Myra-Breckinridge-Gore-Vidal

from you." Buck was plaintive. "That's the last thing on ourminds but we've got to make sure you really are entitled toit. I mean you could be some kind of impersonator, sayingyou are who you are." "Gertrude gave you two hundreddollars back in Philadelphia when you were twenty yearsold to pay for the abortion of the daughter of the Rexalldruggist you knocked up and refused to marry." Buckturned white. The Polynesian remained brown. Buckcleared his throat, "I'm not saying you didn't know Gertrudeand the boy well. Obviously you did... "The point is like this,"said Charlie Flagler Junior, you have to prove you weremarried. That's all." "I shall prove it." I rose to go. The menrose, too, with a new respect. At least they don'tunderestimate their adversary. "Proof will arrive before theend of the week. Meanwhile, Uncle Buck, I shall list all theloans Gertrude made you over the years, and I shall expectrepayment, with interest." I slammed the door as I left. Ihave just talked to Dr. Montag in New York. He dithered. Iwas firm. "Randolph, you owe this to me. You owe this toMyron. I don't want to blackmail you emotionally but youalso owe it to the insights we exchanged, the three of us, atthe Blue Owl Grill. We made you just as you made us. Nowwe are at the crunch......" "The what?" His nervouswheezing often keeps him from hearing what others say."'Crunch' is a word currently favored by the keenerjournalists. It means the showdown, the moment of truth.Well, this is the crunch, and I am appealing to you, not onlyas Myron's analyst and my dentist but as our only friend. Flyout here tomorrow." "But, Myra, I can't. Your appeal reaches