Places 11 and 12 were also part of our tour with David Haddock. In Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, Richard walks over a canal to get to Dirk Gently's offices. DNA may have imagined him walking over Wharf Road:
"From here he threaded his way through the winding back streets, over the canal, past the council estates that lined the canal, through a number of smaller and smaller squares, till finally he reached Peckender Street, which had turned out to be a good deal farther than he’d thought."
Peckender Street appears wholly fictional, but the system of canals that run underneath the roads of London are very real. The canal in Islington is The Regent's Canal.
Later in the novel, Dirk takes Richard for another walk after hypnotizing him, "You have been under hypnosis for a little less than an hour,” said Dirk, “during which I have learned many interesting things and been puzzled by some others which I would now like to discuss with you. A little fresh air will probably help revive you and I suggest a bracing stroll along the canal. No one will be looking for you there."
Eventually, Dirk steers Richard: "Dirk and Richard were walking along from the fringes of South Hackney, a mile from Dirk’s office, back toward the heart of Islington, where Dirk knew the nearest life belts were positioned."
Peckender Street appears wholly fictional, but the system of canals that run underneath the roads of London are very real. The canal in Islington is The Regent's Canal.
Later in the novel, Dirk takes Richard for another walk after hypnotizing him, "You have been under hypnosis for a little less than an hour,” said Dirk, “during which I have learned many interesting things and been puzzled by some others which I would now like to discuss with you. A little fresh air will probably help revive you and I suggest a bracing stroll along the canal. No one will be looking for you there."
There are swans, Canada geese, and mallard ducks in the canal. I made noises at the swans and they followed us looking for handouts.
David reminded me of what I had read in DNA's biography: A couple of canal barges were used as offices for the scripting of The HitchHikers Guide to the Galaxy movie.
Eventually, Dirk steers Richard: "Dirk and Richard were walking along from the fringes of South Hackney, a mile from Dirk’s office, back toward the heart of Islington, where Dirk knew the nearest life belts were positioned."
David suspects that this area is what DNA had in mind when he wrote the following:
“Do you know,” said Dirk, “what my old maiden aunt who lived in Winnipeg used to tell me?”
“No,” said Richard. He quickly took off all his clothes and dived into the canal. Dirk leaped for the life belt, with which they had just drawn level, yanked it out of its holder and flung it to Richard, who was floundering in the middle of the canal looking completely lost and disoriented."
After pulling Richard out of the filthy canal, Dirk hands him a towel, proving that no matter how irritating Dirk is, he IS the one who knows where his towel is.
No comments:
Post a Comment