The ad meeting: two tapping Tines, "Shut up, Rodney," and the confiscated ruler

pivotal · 20 Nov YDAU

• When: 20 Nov YDAU, the snowstorm-delayed Glad/InterLace public-service-ad meeting, 8th Floor, State House Annex, Boston — the same room as event 1.
• What: The transcript bills him as "MR. R. TINE JR., DEPUTY REGIONAL COORDINATOR, U.S. OFFICE OF UNSPECIFIED SERVICES," seated with his father — billed, in this one scene, explicitly as "MR. RODNEY TINE SR." He greets the Chief with "Afternoon, Chief!" (answer: "Mmmph."), offers weather small talk — "[Tapping edge of ruler on tabletop.] How’d you fare getting up here, Sir, if I may?" — and taps his ruler through the whole meeting while, across the table, his father taps "a telescoping weatherman's pointer against the edge of the tabletop": two Tines, two sticks, one tic. When Jr finally ventures substance — warning Glad's Buster Yee that "The upcoming year’s Glad’s year, Buster. You wanted the year." and painting the Entertainment's spiral-eyed victims — he is cut off mid-word: "Shut up, Rodney. And quit with the ruler-tapping." The escalation is relentless: "[Pointing at tapping ruler with weatherman’s pointer.] You’re close to losing that hand, bucko."; then, when Yee seizes ("Urgle. Urgle urgle. Splarg. Kaa.") and Jr taps right through the fit ("Jesus W. Christ"), the Chief rises — "All right, God damn it. Give me that thing. Give it here." — and, over Jr's "But Chief—," delivers the verdict: "You heard me God damn it. You know it drives me bats. You’ll get it back when we’re done. Drives me up the wall. Always has. What is it with you and that ruler." Jr's last try ("So let's have a look at the bastard.") earns his job description for the rest of the book: "Kid, your job here from here on out is to pipe down, now do you—?"