One little problem

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AnnaMarie

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2012
7,068
29,564
Other
I'm nearly finished Mr. Mercedes and I love it.

I do have one problem. It's like King is using code words and I can't always remember what they mean. I need a list somewhere. I think there's Thing One and Thing Two. And the Happy Slapper. And I think there's another.

It seems to require more thinking...or maybe just more memory....than I am capable of.

This seems very different for King. He doesn't usually leave me so frustrated. ;;D
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
Here's a list!

I need some:
1. Lunch-meat...big into salami this time of summer
2. Loaf of Bread
3. Coke...we're out of Coke (the soft-drink)
4. Eggs...for hard-boiled
5. Chops for supper tonight
6. some chocolate, don't matter what, chocolate.
7. we're out of bar-b-q sauce
8. and some tangy salad dressing
9. and one surprise.
 

mstay

Older than most, not as old as some.
Oct 13, 2007
6,022
5,554
Utah
I'm nearly finished Mr. Mercedes and I love it.

I do have one problem. It's like King is using code words and I can't always remember what they mean. I need a list somewhere. I think there's Thing One and Thing Two. And the Happy Slapper. And I think there's another.

It seems to require more thinking...or maybe just more memory....than I am capable of.

This seems very different for King. He doesn't usually leave me so frustrated. ;;D


Thing one and thing two is from The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss. Two creatures that come to help the children make a mess and get into trouble.
I don't know about the Happy Slapper?
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
I actually have a list of characters if you want it...fairly long...long. The Happy Slapper is an argyle sock...filled with some weight, ball bearings or something like it. Somehow I missed Thing One and Thing Two if they are in the story...possible...it is a long long list of names...and yep...I missed them two...Mon Dieu...Mercede's names for devices. I wonder if "Happy Slapper" is a name from something we should know...seems possible.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
I actually have a list of characters if you want it...fairly long...long. The Happy Slapper is an argyle sock...filled with some weight, ball bearings or something like it. Somehow I missed Thing One and Thing Two if they are in the story...possible...it is a long long list of names...and yep...I missed them two...Mon Dieu...Mercede's names for devices. I wonder if "Happy Slapper" is a name from something we should know...seems possible.
Related to a slapjack, perhaps?
 

AnnaMarie

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2012
7,068
29,564
Other
I must have the wrong names. I don't have the book in front of me. One of the "things" is
device to steal the code when someone locks their car door! then he can unlock it
. I don't remember what the other does.

And isn't the HappySlapper
Hodge's father's gun
?

I may need to reread the entire book.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
I think it's uncanny that AnnaMarie grabs two/three names out of the bag that are not on my list...my 12-pages-long list of character names in Mr. Mercedes. What are the odds of that happening? You'd think...or I do...that the list was about 99%+ complete. Reminds me of some vague but still unsettling work situation...you think all the bases are covered then the customer bebops by for a visit and says hey you missed a shingle on the tenth row there. "The Happy Slapper"...according to one Internet search...is the person...in England?...who goes around happy slapping the previously unknown person...same thing has been happening in the good old U.S.A. People cold-cocking strangers...at times posting their work to video on-line.
Hodges's Happy Slapper is an argyle sock filled with weight...coins or something...a sap. I thought maybe "The Happy Slapper" was something more than what it appears to be...some character from some story. Garfield, for what it's worth, slapped Jon in the back of the head...was it yesterday? National slap in the back of the head day?
 

Lets Rock

.. still breathing...
Jul 5, 2014
323
1,210
I'm nearly finished Mr. Mercedes and I love it.

I do have one problem. It's like King is using code words and I can't always remember what they mean. I need a list somewhere. I think there's Thing One and Thing Two. And the Happy Slapper. And I think there's another.

It seems to require more thinking...or maybe just more memory....than I am capable of.

This seems very different for King. He doesn't usually leave me so frustrated. ;;D

I must have the wrong names. I don't have the book in front of me. One of the "things" is
device to steal the code when someone locks their car door! then he can unlock it
. I don't remember what the other does.

And isn't the HappySlapper
Hodge's father's gun
?

I may need to reread the entire book.

I think the other device may have been for traffic lights?? Not sure. The Seuss reference sounds like SKs literary humor.
Borrowed the book and read quickly so details sketchy
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
This is a prime example of why I love my Kindle. The search function is invaluable for helping to find previous mentions of a certain phrase or character. Simply type in what you are looking for and the search brings up every mention of that phrase, character, etc. I am constantly using this now that my memory is not quite as sharp as it used to be and also when it is taking me longer to read a book than usual and it could be days in between stopping and restarting a book.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I must have the wrong names. I don't have the book in front of me. One of the "things" is
device to steal the code when someone locks their car door! then he can unlock it
. I don't remember what the other does.

And isn't the HappySlapper
Hodge's father's gun
?

I may need to reread the entire book.
...no, the slapper is the sock as Walter mentioned....
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
That's right. The traffic lights.

Does anyone remember if it is Thing one and two he calls them?
It is...
Thing One: collected the signal when the 'target' unlocked their car via the push button key.
Thing Two: changed the lights.
Question.... was Thing Two also the button to activate the bomb at the concert?
 
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