The so far elusive "plot" of Infinite Jest is starting to come into focus. Like an optometrist's patient, sitting the standard distance from the eye chart, looking through lenses to see which produces the clearest image, my ideal lens is about to snap over my still open right eye.
Why? Because this last chapter focusing on the kidnapping of the engineer of Madame Psychosis (aka Joelle Van Dyne)'s late night radio show has revealed a key plot component. The A.F.R (aka the Wheelchair Assassins) aren't just after the tape of her performance (J. Incandenza's fifth take on Infinite Jest), but want her herself so that they can control the source of the tape's power, and finally have a proper bargaining chip. Though what they want to bargain for is unclear. Quebec sovereignty, I guess.
Taking a step back, I've drawn all this out of this previous chapter simply because there's no other reason for anyone to kidnap the engineer for Joelle Van Dyne's old radio show. Plus, the narrator notes that even though this engineer knows precious little about Joelle's current whereabouts "he is shortly to have occasion to wish he knew a great deal more" (625).
Very shortly that lens will swing down, and then the eye doc's chart will be high-def clear.
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