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

The meeting was turgid and fascinating at the same time, which I won't attempt to explain.

D's been in touch, hurrah. He's still shattered.

Moira doesn't have pins in her pelvis after all, even though it said so on the news. She has a pinned leg, and will probably be let out tomorrow. The poor girl, she's only 24...

I might get to see D in person this afternoon. As for Moira - in a few days she might be more able to see people other than her household and her family. I'm assuming they're here now, at least some of them.

On balance, and in context, it was a good-news phone call from D.

That is good news for you

Traveller in Time
"Refill

Always take the halffull view

"

The alternative, of course, is to pour the contents into a smaller glass.

Ah good That's better.

Thank goodness you have some news. And not bad news at that

Can you drop a card at the hospital for Moira? It might help you feel usefuller and her get better

Fb

Phew. If you get to see her, give her a from me & hell, one for D also while you are at it!

zdt

I think I'll ask D for guidance on what, if anything, to give Moira. He knows her a lot better than I do; he's shared several houses with her over the last few years. All will become clearer once I've had a chance to see him and make sure he's coping.

I do believe I'm starting to cope. I'm eating, and quite enjoying it - a spinach-and-cheese pastry thingummy. Basically, it's yesterday's breakfast.

Good to hear that you've had some news, and that you're able to eat something.

I hope that D is coping all right; I am sure that with you on his side, it will be much less difficult.

I think this might be the first time that D has had to deal with the death of someone close to him. If so, he's lucky to have made it to 37 (or whatever) without having to deal with this. Me, I've got the bodies metaphorically racked up out the back. I'd like to think that my experience will be of some use to him.

Goodness I'm tired. Funny, that.

Hungry and tired. Both good signs, Ivan

It's extraordinary how much of the body shuts down when you're in shock.

I am interested in any meeting that can be turgid *and* fascinating

It's a pity I can't explain that one any further, but it involves far too much stuff that's covered by various bits of legislation that requires me to be quiet. Explaining without the good bits just isn't possible... Or if it is, I don't currently have the brainpower to deal with it. It was all a bit though.

I wish D would hurry up and call again.

Patience It'll happen.

Patience has never been one of my more obvious qualities.

Nor mine but I'm awfy good at extolling its virtues

I just sent D a text. Couldn't wait any longer... One way or another, I'll be out of the office in an hour; I need to know whether I should go home or somewhere else.

Good plan

That's settled; I'll be going home. That is, D will be at the hospital, and he's advised me against going there. If he wants to be somewhere else later, he'll call me. I can cope with that. He's sounding a lot better, even compared to this morning.

As I would have gone on to say, if I hadn't been interrupted... D is keeping himself busy, ferrying people to and from the hospital and so forth. That's pretty much what I'd do in his position. It's later, when he can't be that busy, that I expect I'll see him. If he does call me tonight I'll drop everything and go, but I don't seriously expect that to happen.

I feel a lot better, having heard him sounding more or less normal.

He has the advantage of being busy, by the sounds of it. Whereas you've been sitting in the office, worrying and having turgid meetings.

Will you need anaesthetic alcohol tonight, Ivan?

Well, I can't leave a half-bottle of vermouth there, taking up space...

Yes, a little anaesthetic won't go astray. If I feel dodgy tomorrow, it's my own fault. Tomorrow night I plan to be sober.