------------------------------
Arthur's Regression
------------------------------
There was not much that Arthur Dent could say about the doctor. Dr. Higgen P. Snickerbottom was a more pleasant man than the Vogons - being one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy - but that is all Arthur Dent could say.
There was only four minutes left of the time limit of Ford Prefect by the time Arthur Dent found Higgen Snickerbottom. The weasily old doctor was bending over a plant at the time, studying it so it seemed, when Arthur entered the room.
"A doctor!" Arthur Dent cried, "I need a doctor!"
Higgen Snickerbottom stood on his haunches and surveyed the Englishman from slipper to housecoat to the dark disheveled hair upon Arthur Dent's cranium.
"I am a doctor," Snickerbottom proclaimed, "Now, quit running around like a madman and state your problem or get out of my sight!"
"My friend," Arthur proclaimed right back into the face of Higgen Snickerbottom, "There is something very wrong with him, I'm not sure exactly. But he touched something that he told me not to touch and he said that once you touch it you'll only live for five minutes after and---"
"What are you standing around yacking for man!?" snapped Snickerbottom, grabbing up his medical case and rushing out the door, "Where is he?! Where is your friend?!"
If Higgen P. Snickerbottom had anytime to stop and think about it thoroughly, he would seriously considered who exactly would want to be friends with this uneducated apeman - that's how terribly unpleasant he is.
"This way, to the storage closet just round the corner here..."
"How long age did he touch it?"
Arthur Dent glanced wirey at his watch.
"Four minutes."
------------------------------
It was precisely 5 minutes and ten seconds later when Higgen P. Snickerbottom let Arthur see Ford Prefect.
"He isn't awake," Snickerbottom pronounced snappily, "And you'll do good to make as much noise as you can."
Bewildered, Arthur opened his mouth to ask why, but Snickerbottom beat him to it.
"He hasn't awakened yet. If he doesn't awaken soon, then there is no chance of it."
Higgen Snickerbottom took his self-righteous leave to return to the study of his plant and Arthur Dent moved into the storage closet to see Ford.
"Hello," said Arthur Dent, feeling slighty - no, let's not lie to ourselves here - feeling a lot dumb at talking to somebody who obviously couldn't answer back. "So, uh... hello..."
As the conversation didn't seem to pick up at all, Arthur seated himself on the down-turned crate that was conveiniantly beside the unconscious man and tried to discover how he could make it up to his friend.
Arthur recalled telling Ford that he hated him.
Now, that wasn't entirely true - Or true in even the slightest bit.
Perhaps that was why Ford was so upset? Or all the yelling Arthur did today...
Arthur Dent put his head in his hands and sat like that for a time, only raising his head in hope when he heard a slight scuffle from upon the floor.
He was greeted - to his surprise - by a rather pale fist flying slower than usual into his face.
Easily ducking it, he watched quietly as Ford Prefect sickly stumbled forward as if in a drunken haze.
"FORD!" Arthur almost squealed, grabbing the fellow in a hug. He released him quicklier than necessary and settling the two of them down upon the floor.
Ford peered at him through glazed blue eyes.
"How do you feel?" Arthur Dent asked tentatively.
"Like I was poisoned by a Mogoite Fruit," Ford replied brashly, "Oh wait, nevermind, I was."
Arthur cringed. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "I didn't know and it reminded me of home! I thought it was a fuzzy purple banana!"
Ford Prefect sighed. "Yes, well... It isn't. Obviously."
A silence took place for a few minutes while they each fiddled with their fingers and various other semi-useful aparatices until Arthur Dent spoke up.
"About yesturday," he said, "And uhm... and today as well. I'm sorry. I don't hate you... I was just mad..."
"...Insane?"
"Angry."
"Ah... It's alright."
They walked a bit, out of the storage and headed down the corridor towards the food area.
Arthur sighed. "Are you angry with me?"
"Yes. A bit," came the honest answer.
Arthur was silent for a moment and then spoke hesitantly. "Do you... uh... hate me?"
Ford Prefect stopped short and grabbed Arthur Dent by the lapels of his housecoat.
"No," Ford said with meaning, "I don't hate you. I will never hate you no matter how ignorant and annoying you may be." He released Arthur and then continued down the hallway a few steps.
"I don't hate you Arthur Dent," he said without facing his companion, "I just don't like you much right now."
Arthur's Regression
------------------------------
There was not much that Arthur Dent could say about the doctor. Dr. Higgen P. Snickerbottom was a more pleasant man than the Vogons - being one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy - but that is all Arthur Dent could say.
There was only four minutes left of the time limit of Ford Prefect by the time Arthur Dent found Higgen Snickerbottom. The weasily old doctor was bending over a plant at the time, studying it so it seemed, when Arthur entered the room.
"A doctor!" Arthur Dent cried, "I need a doctor!"
Higgen Snickerbottom stood on his haunches and surveyed the Englishman from slipper to housecoat to the dark disheveled hair upon Arthur Dent's cranium.
"I am a doctor," Snickerbottom proclaimed, "Now, quit running around like a madman and state your problem or get out of my sight!"
"My friend," Arthur proclaimed right back into the face of Higgen Snickerbottom, "There is something very wrong with him, I'm not sure exactly. But he touched something that he told me not to touch and he said that once you touch it you'll only live for five minutes after and---"
"What are you standing around yacking for man!?" snapped Snickerbottom, grabbing up his medical case and rushing out the door, "Where is he?! Where is your friend?!"
If Higgen P. Snickerbottom had anytime to stop and think about it thoroughly, he would seriously considered who exactly would want to be friends with this uneducated apeman - that's how terribly unpleasant he is.
"This way, to the storage closet just round the corner here..."
"How long age did he touch it?"
Arthur Dent glanced wirey at his watch.
"Four minutes."
------------------------------
It was precisely 5 minutes and ten seconds later when Higgen P. Snickerbottom let Arthur see Ford Prefect.
"He isn't awake," Snickerbottom pronounced snappily, "And you'll do good to make as much noise as you can."
Bewildered, Arthur opened his mouth to ask why, but Snickerbottom beat him to it.
"He hasn't awakened yet. If he doesn't awaken soon, then there is no chance of it."
Higgen Snickerbottom took his self-righteous leave to return to the study of his plant and Arthur Dent moved into the storage closet to see Ford.
"Hello," said Arthur Dent, feeling slighty - no, let's not lie to ourselves here - feeling a lot dumb at talking to somebody who obviously couldn't answer back. "So, uh... hello..."
As the conversation didn't seem to pick up at all, Arthur seated himself on the down-turned crate that was conveiniantly beside the unconscious man and tried to discover how he could make it up to his friend.
Arthur recalled telling Ford that he hated him.
Now, that wasn't entirely true - Or true in even the slightest bit.
Perhaps that was why Ford was so upset? Or all the yelling Arthur did today...
Arthur Dent put his head in his hands and sat like that for a time, only raising his head in hope when he heard a slight scuffle from upon the floor.
He was greeted - to his surprise - by a rather pale fist flying slower than usual into his face.
Easily ducking it, he watched quietly as Ford Prefect sickly stumbled forward as if in a drunken haze.
"FORD!" Arthur almost squealed, grabbing the fellow in a hug. He released him quicklier than necessary and settling the two of them down upon the floor.
Ford peered at him through glazed blue eyes.
"How do you feel?" Arthur Dent asked tentatively.
"Like I was poisoned by a Mogoite Fruit," Ford replied brashly, "Oh wait, nevermind, I was."
Arthur cringed. "I'm sorry," he muttered, "I didn't know and it reminded me of home! I thought it was a fuzzy purple banana!"
Ford Prefect sighed. "Yes, well... It isn't. Obviously."
A silence took place for a few minutes while they each fiddled with their fingers and various other semi-useful aparatices until Arthur Dent spoke up.
"About yesturday," he said, "And uhm... and today as well. I'm sorry. I don't hate you... I was just mad..."
"...Insane?"
"Angry."
"Ah... It's alright."
They walked a bit, out of the storage and headed down the corridor towards the food area.
Arthur sighed. "Are you angry with me?"
"Yes. A bit," came the honest answer.
Arthur was silent for a moment and then spoke hesitantly. "Do you... uh... hate me?"
Ford Prefect stopped short and grabbed Arthur Dent by the lapels of his housecoat.
"No," Ford said with meaning, "I don't hate you. I will never hate you no matter how ignorant and annoying you may be." He released Arthur and then continued down the hallway a few steps.
"I don't hate you Arthur Dent," he said without facing his companion, "I just don't like you much right now."