A slightly tipsy afternoon TV movie host in the city of Dypsomaniacinac, Michigan introduces Veronica's sleeper "The Disrobing" (1944) with a tip of his yachting cap and knowing wink.

For like Veronicatastetester Mishima, he knew her in the Biblical sense, but in only a faux-World War kind of way. Still, she poured in physical form from the Dumont television as half-truths would from his office bourbon.

Engravings of animals and weapons stared down from the shabby-genteel office walls like the lost nostalgia dice of Jasper Johns on mescaline. She sidled up to Mishima and cooed, "Got an oil tanker for a girl who likes pumping, Samurai?"

Rubbing his gauntlet over her face in the direction of her skull, it was backstage that Mishima realized Veronica's single visible eye was actually...her uh, mmm ...chakra-inflamed THIRD eye.

Hair cascading with which she would wash and polish the President's car, Veronica then morphed into her best role, that of a billion-armed Kali wearing a necklace of the skulls of her Hollywood husbands.

Mishima drew in his breath between his teeth. This was karaoke!