--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing we can do now,” said…" description: "\"“The only thing we can do now,” said Benjy, crouching and stroking his whiskers in thought, “is to try and fake a question, invent one that will sound ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/douglas-adams-122_42_the-only-thing-we-can-do-now-said-benjy_2384531.png" --- # The only thing we can do now,” said Benjy, crouching and… ![“The only thing we can do now,” said Benjy, crouching and stroking his whiskers in thought, “is to try and fake a question, invent one that will sound plausible.” “Difficult,” said Frankie. He thought. “How about, What's yellow and dangerous ?” Benjy considered this for a moment. “No, no good,” he…” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/douglas-adams-122_42_the-only-thing-we-can-do-now-said-benjy_2384531.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/douglas-adams-122_42_the-only-thing-we-can-do-now-said-benjy_2384531.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3b1/douglas-adams-122_42_the-only-thing-we-can-do-now-said-benjy_2384531.png) > ““The only thing we can do now,” said Benjy, crouching and stroking his whiskers in thought, “is to try and fake a question, invent one that will sound plausible.” “Difficult,” said Frankie. He thought. “How about, What's yellow and dangerous ?” Benjy considered this for a moment. “No, no good,” he said. “Doesn't fit the answer.” They sank into silence for a few seconds. “All right,” said Benjy. “ What do you get if you multiply six by seven? ” “No, no, too literal, too factual,” said Frankie, “wouldn't sustain the punter's interest.” Again they thought. Then Frankie said: “Here's a thought. How many roads must a man walk down? ” “Ah!” said Benjy. “Aha, now that does sound promising!” He rolled the phrase around a little. “Yes,” he said, “that's excellent! Sounds very significant without actually tying you down to meaning anything at all. How many roads must a man walk down? Forty-two. Excellent, excellent, that'll fox 'em. Frankie, baby, we are made!”” [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. The characters discuss inventing a plausible-sounding question, highlighting the playful nature of language and the tension between meaning and absurdity. **In simple terms:** They try to create a funny, plausible question without real meaning. Key Takeaway Embrace humor and absurdity in communication. Themes creativity humor language absurdity communication Mood playful ironic lighthearted Type anecdotal humorous philosophical When to use this quote - writing - stand‑up comedy - improv - teaching - team brainstorming Key Concepts playful questioning semantic play pun nonsense meaninglessness Questions to Reflect On - How does absurd humor affect understanding? - When is nonsense useful? A Different Perspective The joke may fall flat if the audience expects genuine depth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [42](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-42-878/) [Frankie Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frankie-thought-5916989/) [Said Benjy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-benjy-5916988/) [Said Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-thought/) [Thing Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-said/) [Thought Frankie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-frankie-264114/) [Truth Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-seeking/) ## Related quotes > [“Forty-two!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work?" "I checked it very thoroughly," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/forty-two-yelled-loonquawl-is-that-all-you-ve-got-to-show-for-seven/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“You know when I said I didn't need you?" I asked. He lifted one brow. "I was so wrong.I can't find words to express…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/you-know-when-i-said-i-didn-t-need-you-i-asked-he-lifted-one-brow-i/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [“Sam studied his brother. At one time he thought Frankie had a good head on his shoulders. Sure, he had a temper. And he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hood/sam-studied-his-brother-at-one-time-he-thought-frankie-had-a-good/) [holly hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hood/) > [“The whole world is a sack of shit ripping open. I can´t save it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-whole-world-is-a-sack-of-shit-ripping-open-i-can-t-save-it/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“The meaning of life is to make life be more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/the-meaning-of-life-is-to-make-life-be-more/) [Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/) > [“Then Frankie said: ‘Here’s a thought. How many roads must a man walk down?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/then-frankie-said-here-s-a-thought-how-many-roads-must-a-man-walk-down/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Said by whom? Said to whom? Not by a mind to a mind, but by a being who has body and language to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-merleau-ponty/said-by-whom-said-to-whom-not-by-a-mind-to-a-mind-but-by-a-being-who/) [Maurice Merleau-Ponty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-merleau-ponty/) > [“wondered about what he said and then thought hard. I could never be a dick, not to Gretchen anyway, so I guess I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-meno/wondered-about-what-he-said-and-then-thought-hard-i-could-never-be-a/) [Joe Meno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-meno/) > [“What are you, beyond the collection of the things you've done, said and thought? Happily, much comfort is to be found in the Good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-dejour/what-are-you-beyond-the-collection-of-the-things-you-ve-done-said-and/) [Belle Dejour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belle-dejour/) > [People rarely said what they thought, or revealed how they felt. No one was honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tammara-webber/people-rarely-said-what-they-thought-or-revealed-how-they-felt-no-one/) [Tammara Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tammara-webber/) > [One time he was asked if he believed in an afterlife. After a moment's hesitation he said no, that he thought there was only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/one-time-he-was-asked-if-he-believed-in-an-afterlife-after-a-moment-s/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [As a well-known great man would have said if he had thought of it, "Don't go around offending people just because it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gracie-allen/as-a-well-known-great-man-would-have-said-if-he-had-thought-of-it-don/) [Gracie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gracie-allen/) > [Her virtue was that she said what she thought, her vice that what she thought didn't amount to much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ustinov/her-virtue-was-that-she-said-what-she-thought-her-vice-that-what-she/) [Peter Ustinov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ustinov/) > [There's been more than one time when I've said something, and sort of the middle of what I've said is not said but thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-dean/there-s-been-more-than-one-time-when-i-ve-said-something-and-sort-of/) [Howard Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-dean/) > [“All the things that you said when you thought I wasn't there, I just tell them to my corner, 'cause no one else would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-t-rose/all-the-things-that-you-said-when-you-thought-i-wasn-t-there-i-just/) [Margo T. Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-t-rose/) ## More by Douglas Adams > [2,000 years ago one man got nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be if everyone was nice to each other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/2-000-years-ago-one-man-got-nailed-to-a-tree-for-saying-how-great-it/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [What a wonderfully exciting cough,' said the little man, quite startled by it, 'do you mind if I join you?' And with that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/what-a-wonderfully-exciting-cough-said-the-little-man-quite-startled/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [The technology involved in making anything invisible is so infinitely complex that nine hundred and ninety-nine billion, nine hundred and ninety-nine million, nine hundred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-technology-involved-in-making-anything-invisible-is-so-infinitely/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [One is never alone with a rubber duck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/one-is-never-alone-with-a-rubber-duck/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/this-must-be-thursday-i-never-could-get-the-hang-of-thursdays/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [There are some oddities in the perspective with which we see the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/there-are-some-oddities-in-the-perspective-with-which-we-see-the-world/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“Eight hours West sat a man alone on a beach mourning an inexplicable loss. He could only think of his loss in little packets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/eight-hours-west-sat-a-man-alone-on-a-beach-mourning-an-inexplicable/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The Universe, the whole infinite Universe. 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 \[exists\]?" "Of course he does. 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 42 quotes > [“Forty-two!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work?" "I checked it very thoroughly," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/forty-two-yelled-loonquawl-is-that-all-you-ve-got-to-show-for-seven/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [“The meaning of life is to make life be more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-advise/the-meaning-of-life-is-to-make-life-be-more/) [Will Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-advise/) > [“The whole world is a sack of shit ripping open. I can´t save it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-whole-world-is-a-sack-of-shit-ripping-open-i-can-t-save-it/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Browse all 4 42 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-42-878/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only thing we can do now,” said Benjy, crouching and stroking his whiskers in thought, “is to try and fake a question, invent one that will sound plausible.” “Difficult,” said Frankie. He thought. “How about, What's yellow and dangerous ?” Benjy considered this for a moment. “No, no good,” he said. “Doesn't fit the answer.” They sank into silence for a few seconds. “All right,” said Benjy. “ What do you get if you multiply six by seven? ” “No, no, too literal, too factual,” said Frankie, “wouldn't sustain the punter's interest.” Again they thought. Then Frankie said: “Here's a thought. 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