Panic

Day 224: "This is terrific," Arthur thought to himself, "Nelson's Column has gone, McDonald's has gone, all that's left is me and the words 'Mostly harmless.' Any second now all that will be left is 'Mostly harmless.' And yesterday the planet seemed to be going so well."

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy says that if you hold a lungful of air you can survive in the total vacuum of space for about thirty seconds. However, it does go on to say that what with space being the mind-boggling size it is the chances of getting picked up by another ship within those thirty seconds are two to the power of two hundred and seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and nine to one against.

...twenty-nine seconds later Ford and Arthur were rescued.

*****

I'm reprising a photo from 2015, partly because it's one of the best pieces of photoshopping I've ever done, but moreso for its appropriateness to current events. We are ticking much too closely to the twenty-ninth second, and I'm not sure I can hold my breath for the full duration. Yesterday, the planet seemed to be going so well. Then in an instant, the icons we held in high regard as well as those which were persistently but not dangerously annoying were thrown down and crushed beneath the onslaught of a mindless yellowy-orange machine. Like Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect, we are now suspended in the total vacuum of space. Where is the Heart of Gold? Where is Zaphod Beeblebrox? I think I've lost my towel.