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

Chapter 14

A87815181

“How do Grandpa and Grandma manage to run a large estate like this alone?” Viola said to herself as she lay in bed the next morning. She remembered dozens of field hands and some kitchen staff when she visited Blemnox as a child. Of course, much of the land had been gambled away by dissolute ancestors since then. Still, there were no longer any visible servants, just her grandparents, who had to be close to ninety if not already there. And yet the place did not look run down.

When Blake woke up he saw the expression on her face. “A penny for your thoughts,” he said.

“You may want to keep your penny,” she said. “If my grandparents have strokes we’ll need to hire nurses. They have no servants. How does this place keep going with just my grandparents running things.”

“KR3BS has some tiny droid helpers,” Blake said. “They were in the box that he was delivered in. I saw them picking potatoes and tending the gardens yesterday. I think one of them caught last night’s trout. Plus, you and I and Jasper are here now. But I agree there are plenty of challenges. I saw some enormous snails the other day. It’s amazing that this place has any crops left.”

“Those are Wuheebies,” Viola said. “They ride around on go-carts. They’re fairly helpful, actually. They feed on the butternuts that grow next to Bitterwater Pond. Maybe Grandpa has taught them to tend the fields. They used to bring him into the house when he got drunk and fell asleep under a butternut tree. That was my last memory of Blemnox. My mother didn’t like it that I saw Grandpa drunk. She stopped bringing me here after that.”

Viola and Blake could tell something was up when they went downstairs for breakfast. Jasper and Grandma were waiting expectantly by the door. Sure enough, the doorbell rang just as KR3BS arrived with sausages and home fries. Looking out the window, Viola saw a “Pool Fish R Us” van parked outside. Grandma was signing for some large goldfish.

“At least Grandma will have some fish to feed now,” Viola said.

No sooner had the van pulled away than another one came delivering amplifiers and musical instruments. Jasper signed for these.

“Where did Jasper get the money for all that equipment?” Viola wondered.

“Um, we had a little talk when we went out on that whaling ship last night,” Blake said. “The cabin would be a perfect place for Jasper’s band to play. I gave him my credit card. I, er, offered to play the bass.”

Deb

[Amy P]

This just gets curiouser and curiouser

Wait til you get to the bottom of the rabbit-hole.

* waits*