Mostly Harmless (Hitchhiker's Guide, #5)

by Douglas Adams

‘Temporal reverse engineering.’ Arthur put his head in his hands and shook it gently from side to side. ‘Is there any humane way,’ he moaned, ‘in which I can prevent you from telling me what temporary reverse bloody-whatsiting is?’ ‘No,’ said Ford, ‘because your daughter is caught up in the middle of it and it is deadly, deadly serious.’ Thunder rolled in the pause. ‘All right,’ said Arthur. ‘Tell me.’ ‘I leaped out of a high-rise office window.’ This cheered Arthur up. ‘Oh!’ he said. ‘Why don’t you do it again?’ ‘I did.’ ‘Hmmm,’ said Arthur, disappointed. ‘Obviously no good came of it.’ ‘The first time I managed to save myself by the most astonishing and – I say this in all modesty – fabulous piece of ingenious quick-thinking, agility, fancy footwork and self-sacrifice.’ ‘What was the self-sacrifice?’ ‘I jettisoned half of a much loved and I think irreplaceable pair of shoes.’