Geek Love

The story returns to Oly’s earlier life. One day, a man named Zephir McGurk shows up at the Fabulon, asking for Arty. McGurk is an electrician and inventor, and he’s put together a contraption for Arty. Since Arty has no hands, McGurk thought Arty would need a machine to help him masturbate. Arty assures McGurk that he has plenty of women around to help take care of his needs. McGurk, who walks on artificial legs, stays on to work as the camp electrician and becomes devoted to Arty. Arty tells McGurk that he should walk on his stumps, rather than his artificial legs, to improve his own love life.

One night, Oly sees a dark figure trying to enter Arty’s trailer. Oly assumes that it is an assassin and she attacks the intruder, imagining Arty’s rapturous gratitude. As the porch lights turn on, a guard grabs Oly and Oly releases the young woman she’s attacked. Arty comes out, ushers the young woman into the trailer, and coldly tells Oly that the woman was invited. Oly is humiliated.

Oly keeps the encounter a secret, pained that Arty would be involved with a girl, especially a norm.