We still need a hundredth fourth person for the Bridge, "he said, with an arid giggle. Bridge, Die Brücke, the bridge, was his nickname to the experience in which he collaborated with the locality hospital to study the effects of LSD -25, mescaline, psilocybin and other similar substances in a large number of housewives from Los Angeles satellite-satellite.
The quote reflects a whimsical remark about needing an additional participant for a project dubbed "Bridge." This project involved a collaboration with a local hospital to investigate the impacts of psychedelics like LSD-25, mescaline, and psilocybin on a group of housewives from the suburbs of Los Angeles. The speaker's arid giggle suggests a mix of amusement and perhaps exasperation in dealing with the complexities of such a research endeavor.
The reference to "Bridge" highlights the connection between the community and the unusual experimental activities taking place. It suggests a blending of serious scientific inquiry with the everyday lives of those involved, encapsulating a unique moment in the cultural landscape of the era depicted in Thomas Pynchon's "The Crying of Lot 49." The novel often examines themes of communication, disruption, and the search for meaning in a confusing world.
