Conversation · Kim Kitsuragi

"EMOTIONAL CONTACT AMPLIFIES THE ECSTASIES OF SEX. LIKE IVY, WE ARE INTERTWINED. WEAK AND STRONG, MAN AND WOMAN, MOTHER AND CHILD.

Wow. This man has truly internalised the psychology of sex.

"You seem to have a set idea of masculinity. I wonder where it comes from?"

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR VAGUE GENERALITIES. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE ON YOUR MIND. ASK THE QUESTION YOU INTENDED TO ASK OR FACE YOUR COWARDICE."

No, this is a trap... He will say or do something horrible if you go down this path...

Time to get personal -- he's finally ready to open up to you.

"It's not cowardice, it's called having a survival instinct."

"NO. IT'S A BIOLOGICAL CONDITION WHERE A MALE SPECIMEN IS BORN WITHOUT HIS TESTICLES. HAPPENS ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND NOW IT HAS HAPPENED HERE, IN MY MOTHER'S OFFICE, UNDER MY WATCHFUL EYE."

"SHAME. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INTERESTING TOPIC."

"Alright. What made you you, Measurehead?"

"THE ONLY MAN WORTH BEING CALLED A MAN -- FATHER JAIRZINHO."

Father Jairzinho? Sounds like some kind of mystic. Or a magician.

"Hold on, is this father Jairzinho a... mystic?"

"NO. A WELDER."

An honest job for an honest man.

"And how did he make you?"

"FATHER JAIRZINHO MADE ME HARD, WHERE MY MOTHER MADE ME SOFT. TOGETHER THEY MADE ME COMPLETE."

Nothing in the history of things that are has ever been as monolithic as Jean-Luc Measurehead right now. He is an obelisk. A towering phallic obelisk of willpower.

The hair on you arm stands up as you hear wind howl behind the window... An outline of a small bathroom appears in your mind's eye. Above the sink -- in a tumbler -- is a pair of labelled toothbrushes...

Shake it off.

"LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN: IT IS THE BALANCE BETWEEN SOFT AND HARD THAT MADE ME COMPLETE."

"It's very poetic, but you're avoiding the question. How did he raise you?"

"FATHER JAIRZINHO WAS VERY WISE. HE REALISED THAT IF THE TENDER TOUCH OF MY MOTHER WASN'T OPPOSED I WOULD TURN INTO A..." He pauses to make sure your eyes are locked.

"COMPLETE PUSSY."

No, not a pussy!!

"SO HE DID WHAT A MAN MUST. HE BECAME A COUNTERWEIGHT. OF IRON. THROUGH SCARCITY, ASCESIS, DISCIPLINE, AND RESPECTFUL DISTANCE EVERY FATHER SHOULD HAVE FOR HIS SON."

How sad -- this man only ever knew his mother's love...

Smells like physical violence... just like with Cuno and his dad.

Hopefully he at least taught his son some welding...

"Is Jairzinho your biological father?"

"YES, I INHERITED MY GENETIC MAKEUP FROM FATHER JAIRZINHO. I AM AN EVOLUTION OF HIM. HE IS IMMORTALISED IN MY ESSENCE EVEN AFTER HIS PHYSICAL BODY EXPIRES."

The last words are said almost with a longing.

And by essence he means his 'strategic semen reserve'. A collector, that one.

A lot of semen talk going around, but no one blowing any loads. This party's winding down, bratan.

"Maybe your father just didn't know how to express his love?"

"YOU ARE NOT FIT TO MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT FATHER JAIRZINHO. HIS ABILITY TO FORM EMOTIONAL BONDS WITH HIS OFFSPRING WAS EXEMPLARY."

"TEACHING SELF-CONTROL, DISCIPLINE, ASCESIS, AND RESPECT WAS AN ACT OF LOVE GREATER THAN ANYTHING THAT YOU OR YOUR PHARMACO-THERAPEUTIC CULTURE CAN COME UP WITH."

Hit him right in the soft spot there with that question.

"Thanks for sharing all this with me." (Continue.)

"I AM MERELY OFFERING A SMALL GLIMPSE OF FUNCTIONAL FAMILY DYNAMICS -- SOMETHING YOU WERE CLEARLY DEPRIVED OF."

"Yes, khm... so, back to babes and turning back time..."

"YES, YOUR FAVOURITE TOPICS. WHAT ABOUT THEM?"

"Stop making everything about me."

"I AM JUST STATING THE FACTS. YOUR TRAUMATIZED ESSENCE IS IN PLAIN SIGHT."

"I'm sure your dad thinks you're an apex predator. A top dog."

"NO, HE DOES NOT, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. I SHOULDN'T CARE -- AND I DON'T -- WHAT HE THINKS. I AM MYSELF, NOT HIM. THIS IS HOW HE TAUGHT ME."

Intellectual independence -- definitely something worth celebrating.

But deep down he does care. Of course he does. He's his son.

"You don't always have to be so hard. Live a little, let loose."

"DON'T THINK NOW THAT YOU'VE DIVORCED YOURSELF FROM THE GHOUL YOU'RE FIT TO GIVE ME LIFE ADVICE."

"I DIDN'T BECOME WHAT I AM BY SUCCUMBING TO THE PLEASURE-SEEKING DEMANDS OF MY PHYSICAL BODY. YOU HOWEVER CLEARLY DID -- AND THAT'S MORE THAN I NEED TO CLOSE THIS ARGUMENT."

"I CAN'T SEE OR HEAR THE GREAT EXAMPLE YOU'RE SETTING OVER THE DEAFENING ROAR OF YOUR CO-PILOT, AL GUL."

"Did he teach you some welding at least?"

"NO. I AM NOT INTERESTED IN WELDING."

"Why do you call him Father Jairzinho then?"

"BECAUSE FATHER JAIRZINHO IS MY FATHER AND HIS NAME IS JAIRZINHO."

His father taught him respect.

"Did he ever hit you? Because it seems like he did."

"THE STEREOTYPICAL WORRIES OF A TRAUMATISED SOCIAL WORKER. THE REALITY DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO YOUR PERSONAL TRAUMA. AND IF IT DID, I WOULD WELCOME IT. A GOOD FIGHT WITH FATHER JAIRZINHO WOULD BE A GREAT HONOUR."

'Personal trauma'? Is he implying you were the one who got beaten up by your dad?