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 "Anarchy never sleeps, son. They're meeting right down the El line a couple-three stops, and you might want to take a look in. Even get educated, maybe."

* * * * * * * * * *

"Anarchy"
We all remember this is just the capitalist synonym for "unionizing."

"the El line"
Being from the West Coast, there was an awful lot of aging before I learned Chicago's "El" train was an elevated train and not the "L" train. I also didn't know much about Judaism!

"might want to take a look in. Even get educated"
So Nate wants Lew to infiltrate a Union meeting (possibly where they might be planning some anarchy! You've got to get the capitalists' attention somehow!). The "even get educated" bit seems like some good foreshadowing. Nate wants Lew to learn how terrible these anarchists are. But Lew will probably become "educated" on exactly what's going on and how little "anarchy" is actually taking place. These people are blowing up cops with meaning and purpose! It isn't just a bunch of nihilistic fun!

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 "Thought I might grab some sleep."

* * * * * * * * * *

Lew must have the night off. Perhaps, after the ruckus at the bar, it's Max's turn to keep an eye on Franz (although that night, it had also been Max's turn but Max lost him). I suppose Lew's watch is only during the day while Franz is out and about in official capacity (which is why Max now owes Lew a favor for pulling Franz from the bar). And, if I were forced to look at things from Nate's perspective, Nate is paying Lew enough money to eat steak at Kinsley's. So maybe he should get as much work out of him as possible.

Anyway, this is why you always try to get out of the office without running into your boss. Especially on Friday.

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 "Old F.F.'ll be out of town in just a couple more days, Lew, but meantime here's somethin for you tonight."

* * * * * * * * * *

Not only is Nate a generally terrible person, he's also a lousy boss. His formatting of this request is completely backwards! There is no "meantime" if Franz Ferdinand is not yet "out of town." Nate makes it sound like Lew doesn't have anything to do until Franz leaves so, until then, here's another folder with another job in it.

Is it just me? He's taking advantage of Lew here, right? Doubling up his workload? Am I reading that correctly or is my projection of having to work for Barb at Academic Books still showing after twenty years?! "You've got three bookcases of books to check in but in the meantime, here's four more to do today."

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 Lew was just headed out to Kinsley's for a late steak when Nate called him into the office, reaching to fetch down a new folder.

* * * * * * * * * *

Kinsley's restaurant in 1885.

The photograph of the exterior of Kinsley's was, um, "found" here. Jan Whitaker has a brief biography of H.M. Kinsley at this link. Kinsley, hired to help with setting up restaurants at the Fair, hosted a lavish inaugural dinner for the Fair in which the Vice President and many other major political figures were in attendance. And while that's interesting, and ties in to the timeline of this book, I think the most interesting bit that ties in with the themes of the book are his attitude toward race at the time. Jan Whitaker writes, "Kinsley took positions on the issues of race and tipping that were at odds with many restaurateurs of his time. He declared in 1880s he was always willing to serve Afro-American customers, thought black waiters were among the finest, and found tipping a reasonable system of remuneration that encouraged good service." I like this guy. And I imagine Pynchon did too which is why he drops his name in this sentence.

The fact that Lew can afford a steak at Kinsley's means he's making really good money with White City Investigations. I suppose that's always going to be the case when you're working for The Man to keep poor people poor and unsafe working conditions unsafe.

"reaching to fetch down a new folder."
Where does Nate keep his folders?! I guess in his combination sideboard, bookcase, and filing cabinet. It's probably huge. To store all the liquor bottles.