still stucco columns or railings of any university building could not seen without being transported to this great towns mighty educational establishments.
“As a need is identified you may have a strong desire to jump in with a solution, but you must resist the urge,” was her measured response.
“I know that’s just a polite way of saying I’m being impatient.”
“You must understand the need as it exists-in this instance the island pumice.”
“I am not a connoisseur of the Guadeloupe-it is true.”
“Subtle important refinements must be made on your first impression-if you can’t do that then the answer is simple you must wait.”
Filipović who was understandably a little nervous, apprehensive about this meeting guessed what was coming next.
“I want you to bow out for a while Filipović-you’ve lost your perspective on the situation.
Once you've lost your rhythm, it's difficult to find it again. Those concerned must remain open and resist the temptation to look at the problem or solutions from only one perspective.”
Leon was anticipated as being hostile but instead exclaimed.
“It’s like Alfredo- after such a while, I have it in perspective-then it goes. I've seen a lot of stupid things since then. A lot of appalling accidents. There's always a driver; it's always someone's fault. My grandfather insisted on the safety belts but neither were wearing them, why I ask myself? We should have never gone anywhere near that track-it was just plain dumb. Alfredo is gone, Annieke too. My actions-my foolhardiness hurt many-but the damage is done.”
Filipović begins to sob uncontrollably Bessie next to him comforts but is overcome herself. After a while it is enquired: