h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Chapter 12

[The story so far: Viola, sure that her mother is in the labyrinth she has discovered, onsists on going in to find her. Blake reveals that his employer has assigned him to stay as close to her as possible for her own protection. He paints a grim picture of the enemy’s odiousness. At the center of the labyrinth is a trap door which leads to a tunnel into the basement of the house. As they reach the main floor, they find that Grandma has returned with Jasper.]

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Grandma and Jasper got out of the plane to great rejoicing from the other family members. Jasper had his father’s square jaw and blond hair, his mother’s violet eyes, and his great-grandmother’s fearlessness. He would need the fearlessness when the girls came at him and their ex-boyfriends attacked him for stealing their affections, Viola reflected. If any 18-year-old boy was a chick magnet, Jasper was one.

“Happy birthday, Mom!” Jasper said, thrusting a package into her hands.

“Oh, my word, I had forgotten all about my birthday,” Viola gasped.

Just then a van drove up and a uniformed messenger got out. “Viola Mardachi?” he asked, looking around.

“That’s me,” Viola said.

The messenger proceeded to sing:

“Viola, may violets adorn
Each gown that you ever have worn.
Happy birthday to you.
You are now 42.
I remember the day you were born.

--An Admirer”

As the messenger drove away, Viola tried to make sense of what had just happened. The annual birthday messages had started after her mother had disappeared. She assumed that they were from her father. But now Dad was dead. Who else was still around who might remember when she was born? Not her grandparents. They had been far away at the time.

Viola offered to show jasper around Blemnox, as he had never seen it before. He looked at the house from all four sides, but he liked the west side the best. ”Cool!” he said. “This side looks just like the Alamo!” he burbled.

“Good heavens, I forgot the Alamo,” Viola exclaimed.

[Amy P]

Intriguing!

Deb

Alamo was where David Bowie invented the knife, yes

I think David Bowie was in a movie called "Dark Labyrinth."

The Blemnox family definitely has some secrets that need to come out. Who is the shadowy figure who plants scarves in labyrinths? Is it the same person who sends singing telegrams? What is Blake not telling Viola about the sinister organization that plants evil geese around her former house and plans acts of violence against her and Blake? How has Grandma gotten away with Eval Knievel-type stunts and still lived into her late eighties unscathed? Has Grandpa lost some of his marbles, or is he cannier than he seems?

Hmmm, a grandpa that marries a grandma like that can be trusted with everything - or nothing - I guess