Algy Quote of the Week

Young and carefree Algy of WWI is hard to dislike and will forever and ever remain my favorite. How is it possible not to love someone who says this:

"Too true I did! What a wizard it was! I hooted like a coot in spite of the archie."

--Biggles Flies East 

For those who haven't read Flies East, you may be wondering, okay, so that's a pretty cheerful and enthusiastic comment, but so what? To understand the context that makes this comment remarkable, you have to realize that:

a. Algy was flying a British plane, and he was on the German side of the lines
b. There were anti-aircraft gunners firing on him, and searchlights shining on him

And, as if that wasn't stressing enough,

c. He was delivering a message to Biggles

All this, and he still "hooted like a coot" when he saw the giant...er...display of fireworks (don't want to spoil this for you if you haven't read the book, so let's leave it at that) that Biggles had set off.

Marvelous marvelous Algy quote. And marvelous marvelous Algy.