Chapter 27. Chapter 28

Chapter 27

“I trust you had a pleasant meal? ” said Zarniwoop to Zaphod and Trillian as they rematerialized on the bridge of the starship Heart of Gold and lay panting on the floor.

Zaphod opened some eyes and glowered at him.

“You, ” he spat. He staggered to his feet and stomped off to find a chair to slump into. He found one and slumped into it.

“I have programmed the computer with the Improbability Coordinates pertinent to our journey, ” said Zarniwoop, “we will arrive there very shortly. Meanwhile, why don’t you relax and prepare yourself for the meeting? ”

Zaphod said nothing. He got up again and marched over to a small cabinet from which he pulled a bottle of old Janx spirit. He took a long pull at it.

“And when this is all done, ” said Zaphod savagely, “it’s done, alright? I’m free to go and do what the hell I like and lie on beaches and stuff? ”

“It depends what transpires from the meeting, ” said Zarniwoop.

“Zaphod, who is this man? ” said Trillian shakily, wobbling to her feet, “What’s he doing here? Why’s he on our ship? ”

“He’s a very stupid man, ” said Zaphod, “who wants to meet the man who rules the Universe. ”

“Ah, ” said Trillian taking the bottle from Zaphod and helping herself, “a social climber. ”

Chapter 28

The major problem-one of the major problems, for there are several-one of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them.

To summarize: it is a well known fact, that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job. To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem.

And so this is the situation we find: a succession of Galactic Presidents who so much enjoy the fun and palaver of being in power that they very rarely notice that they’re not.

And somewhere in the shadows behind them-who?

Who can possibly rule if no one who wants to do it can be allowed to?

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