“Me and Mike, ve vork in mine,Holy shit, ve have good time.Vunce a veek ve get our pay,Holy shit, no vork next day.”
This quote captures a humorous and somewhat ironic perspective on work and leisure through a playful imitation of a German accent. The speaker describes a routine with "Mike" where they work hard ("ve vork in mine") but also enjoy themselves ("ve have good time"). The repetition of "Holy shit" emphasizes both surprise and enthusiasm, highlighting the contrast between labor and reward.
The line "Vunce a veek ve get our pay, Holy shit, no vork next day" underscores the relief and joy associated with payday and taking a break, reflecting a simple but profound appreciation for rest after effort. Vonnegut’s phrasing, casual and irreverent, conveys a slice of working-class experience with a touch of absurdity, characteristic of his style. Overall, the quote celebrates the human desire for balance between work and enjoyment, using humor to reflect on everyday life.
“This could vork... friends. Uh... ve don't have to kiss, do ve?""Nope~ Unless you want to~"-Germany and Italy”
“But people didn't have to pay as much attention to the awful truth. As the living legend of the cruel tyrant in the city and the gentle holy man in the jungle grew, so, too, did the happiness of the people grow. They were all employed full time as actors in a play they understood, that any human being anywhere could understand and applaud.”
“i didn't need a timequake to teach me being alive was a crock of shit. i already knew that from my childhood and crucifixes and history books.”
“And I realize now that the two main themes of my novels were stated by my siblings: 'Here I am, cleaning shit off of practically everything' and 'No pain.”
“In this world, you get what you pay for.”
“Anyway—because we are readers, we don't have to wait for some communications executive to decide what we should think about next—and how we should think about it. We can fill our heads with anything from aardvarks to zucchinis—at any time of night or day.”