Near the exit to the blue patio, DeCoverley Pox and Joaquin Stick stand by a concrete scale model of the Jungfrau, ... socking the slopes of the famous mountain with red rubber hot-water bags full of ice cubes, the idea being to pulverize the ice for Pirate's banana frappes. With their nights' growths of beard, matted hair, bloodshot eyes, miasmata of foul breath, DeCoverley and Joaquin are wasted gods urging on a tardy glacier
In Thomas Pynchon's narrative, DeCoverley Pox and Joaquin Stick are depicted at the edge of a blue patio, engaging in a unique and whimsical endeavor with a concrete model of the Jungfrau mountain. Their peculiar plan involves using red rubber hot-water bags filled with ice cubes to break up the ice for making Pirate's banana frappes. This creative yet absurd activity showcases their unusual approach to problem-solving and highlights a festive atmosphere around an otherwise dormant glacier.
The protagonists present an image of disheveled, almost mythological figures, as they display signs of exhaustion and neglect with their unkempt appearances and weary expressions. The contrast between their 'wasted' forms and their ambitious ice-shattering project reflects their chaotic quest for indulgence and excess, capturing a blend of humor and surrealism in Pynchon's writing. Through this passage, he illustrates a deeper commentary on human endeavors and the absurdity found within them.
