have about four bites apiece and there’s all kinds of parts of the fish where the bites are more significant—But beyond that the way to properly fry a fresh-caught fish is to be sure the oil is burning and furiously so when you lay the fish in it, not burning but real hot oil, well yeh even burning, hand me the spat, you then gently lay the fish into the oil and create a tremendous crackling racket” (which he does as Romana cheers) (and I glance at Billie and she’s thinking of something else like a nun in the corner) but Dave keeps on making jokes till he actually has us all smiling—While the fish is cooking, tho, Romana as she’s been doing all day is constantly handing me a bite to eat, some hors doevres or piece of tomato or other, apparently trying to help me feel better— “You've got to EAT” she and Dave keep saying but I dont want to eat and yet they’re always holding out bites to my mouth until finally now I begin to frown thinking “What’s all these bites they keep throwing at me, poison?—and what’s wrong with my eyes, they’re all dilated black like I’ve had drugs, all I’ve had is wine, did Dave put drugs in my wine or something? thinking it will help or something? or are they members of a secret society that dopes people secretly the idea being to enlighten them or something?” even as Romana is handing me a bite and I take it from her big brown hands and chew—She’s wearing purple panties and purple bras, nothing else, just for fun, Dave’s slappin her on the can joyfully as he cooks the supper, it’s some big erotic natural thing to do for Romana, she believes in showing her beautiful big body anyway—In fact at one point when Billie’s up leaning over a chair Dave goes behind Billie and playfully touches her and winks at me, but I’m not of all this like a moron and we could all be having fun such as soldiers dream the day away imagining, dammit—But the venoms in the blood are asexual as well as asocial and a-everything—“Billie’s so nice and thin, like I’m used to Romana maybe I should switch around here for variety,” says Dave at the sizzling frying pan
Page:Big Sur (1963).djvu/171
BIG SUR161
