Vineland

Billy Barf and the Vomitones prepare to play the Wayvone wedding. The Wayvones are a wealthy family, but they are actually a “wholly owned subsidiary” (93), meaning that they own nothing while being paid a regular stipend by a parent corporation so that they can evade taxes. The family business, people believe, is organized crime, though their business has been mostly legitimate for a long time.

The band arrives at the wedding, dressed as Italians. They have disguised their typical punk tendencies and have adopted the name Gino Baglioni and the Paisans. This disguise is enough to get them through their first set. When the time comes for them to play classic Italian songs, however, they are found out. They are threatened with legal action “in small claims” (96).

In the restroom, Prairie meets a woman named Darryl Louise Chastain, known as DL. DL is Takeshi’s partner. She found Prairie via the business card. Prairie believes that DL is her mother’s friend. She listens to her explain the animosity between Brock Vond and Frenesi; Brock holds an indictment against Frenesi which will not expire. He has been chasing her for 15 years. According to DL, Brock wants to use Prairie as a bargaining chip to negotiate for her mother’s return.