Authors: Chuck Palahniuk
For reinforce early lesson training of operative me.
Benevolent much respected language instructor, making stance at focus all operative, say, “Hep cat.” Say, “Cat’s meow.” Say, “Cat’s pajamas.”
Repeat say all operative, “Hep cat. Cat’s meow. Cat’s pajamas.”
Learned, best-meaning instructor say, “Rumble seat.”
All student say, “Rumble seat.”
All learn so able repeat, “Soda pop. Twenty-three skidoo. Monkey wrench. Grease monkey. Raccoon coat.”
Seated desks, hands folded, eyes cast forward, all operative repeat say, “Heavens to Betsy.” Say, “Greased lightning.” Say, “Moxie.” Say, “Bluebird of happiness.”
As affirmation correct usage current modern American language, honored instructor say, “Now you’re cooking with gas!”
Same manner all operatives studied so learn repeat, say, “Workers’ paradise.” Say, “Heartless postcolonial multinational corporation.”
Taught say, “Venomous vipers of capitalist imperial United States.”
Taught memorize, implant within thinking machine, “Oppressive degenerate Western culture.”
Implanted quote from celebrated author, infamous sodomite Oscar Wilde, say, “It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.”
In truth, many such facts actual outdated.
Admitting here failure of this agent. Operative me, traitor guilty of committing treason. Operation Havoc rendered utter aborted. Total disappointed of no result.
Begins here resignation of this agent.
Much shame saddled with great humiliation, this agent hereby admitting defeat. No able sacrifice life for state. Instead, have ended former life of this agent for benefit of host sister. In retreat, this agent seeking political asylum, adoption host family. All charges against host father dropped. Host family Cedar restored. All operative unmasked, held federal custody pending full investigate. As per plan, exploded cargo of dollars…legal monetary notes burst toward sky…except neglected this agent to taint said currency deadly neurotoxin. With full intention, no poisoned money, already operative me so seduced by affection for American parasites. Instead, “Peace Machine” merely geyser cash money into space. Delight assembled crowd children and adults of National Science Fair. Create vast celebration.
Quote, “It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.”
Go, Team Cedar!
Therefore tending here resignation operative me.
Confessed this agent responsible violent anal sodomy Trevor Stonefield.
Magda offspring due issue June seventeenth. Revealed of
DNA analysis, fathered pig dog brother. Perhaps intend wed. Perhaps no.
For official record, this agent rejects top deity as dictated by native state.
Please locate herewith enclosed molar tooth, extracted out mouth of operative me during visitation with United State doctor of teeth. Molar encasing hollow filled deadly cyanide, no longer of purpose for this agent.
Begins here new life of operative me.
Chuck Palahniuk’s nine previous novels are the best-selling
Snuff Rant, Haunted, Lullaby, Diary, Choke
—which has been made into a film by director Clark Gregg, starring Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston—
Survivor, Invisible Monsters
, and Fight Club, which was made into a film by director David Fincher. He is also the author of the nonfiction profile of Portland, Oregon,
Fugitives and Refugees
, published as part of the Crown Journeys series, and the nonfiction collection
Stranger Than Fiction
. He lives in the Pacific Northwest.
DOUBLEDAY
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2009 by Chuck Palahniuk
All Rights Reserved
Published in the United States by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.doubleday.com
DOUBLEDAY and the DD colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Palahniuk, Chuck.
Pygmy / by Chuck Palahniuk—1st ed.
p. cm.
1. Students, Foreign—Fiction. 2. Terrorists—Fiction. I. Title.
PS3566.A4554P94 2009
813′.54—dc22
2009006507
eISBN: 978-0-385-53034-7
v3.0