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ique。〃
〃TV is a problem only if you've forgotten how to look and listen；〃 Murray said。 〃My students and I discuss this all the time。 They're beginning to feel they ought to turn against the medium； exactly as an earlier generation turned against their parents and their country。 I tell them they have to learn to look as children again。 Root out content。 Find the codes and messages； to use your phrase； Jack。〃
〃What do they say to that？〃
〃Television is just another name for junk mail。 But I tell them I can't accept that。 I tell them I've been sitting in this room for more than two months； watching TV into the early hours； listening carefully； taking notes。 A great and humbling experience； let me tell you。 Close to mystical。〃
〃What's your conclusion？〃
He crossed his legs primly and sat with the cup in his lap； smiling straight ahead。
〃Waves and radiation；〃 he said。 〃I've e to understand that the medium is a primal force in the American home。 Sealed…off； timeless； self…contained； self…referring。 It's like a myth being born right there in our living room； like something we know in a dreamlike and preconscious way。 I'm very enthused； Jack。〃
He looked at me； still smiling in a half sneaky way。
〃You have to learn how to look。 You have to open yourself to the data。 TV offers incredible amounts of psychic data。 It opens ancient memories of world birth； it weles us into the grid； the network of little buzzing dots that make up the picture pattern。 There is light； there is sound。 I ask my students； 'What more do you want？' Look at the wealth of data concealed in the grid； in the bright packaging； the jingles； the slice…of…life mercials； the products hurtling out of darkness； the coded messages and endless repetitions； like chants； like mantras。 'Coke is it； Coke is it； Coke is it。' The medium practically overflows with sacred formulas if we can remember how to respond innocently and get past our irritation； weariness and disgust。〃
〃But your students don't agree。〃
〃Worse than junk mail。 Television is the death throes of human consciousness； according to them。 They're ashamed of their television past。 They want to talk about movies。〃
He got up and refilled our cups。
〃How do you know so much？〃 Babette said。
〃I'm from New York。〃
〃The more you talk； the sneakier you look； as if you're trying to put something over on us。〃
〃The best talk is seductive。〃
〃Have you ever been married？〃 she said。
〃Once； briefly。 I was covering the Jets； the Mets and the Nets。
How odd a figure I must seem to you now； a solitary crank who maroons himself with a TV set and dozens of stacks of dust…jacketed ic books。 Don't think I wouldn't appreciate a dramatic visit between two and three in the morning；〃 he told her； 〃from an intelligent woman in spike heels and a slit skirt； with high…impact accessories。〃
It was drizzling as we walked home； my arm around her waist。 The streets were empty。 Along Elm all the stores were dark； the two banks were dimly lit； the neon spectacles in the window of the optical shop cast a gimmicky light on the sidewalk。
Dacron； Orion； Lycra Spandex。
〃I know I forget things；〃 she said； 〃but I didn't know it was so obvious。〃
〃It isn't。〃
〃Did you hear Denise？ When was it； last week？〃
〃Denise is smart and tough。 No one else notices。〃
〃I dial a number on the phone and forget who I'm calling。 I go to the store and forget what to buy。 Someone will tell me something； I'll forget it； they'll tell me again； I'll forget it； they'll tell me again； showing a funny…looking smile。〃
〃We all forget；〃 I said。
〃I forget names； faces； phone numbers； addresses； appointments； instructions； directions。〃
〃It's something that's just been happening； more or less to everyone。〃
〃I forget that Steff？e doesn't like to be called Stephanie。 Sometimes I call her Denise。 I forget where I've parked the car and then for a long； long moment I forget what the car looks like。〃
〃Forgetfulness has gotten into the air and water。 It's entered the food chain。〃
〃Maybe it's the gum I chew。 Is that too farfetched？〃
〃Maybe it's something else。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃You're taking something besides chewing gum。〃
〃Where did you get that idea？〃
〃I got it secondhand from Steffie。〃
〃Who did Steffie get it from？〃
〃Denise。〃
She paused； conceding the possibility that if Denise is the source of a rumor or theory； it could very well be true。
〃What does Denise say I'm taking？〃
〃I wanted to ask you before I asked her。〃
〃To the best of my knowledge； Jack； I'm not taking anything that could account for my memory lapses。 On the other hand I'm not old； I haven't suffered an injury to the head and there's nothing in my family background except tipped uteruses。〃
〃You're saying maybe Denise is right。〃
〃We can't rule it out。〃
〃You're saying maybe you're taking something that has the side effect of impairing memory。〃
〃Either I'm taking something and I don't remember or I'm not taking something and I don't remember。 My life is either/or。 Either I chew regular gum or I chew sugarless gum。 Either I chew gum or I smoke。 Either I smoke or I gain weight。 Either I gain weight or I run up the stadium steps。〃
〃Sounds like a boring life。〃
〃I hope it lasts forever；〃 she said。
Soon the streets were covered with leaves。 Leaves came tumbling and scraping down the pitched roofs。 There were periods in every day when a stiff wind blew； baring the trees further； and retired men appeared in the backyards； on the small lawns out front； carrying rakes with curved teeth。 Black bags were arrayed at the curbstone in lopsided rows。
A series of frightened children appeared at our door for their Halloween treats。
12
I went to German lessons twice a week； in the late afternoon； darkness crowding in earlier with each succeeding visit。 It was Howard Dunlop's working rule that we sit facing each other during the full length of the lesson。 He wanted me to study his tongue positions as he demonstrated the pronunciation of consonants； diphthongs； long and short vowels。 He in turn would look c