Endnote 324: Freer at the mirror
‘What, metaphysical angst at thirteen?’ Pemulis directs the question to the quote-Viking’s reflection’s eye in the mirror. […] The Viking contorted his mouth and raised his big chin to check the flesh of his jaw, turning slightly to use the side-mirrors as well. […] ‘Oh Jesus H. Christmastree here it comes,’ the Viking said to his forehead’s reflection. […] Freer turned from the mirror, both hands on a comb. ‘What the fuck’s going on?’
Context
The sighting's other half: Freer plays the entire note facing the glass. Pemulis addresses him via "the quote-Viking's reflection's eye"; Freer answers his own forehead; he works the founder-designed side-mirrors exactly as designed (jaw-flesh check); and he physically turns from the mirror only at the note's climax, when word arrives that Wayne is "insanely holding forth innermost thoughts for public ears" on the air. Around him the note stages Possalthwaite's "Nothing's true" crisis and Pemulis's trust-math sermon — and the mirror-user is the one character in the room with no truth problem, only a complexion problem. Companion piece to the catalogued scene-055 Freer-mirror row ("Freer watching himself walk toward it").