by Zac Funstein
What Mrs. Bunting-their secretary- was always debating fitfully within herself; was why should they not in time go retrograde to what they evidently had been -- that is, a blameless, quiet gentleman but that was another story.
“I had it out with some of the contemporaneous Hexagonites who admitted how yes they needed the Baskumed that without it the Glauconite was everywhere but they didn’t really know where to take things.”
“The sense of a difficulty with this is quite tangible.”
“My brother Harold who had been invited to Peru where the government wanted him to set up an eruption prediction centre gave this some serious consideration on one of his volcano watches. Harold came up with the scheme of heating the combination to high temperatures, the Hawaiians call it pahoehoe, which is basaltic lava that has a smooth, billowy, undulating, or ropy surface. The rounded texture makes pāhoehoe a poor radar reflector which helps us to detect it.”
“Fundamentally you’re claiming that if the Schreiber remnant can avoid radar-waves then the assumption it will be your product is undeniable.”
“Now, I don’t pretend to know all the answers. I’m just a plain, ordinary, everyday genius who loves his fellow-man whenever possible, ha ha but that seems how it is to us. None of the others use heat-treatment to my knowledge but then again I might be wrong. Supercomputers model the weather are able to make predictions about future behavior but I’m not a supercomputer.”
“It doesn’t hold out much as per a lifeline I sense.”
“One of the more insidious invasions of our privacy is the rampant dissemination of drug tests in the Canadian market-it is pleasing to find one that has a positive outcome for a change. But you know how it is the lumbago starts aching if you’re close to a positive. I don’t find any twinges at the moment Albert. What I might suggest is using a wind-tunnel.”
The incredulity is almost tangible as if something could be touched physically.
“I know it sounds incredible that something so small can be determined by air-motion but it is true. The fur on tennis balls plus the stitching on baseballs can create turbulence, which similarly affects the aerodynamics. You’ve heard of the ‘Magnus Effect’-everyone has.”
“Doesn’t resonate immediately.”
“Post war aeronautical scientists had a surprise in store for the flying world when prominent investigator, Nathan Flettner, formulated the ‘Magnus Effect’ the behavior of a drum spinning in an airflow. Today with modern materials, equipment plus wind tunnels, interest is once more directed toward this strange phenomenon but for a different purpose tracking very small objects such as our friends.”
On his weaved path to base camp taking in the cracked masonry, incessant graffiti that completed an image of decrepitude Albert asked himself who could they turn to next. Nearby the large hoardings considered for removal on grounds of distracting motorists had indeed been removed. Nearby was the wilderness-the scrubland that had sustained him as a boy.
The love of the wilderness an expression of loyalty to the earth, the earth which bore us sustained us, the only home we shall ever know, the only paradise we ever need — if only we had the sense to see had always sustained him. Original sin, the true original sin, the blind destruction for the sake of greed of this natural paradise which lies all around us-in this instance for the construction of various housing-projects each larger than the last.
His cousin who was a paediatricians boasted his creed always had shirtsleeves rolled up stethoscopes draped, but now the informal style was rampant everywhere not just in medicine maybe in other disciplines too. Eriksen was not reassured; his rampant nervousness that went unchecked would not go away until this was resolved. Leonardo da Vinci made studies of aerodynamics/flying apparatus now we had sophisticated helicopters maybe this was just primitive like that. In the future if there was any that is then they would probably laugh at what they were doing now. Attempting to merge them as per warming up would be seen as primitive-sure they were on the correct track by using heat but were going the wrong way about it.
Albert got depressed after that sure there were a few more of the Hexagon troupe to see but what of it they probably were no more elucidating than the rest. Giving up was never an option however in the Erikson book so A tried not to let it get him down. It was probably opening performance jitters, the remainder of the cast constantly tripping over their lines.
“What you have to accept Albert is that not everyone is able to keep up with your cracking pace. They will go away to go over what you are attempting then see if something new can be drawn from deep somewhere within them.”
His counsellor Jerry A. Cruz had got used to Erikson’s problems over their many sessions of therapy together so knew what to include every once in a while. Most saw Jerry in a bathing suit or a loincloth after the health-buff went to New York to publicize a denouement of Tarzan as essentially antisocial, but Cruz was always well dressed for public occasions or sessions such as this.
Sweet Albert forever stuck between the worlds of good as well as the bad, without entering either or leaving either unneglected. One-time his client would know which to fall into but until then must dither in between them.
The old Mediterranean wish fulfilment of his grandfather: a journey from wonder to wonder, drifting through eternity into ever-deeper, always changing grandeur, through beauty continually surpassing itself: the ultimate Homeric voyage had yet to be completed.
‘It amazes us how people seem to neglect that they were young once and that no amount of pep talks, pleading or punishment would have made a blind bit of difference to how they carried on,’ Albert muttered almost violently.
“That’s the ticket Erikson that’s the attitude that get a solution to this I’ve no doubt.”
Originally the upper floor housed council chambers, whilst the underneath had a storeroom plus a blind house, where the intoxicated were locked up for the night. Cruz always believed that one of these chemically induced myopics moved here (though this was a while ago) whenever some progress was on the cards.
The first thing Albert noted about the Max Lang DIY workbench was the board that hung above it with each tool's resting position clearly marked. A sign informed that they sharpened ice skates should you need that service which seemed far out but as Erikson was checking out a guy brought in a pair of hockey skates for sharpening.
“You can't skimp on the good stuff, it'll last you a lifetime," said Tobias who had asked to remonstrate with Albert regarding the Baskumed/Glauconite mix.
Tobias with his wife Tanja were professional upholsterers- a lovely couple, energetic, patient, enthusiastic about helping you find exactly what you're looking for. Choosing fabrics might be a painstaking task, but they both made it a hell of a lot easier, plus being fun!
‘Tobias is very knowledgeable, so if you want to know about the time period of your piece and what was apropos in terms of upholstery, just ask! He'll transport you back in time,’ Tanja had said. ‘Tobias has done supplies for some major television productions, such as: Boardwalk Empire, Ugly Betty, even The Butler-which was his crowning glory- to name a few. That alone speaks volumes.’
“I’m not quite sure what your connection is with the Glauconite Tobias.”
“That’s easy-one of my customers is Asger A. Bang who is allegedly a Hexagon adherent. Folk bring us upholstery in I mend it-it’s as simple as that. Without boasting I transformed his old rocking chair into a fabulous, wonderful, new piece of furniture. I even added new padding to the seat cushion then touched up the frame for no extra cost.”
“This is getting obtuse Tobias.”
“Be patient I’m coming to that Erikson. The mix you are referring to I know.”
“‘The Magnus Effect we have tried that already if that is what you’re warming up to.”
“No it’s not that-don’t get us wrong-we used that. Where was I? I happened to be employed before coming to my present career like Nathan Flettner but took early retirement to start thi
s upholstery concern. Without vaunting my own talent I believe I was taken out of action a little too early-but that as they say is something else.”
“You were given the Prince Rupert fabric-to see what you could come up with.”
“We recognised it immediately its made by a company known as Adaptas Inc. Now you’re going to ask how we knew. They use an additive known as Agent X-they are the only Hexagon adherents that do so. It has a complicated formula so this is just used as a blanket-term.”
“Are there many suppliers of this gelling agent?”
“The one you have is made by Consumers Express they acquire the Adaptas Inc product by whatever means at their disposal send an amount to Eden Services who use whatever skill they utilize which is best known to them to get the Glauconite to gel with the Baskumed. Their product is known as Stractoria for reasons better known to themselves.”
“Presumably only a finite amount of denim suppliers use this.”
“Most tend to skimp on the more refined agers because they want to cut corners-so yes they do tend to veer towards the upper end of the market.”
“You have been very helpful-I will now get in touch with Eden Services to see if they can tell us which denim manufacturer this is from.”
“That is the sensible suggestion-I wouldn’t anticipate any difficulty they are just working clothes it is not like narcotics or anything like that-I wouldn’t anticipate coming across a cartel but I suppose it might be a possibility.”
“I will try to draw comfort from this but there are cartels as you call them in the most seemingly innocent of substances that we take for granted. But don’t beat yourself up there is no way you can in your position of upholsterer know this.”
J
Some architecture seems unlooked-for like whatever type of map you have it should never be found-even if you have one of those new apps on your Ford Probe. If you are trick or treaters then you should just go past because the occupants are probably nastier than the costume you are wearing. Abele Mancini’s summerhouse seemed relatively innocuous enough however. Indeed once Abele had welcomed Enrico Nucci in it was as if they had been close for a while. Insinuation was easy for a change.
Slavic originating Abele was better known for belonging to a political-party that upheld the belief that a theocracy-that is a government by religious leaders- was superior to the one that we generally accepted:-social democracy.
“Before you arrived I used my own set of Tarot cards that I have devised Enrico as my own unique status symbol to see what it believed would be the outcome of our meeting.”
“I have heard there are those who grow tired of the conventional deck. It is natural each generation has its own heroes as well as its own oracles.”
Abele who had not been listening to Nucci said however:
“It was the card I call the ‘adulteress’ which threw a curve-ball out of the smog-it has a lot of negative associations-but don’t scowl- for us it implies we should co-operate with one another.”
A card with a rather matronly figure on is brought from a transparent Automatic Shuffler which had rested nearby. The design was obviously crafted manually had a brutal suitor that had been painted over.
Enrico wished that there was a sound-bite of this mechanical dealer because it had the distinction of being his favourite noise. There was something chilling about the
Abele -card however.
Some miniature terra-cotta pots which had been by the dealer where brought over then the tops opened that made the peculiar scraping sound that these made. Inside was the aluminium dusting powder which was Abele’s trademark.
“Do you know which powder you used on the Volvo that was driven?”
Taking prints was what they called ‘standard procedure’ but they were so concerned about what happened to G they had impounded her car for what was euphemistically called further prints.
“Its called Clotexoni-which is the standard throughout all Canada if not N. America. It’s not very glamorous but does the trick Abele.”
“This which we have here is a much more refined grade. It’s relatively easy to make but not so readily available.”
Enrico motions to touch the surface but hesitates lest this biotechnology vaporizes or begins a degeneracy countdown.
“It’s okay there is plenty more where that came from. I’m trying to underplay the preciousness of it-where I believe we went wrong before. Just enjoy the aluminium effervescence. It may seem jejune-even insignificant but I can assure you that it is able to convey much more. It isn’t some highfalutin’ compound but much more finely ground.”
“This will bring out what might be on G’s Volvo a lot more sharply I understand.”
“Sure there is stuff there which even a social scientist will tell you just goes missing or is overlooked.”
Mancini was getting out there that was for sure like this might be the cure for AIDS or the common-cold. Maybe this was a booby-trap- Abele was probably a rep who enjoyed flogging this to any unsuspecting passer-by. As the meeting progressed however it became clear that there wasn’t a hidden agenda at all. There wasn’t any flotation on the stock market-no need to market better. Eventually it was suggested as per some vague intimation by this unusual guardian.
“The most propitious solution I would suggest is to give you some then give you free reign see what you can come up with.”
As Enrico left with this generous gift-it was realised where the adulteress card had been seen before it was the philanthropist Agata Lucchesi who died from diphtheria during the Great Depression. Agata must have been copied from a newspaper but seemed an unlikely subject being generally dour/staid.
Alarico Bianchi who had a vaguely glutinous air reeked of nicotine had once been a teacher, a courtroom usher then a radiologist now was reduced to the humble chore of maintaining the lock-up where the Volvo was stored.
“How’s tricks Alarico?” Enrico demanded.
“You know comme si comme sa-Que Sera, Sera. Whatever will be, will be. The future's not ours took to see. It’s not very flattering what I do but it’s better than being jobless.”
“Your plate is okay I trust-not giving any problems?
Bianchi was involved in the famous Prudenzio Greco siege in which a bullet dislodged in him somewhere. The chauffeur of Greco’s Mazda Premacy took exception to Bianchi discharging the contents of his Heckler & Koch HK in his direction. The next thing Alarico knew was being in a tunnel going infinitely into the distance with someone telling him his time wasn’t up yet. The surgeons only narrowly saved him with a trip down the aforementioned tunnel being narrowly averted.
“Rehab says I will survive-it is why I was put here anyway as a guardian.”
It can be seen that this invokes slight amusement in Nucci. Abele puts on a mock doom-laden tone.
“I am the guardian of the portal beware all who enter here.”Then reverting to his normal tone. “It was just a gag oh well. What is that you have there Nucci?”
Enrico was holding a thermos of Clotexoni.
“Some new dust-this is, is the neat stuff we want to try it out on the Schreiber Volvo.”
The lock-up entrance was slid open on its tiny castors so that the Volvo was visible. As they grew accustomed to the interior it seemed like the shadow of a peninsula of a Latin Island was cast.
“Well there you are be my guest-it will be there forever or until someone throws it on the scrap-heap like it should have been. The entire vehicle was blighted in my estimation. I guess you wanna be left on your own to providence or whatever it is you have in store for this sorry mass.”
“Yeh you might say-since we don’t have a connection to the afterlife I am forced to resort to the more conventional like the Clotexoni here.”
“The new-print taker I’ve heard of it-it is legendary.”
“Here take a once over.”
The lid of the thermos is unscrewed so that the contents is clearly visible. The aluminium is almost the same as the glass lining.
“Very impressive well the baby is all yours. We do have a protective counterpane if we believe that the vehicle is going to be there for a while but I don’t get the impression this is a stayer. There is a car-crusher in store for this somewhere. Well I don’t want it to seem like we’re giving you the brush-off but I’ll leave you to it-this kinda work never interested us.”
Maybe it was something fetching in the ionosphere who knew quite what augury the geographer was attending to, but soon Enrico was on his own the aforementioned having departed on the scrambler-bike that had brought him. A compressor started in the distance but if this was Alarico or not wasn’t known.
Enrico having dressed in the overalls that were obligatory for such messy interference-sensing himself distinctly semi professional the futuristic dust was gradually applied mostly where it was deemed the youth was dragged from the car. If Nucci was honest just where to begin was an enigma-the dusting brush plus his thermos were there but where from there now there’s the rub. The nebula of powder seemed to gather but what it was telling him that was another matter. Nearly a gram was dispersed before it was realised that Mancini had warned them if they allowed the setting to overheat or get too cold that the results would be seriously disturbed. A thermostat was sought in the great hanger in order to synthesize this perfect setting but when it wasn’t found his task was resumed.
It was no good being uncertain or abstemious one had to plough on forward. Nothing was going to worsen particularly quickly thermostat or no thermostat. Advancement was possible even with non-prescription intervention like this. Clotexoni didn’t have to be a nostrum.
Enrico’s attention did not wane for what seemed like an age-his endeavour seemed to smoulder. If anyone had enquired what his concern was it would be what it would cost to legalize Clotexoni for it was coming up with much not encountered before