--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a charming and delightful day at…" description: "\"“It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and Arthur tumbled haphazardly out of a space-time anomaly and hit the immaculate turf rather h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png" --- # It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and… ![“It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and Arthur tumbled haphazardly out of a space-time anomaly and hit the immaculate turf rather hard. The applause of the crowd was tremendous. It wasn't for them, but instinctively they bowed anyway, which was fortunate because the small red…” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png) > ““It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and Arthur tumbled haphazardly out of a space-time anomaly and hit the immaculate turf rather hard. The applause of the crowd was tremendous. It wasn't for them, but instinctively they bowed anyway, which was fortunate because the small red heavy ball which the crowd actually had been applauding whistled mere millimetres over Arthur's head. In the crowd a man collapsed. They threw themselves back to the ground which seemed to spin hideously around them. "What was that?" hissed Arthur. "Something red," hissed Ford back at him. "Where are we?" "Er, somewhere green." "Shapes," muttered Arthur. "I need shapes." The applause of the crowd had been rapidly succeeded by gasps of astonishment, and the awkward titters of hundreds of people who could not yet make up their minds about whether to believe what they had just seen or not. "This your sofa?" said a voice. "What was that?" whispered Ford. Arthur looked up. "Something blue," he said. "Shape?" said Ford. Arthur looked again. "It is shaped," he hissed at Ford, with his brow savagely furrowing, "like a policeman." They remained crouched there for a few moments, frowning deeply. The blue thing shaped like a policeman tapped them both on the shoulders. "Come on, you two," the shape said, "let's be having you." These words had an electrifying effect on Arthur. He leapt to his feet like an author hearing the phone ring and shot a series of startled glanced at the panorama around him which had suddenly settled down into something of quite terrifying ordinariness. "Where did you get this from?" he yelled at the policeman shape. "What did you say?" said the startled shape. "This is Lord's Cricket Ground, isn't it?" snapped Arthur. "Where did you find it, how did you get it here? I think," he added, clasping his hand to his brow, "that I had better calm down." He squatted down abruptly in front of Ford. "It is a policeman," he said, "What do we do?" Ford shrugged. "What do you want to do?" he said. "I want you," said Arthur, "to tell me that I have been dreaming for the last five years." Ford shrugged again, and obliged. "You've been dreaming for the last five years," he said. Arthur got to his feet. "It's all right, officer," he said. "I've been dreaming for the last five years. Ask him," he added, pointing at Ford, "he was in it.”” [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A surreal scene at a cricket ground where characters encounter bizarre, shape-shifting entities, highlighting absurdity and the unknown **In simple terms:** Strange encounters at a cricket match reveal chaos and wonder Key Takeaway Embrace the unexpected and question reality Themes absurdity surrealism adventure science fiction humor Mood playful confused excited Type fiction humor When to use this quote - sports events - unexpected phenomena - creative brainstorming - team building exercises Key Concepts Dimensional anomalies perception communication breakdown Questions to Reflect On - What does the shape symbolize? - How does absurdity affect decision making? A Different Perspective The narrative's chaotic tone may confuse readers seeking clear meaning ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arthur Looked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arthur-looked-1004278/) [Arthur Tumbled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arthur-tumbled-1004277/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Gasps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gasps-446035/) [Hissed Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hissed-arthur-1004276/) [Muttered Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muttered-arthur-1004275/) ## Related quotes > [“They threw themselves back to the ground that seemed to spin hideously around them. “What was that?” hissed Arthur. “Something red,” hissed Ford back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/they-threw-themselves-back-to-the-ground-that-seemed-to-spin/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Hic Jacet Arthurus Rex Quondam Rexque Futurus Arthur is gone…Tristram in Careol Sleeps, with a broken sword - and Yseult sleeps Beside him, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-brett-young/hic-jacet-arthurus-rex-quondam-rexque-futurus-arthur-is-gone-tristram/) [Francis Brett Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-brett-young/) > [Blood trickled down his chin as he was hauled up onto his knees, the golden rope securing his arms behind him and his ankles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-nix/blood-trickled-down-his-chin-as-he-was-hauled-up-onto-his-knees-the/) [Garth Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-nix/) > [“Arthur found himself staring down at the knife embedded in his foot. 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Arthur could hear something, faintly, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-moore/arthur-looked-deeply-into-the-boy-s-clear-blue-eyes-and-scanned-the/) [Graham Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-moore/) > [Johnny was sobbing in shuddering gasps, telling me his small tale of woe, that the world was suddently different, and that he wanted me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-marillier/johnny-was-sobbing-in-shuddering-gasps-telling-me-his-small-tale-of/) [Juliet Marillier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-marillier/) > [“The warm stillness within the room was broken only by the rustling of sheets, and soft, urgent murmurs. 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A pronounced number of gasps resonated across the room.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-spear/he-kissed-her-stopping-her-words-at-once-a-pronounced-number-of-gasps/) [Terry Spear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-spear/) > [“Paxton choked on the tears that were gushing uncontrollably down his face. “This feels... a lot like falling,” he let out through his gasps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-duke/paxton-choked-on-the-tears-that-were-gushing-uncontrollably-down-his/) [Megan Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-duke/) > [In video games and animation, you find that the toughest things to make different are the things that aren't words: grunts, groans, gasps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-lamarr/in-video-games-and-animation-you-find-that-the-toughest-things-to/) [Phil LaMarr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-lamarr/) > [“OCEANA: Are we here to take a tour of the museum? Is this your surprise? ORPHEUS: This is my house. 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The infinite suns, the infinite distances between them, and yourself an invisible dot on an invisible dot, infinitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-universe-the-whole-infinite-universe-the-infinite-suns-the/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [People always make this totally artificial distinction between what is commercial and what is good. They quote that maxim "Nobody ever lost money underestimating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/people-always-make-this-totally-artificial-distinction-between-what/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [Any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/any-man-who-can-hitch-the-length-and-breadth-of-the-galaxy-rough-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [ Does God know he \[exists\]?" 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Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-does-otherwise-you-could-not/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“When we told our guide that we didn't want to go to all the tourist places he took us instead to the places where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/when-we-told-our-guide-that-we-didn-t-want-to-go-to-all-the-tourist/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“But Douglas was a genius, because he saw the world differently, and more importantly, he could communicate the world he saw.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/but-douglas-was-a-genius-because-he-saw-the-world-differently-and/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The bits which did mean anything were often so wonderfully buried that no one could ever spot them slipping past in the avalanche of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-bits-which-did-mean-anything-were-often-so-wonderfully-buried/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [You come to me for advice, but you can't cope with anything you don't recognize. Hmmm. So we'll have to tell you something you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/you-come-to-me-for-advice-but-you-can-t-cope-with-anything-you-don-t/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) [Explore all 1,168 Douglas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) ## More Five years quotes > [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? 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On that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-perini/his-army-ranger-unit-had-always-been-ready-for-an-ambush-five-years/) [Robin Perini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-perini/) > [“I looked at him, tipping down the coarse wine like a man who expects to put up with worse. I felt I was looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-renault/i-looked-at-him-tipping-down-the-coarse-wine-like-a-man-who-expects/) [Mary Renault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-renault/) > [I was sober for five years a long time ago and was just bored out of my tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/i-was-sober-for-five-years-a-long-time-ago-and-was-just-bored-out-of/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [“Whatand why were never questions for me. How was the only question. 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I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mankoff/i-have-entered-the-new-yorker-s-cartoon-caption-contest-almost-weekly/) [Bob Mankoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mankoff/) [Browse all 2,724 Five years quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and Arthur tumbled haphazardly out of a space-time anomaly and hit the immaculate turf rather hard. The applause of the crowd was tremendous. It wasn't for them, but instinctively they bowed anyway, which was fortunate because the small red heavy ball which the crowd actually had been applauding whistled mere millimetres over Arthur's head. In the crowd a man collapsed. They threw themselves back to the ground which seemed to spin hideously around them. \"What was that?\" hissed Arthur. \"Something red,\" hissed Ford back at him. \"Where are we?\" \"Er, somewhere green.\" \"Shapes,\" muttered Arthur. \"I need shapes.\" The applause of the crowd had been rapidly succeeded by gasps of astonishment, and the awkward titters of hundreds of people who could not yet make up their minds about whether to believe what they had just seen or not. \"This your sofa?\" said a voice. \"What was that?\" whispered Ford. Arthur looked up. \"Something blue,\" he said. \"Shape?\" said Ford. Arthur looked again. \"It is shaped,\" he hissed at Ford, with his brow savagely furrowing, \"like a policeman.\" They remained crouched there for a few moments, frowning deeply. The blue thing shaped like a policeman tapped them both on the shoulders. \"Come on, you two,\" the shape said, \"let's be having you.\" These words had an electrifying effect on Arthur. He leapt to his feet like an author hearing the phone ring and shot a series of startled glanced at the panorama around him which had suddenly settled down into something of quite terrifying ordinariness. \"Where did you get this from?\" he yelled at the policeman shape. \"What did you say?\" said the startled shape. \"This is Lord's Cricket Ground, isn't it?\" snapped Arthur. \"Where did you find it, how did you get it here? I think,\" he added, clasping his hand to his brow, \"that I had better calm down.\" He squatted down abruptly in front of Ford. \"It is a policeman,\" he said, \"What do we do?\" Ford shrugged. \"What do you want to do?\" he said. \"I want you,\" said Arthur, \"to tell me that I have been dreaming for the last five years.\" Ford shrugged again, and obliged. \"You've been dreaming for the last five years,\" he said. Arthur got to his feet. \"It's all right, officer,\" he said. \"I've been dreaming for the last five years. Ask him,\" he added, pointing at Ford, \"he was in it.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at-lord-s-as-ford-and-arthur/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Five years" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at-lord-s-as-ford-and-arthur/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49a/douglas-adams-122_five-years_it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at_2495013.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was a charming and delightful day at Lord's as Ford and Arthur tumbled haphazardly out of a space-time…” — Douglas Adams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Douglas Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It was a charming and delightful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at-lord-s-as-ford-and-arthur/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/it-was-a-charming-and-delightful-day-at-lord-s-as-ford-and-arthur/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```