-
Prosperity
- University of Wisconsin Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
45 PROSPERITY FortheReal,whateverupheavalwesubjectitto,isalwaysandineverycase initsplace;itcarriesitsplacestucktothesoleofitsshoe,therebeingnothing thatcanexileitfromit. JACQUESLACAN,ÉCRITS Turnoffthestereo:therecordslowsinsuaveturnslikeaboy whoknowshisstrength.OnceintheAgeofVinyl,heat warpedLedZeppelinbeyondsalvation.Therecroomceiling carpetmatchedthefloor.Ourparentswrotenotes: PleaseexcusemychildassheisflyingtoSunValley. Nothingmattered.Wejumpedfromtreetotree. Pleaseexcusemychildassheissimianandmayregress toanearlierstageofevolution.MyfriendThompson lockedhimselfinthegolfcourseshedwitharevolver. (PleaseexcusemeasI’mnotachild,butwhat’sthisstereo doingplayingallscratchesandscars?)“Listen,loser,” Isaidthroughthegolfsheddoor,“don’tyouknowhowlucky youare?”Buttherewerenometers,nomarkers,nomaps. FaroffinFrance,JacquesLacansketchedtheRealindense prosemeanttofendoffreaders.Hechewedhishandrolled cigarette.TheRealisthestateofnaturewehavelost byourfallintolanguage.Buthere’swhat’sweirder: asIwaitedforThompson,Iheldmyownhandlikealover, asifitmattered—palm,fingers,thumb.“You’venevereven hadsex,”Ihissed,andhedroppedthegun. ...