74
PARTISAN REVIEW
have been spotted by the pastor's wife or by the pastor. She might have
been spotted by Miss Wandzia or by Miss Wandzia's mother. She might
have been spotted by Oma, Kohoutek's grandmother. The Postmaster,
Kohoutek's grandfather, as he took some fresh air, might also have come
to the conclusion that someone closely associated with Kohoutek was
on the lawn. Kohoutek's current woman might also have been seen by
Kohoutek's child, and she might have been noticed by Kohoutek's wife.
Anyone might have spotted her. But with a tiny bit of luck, or rather
with a huge bit of luck, it might be that no one had spotted her. The
final preparations for Oma's birthday the following day were under
way, and besides, since that morning, in fact since the previous evening,
the attention of the household had been occupied with a two-liter jar of
beef meatballs that Oma, Kohoutek's grandmother, had hidden some–
where. The matter was pressing, since the meatballs were to be con–
sumed within eight days of purchase. Two days had already passed.
Time was advancing inexorably towards certain definitive formulae: a
two-liter jar of beef meatballs past its consume-by date meant an eter–
nity exploding in sulfurous flames.
The pastor's wife had initiated the hunt for the missing meatballs
when she asked at supper: "What about the meatballs?"
"What meatballs? " said Kohoutek's mother, answering a question
with a question.
"The meatballs I bought yesterday; I'm asking because they're to be
consumed within eight days of purchase, and two days have already
passed. "
"Oma-" Kohoutek's mother turned
to
Oma, Kohoutek's grand–
mother; his mother sat next to her and, because Oma was deaf,
Kohoutek's mother would repeat what was said at table once more,
loudly and distinctly. Kohoutek, who could hardly be called an unbiased
observer of events, always had the impression that the members of the
household were in the mysterious habit of passing utterances from one
person to another.
"Oma, where are the meatballs that the pastor's wife bought yester–
day? I'm asking because they're to be consumed within eight days of
purchase. "
"They're in the refrigerator," repl ied Oma.
This had taken place yesterday, but Kohoutek remembers it as clearly
as if it had been today. Kohoutek can see himself-yes, that's him,
Kohoutek!-as he rises from the table, betakes himself to the pantry,
opens the refrigerator and looks inside. Many foodstuffs are arrayed
