Zaphod spotted his excellent specimen of a semi-cousin, Ix, and worked his way across the room, delivering various high fives, toasts, cheek kisses, back massages, and friendly blows to the head as he moved through the crowd.
"Hey, Ford!" he finally shouted, drawing near. Ford was staring at something, which seemed just the sort of wacky thing Ford would do at a party. "What's shakin'?"
Ford's attention was snapped from the weed on the ceiling so fast that, if it could have, it would have gotten whiplash. He hadn't seen Zaphod in ages, but of course he'd sniffed out this party. He had one of the finest party radars in the galaxy.
"Apparently this weed gives off some sort of drug or gas or spore that makes humans kiss each other when they're around it," he explained, pointing straight up. Well, that was how he'd understood it to work, just from observation.
"Sounds like fun!" Zaphod said, skipping over the howdy-do's, as if the last time he'd seen Ford had been last Tuesday. "How come I never thought of that?"
After all, he'd invented plenty of other mind-numbing intoxicants, drugs that were illegal in systems that weren't even officially discovered yet, and of course, the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
"Or maybe some Future version of me did invent it, and shipped it back here. I'm full of surprises like that."
He clapped Ford on the shoulder. "We should hang it up in a convent or something. Watch the magic."
Ford barely had to give the notion any thought before deciding that Zaphod was full of brilliant ideas, as he was so much of the time. The rest of the time, of course, he was full of hare-brained schemes that were bound to eventually get them killed, but nevermind. Ford looked up at the weed.
"Give me a boost," he said, already prepared to clamber up Zaphod to reach the plant.
Zaphod wasted no time in obliging. This was obviously one zarkin' amazing idea in action, since he'd come up with it. Plus, he had a spare arm, so he could easily grant Ford the boost and down some more nog simultaneously. It was a win for everyone.
Ford jumped up with Zaphod's help and grabbed the mistletoe, shoving it in his semi-cousin's hand as he landed back on the ground.
"Do we know where there's a convent around here?" he asked. Little details like that always came up once they were already in the middle of an exciting and daring escapade. In this case, it crossed his mind briefly before he got distracted by Zaphod's drink. "What is that?" he asked.
Zaphod thrust the sprig into the front pocket of his jacket, so that it decorated his lapels quite smartly. That way if anyone asked if he was stealing it, he could act outraged that they had no appreciation for style and make a scene, then make his getaway while they were still scratching their heads.
Ford's question was probably a good one, but Zaphod wasn't sure, since he didn't consider himself an excellent judge of questions. Of intergalactic bikini contests, yes. But not questions.
"Well, I figure someone's gotta know. We can ask on the way." Given that they had no idea what 'the way' actually was, this plan made little sense, but luckily that was never a real deterrent to him.
Zaphod paused when Ford pointed out his drink, looking down at it, with a puzzled expression, as if he had no idea how it had ended up in his hand.
"Some Earth drink. Egg nog, I think they said. Got some sort of cow juice in it, among other things. Other things including lots of liquor, of course."
Of course Ford had to have one right away. He glanced around until he spotted a big bowl of it and sauntered over to get some. Then again, he and Zaphod were headed out. He grabbed two. For himself. Zaphod had more than enough hands and heads to get more of his own if he wanted it.
"I'm ready!" Ford declared. "Let's go!" He was also not particularly concerned that they still didn't know where they were going.
"Hey, Ford!" he finally shouted, drawing near. Ford was staring at something, which seemed just the sort of wacky thing Ford would do at a party. "What's shakin'?"
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"Apparently this weed gives off some sort of drug or gas or spore that makes humans kiss each other when they're around it," he explained, pointing straight up. Well, that was how he'd understood it to work, just from observation.
Reply
After all, he'd invented plenty of other mind-numbing intoxicants, drugs that were illegal in systems that weren't even officially discovered yet, and of course, the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster.
"Or maybe some Future version of me did invent it, and shipped it back here. I'm full of surprises like that."
He clapped Ford on the shoulder. "We should hang it up in a convent or something. Watch the magic."
Earthlings were so hilariously uptight.
Reply
"Give me a boost," he said, already prepared to clamber up Zaphod to reach the plant.
Reply
Zaphod wasted no time in obliging. This was obviously one zarkin' amazing idea in action, since he'd come up with it. Plus, he had a spare arm, so he could easily grant Ford the boost and down some more nog simultaneously. It was a win for everyone.
Reply
"Do we know where there's a convent around here?" he asked. Little details like that always came up once they were already in the middle of an exciting and daring escapade. In this case, it crossed his mind briefly before he got distracted by Zaphod's drink. "What is that?" he asked.
Reply
Ford's question was probably a good one, but Zaphod wasn't sure, since he didn't consider himself an excellent judge of questions. Of intergalactic bikini contests, yes. But not questions.
"Well, I figure someone's gotta know. We can ask on the way." Given that they had no idea what 'the way' actually was, this plan made little sense, but luckily that was never a real deterrent to him.
Zaphod paused when Ford pointed out his drink, looking down at it, with a puzzled expression, as if he had no idea how it had ended up in his hand.
"Some Earth drink. Egg nog, I think they said. Got some sort of cow juice in it, among other things. Other things including lots of liquor, of course."
Reply
"I'm ready!" Ford declared. "Let's go!" He was also not particularly concerned that they still didn't know where they were going.
Reply
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