In a curious departure from the good-hearted old fellow's usual "style," his luncheon comments today were increasingly brief, indeed on occasion approaching the terse, and no sooner had the pie á la mode made its appearance than he had called for the check.
* * * * * * * * * *
"good-hearted old fellow"
I'm glad I was handed this shortcut to know what to think and feel about Professor Heino Vanderjuice through Randolph's perspective. I didn't know whether his pursuit of the advancement of civilization through science and technology was fueled by good intentions or evil machinations. But if Randolph sees him as good-hearted, I think I can accept that.
"were increasingly brief, indeed on occasion approaching the terse"
What's got the Professor in a mood? I bet it's a dangerous mission for the Chums of Chance! Maybe some technological espionage! If Pynchon hadn't written that "good-hearted" bit, I'd definitely be picturing Professor Heino Vanderjuice as the Suicide Squad's Amanda Waller.
"pie á la mode"
I have a rule: whenever food is mentioned in a book, I must, as soon as possible, eat that food. Unless it's beefsteaks. Or any other kind of meat. Except maybe turkey. Sorry, turkeys, but as per the wisdom of my mother: "You have to hate somebody, right?!"
Is that wisdom or was that just something stupid and off the cuff jokey my mother once said that I'll never let her live down? Probably wisdom! I wonder how much of Buddha's teachings are just some snooty remark he made that some dumb scribe who didn't understand sarcasm jotted down as canon?
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