Robert Swancutt's blimp

Ellen reached in her pocket, grabbing Robert Swancutt’s note inviting her and Blarin to dinner. She noticed the dinner invitation was for that day as well as instructions: “Meet at Central Park.”
Still dressed as Mary Scot, Ellen left Blarin’s apartment and proceeded walking down the stairs to ground level. She crossed the street, entering Central Park.
As she entered the park, the vagueness of Swancutt’s instructions entered her mind – Central Park is more than 800 acres and he didn’t mention a specific place to meet.
Just then, the sky darkened and she looked up to notice she was in the shadow of a blimp. There was Swancutt leaning out with a bull horn, shouting: “I’m lowering a rope ladder, Mary. Climb aboard.”
Once inside the cabin of the air ship, she noticed Blarin was already inside.

Blarin the storm chaser

Back at Blarin’s desk, Ellen saw another entry in his journal. This one referenced the beat-up storm chaser’s car he’d purchased months ago. In the journal, Blarin described how, once obtaining the car, he decided to try his hand at storm chasing.
He drove to southern Oklahoma. He received a call from a worried farmer, Horace Crumb, about an approaching thunderstorm. Blarin drove out and met the farmer who asked: “Are you a storm chaser?”
“Yes,” Blarin replied.
Crumb responded: “Can you chase that storm away from here?”
“We’re here to observe storms,” Blarin replied, “not run them off.”

Feeding Falcon

Ellen approached the birds outside Blarin’s rooftop dwelling. There were three pigeons and a falcon. The birds appeared calm. Ellen guessed it was due to the familiar sight of her Mary Scot of Queens disguise. While feeding them, she noticed each bird had a name tag on its perch. They were named Alpha, Beta and Charlie. The falcon’s name was Falcon.

Each pigeon had a small pouch attached to one leg. Ellen figured they were carrier pigeons. The falcon also had a pouch. She further figured Blarin had managed to train himself a carrier falcon. There was a note in Falcon’s pouch. Ellen spoke to the falcon, “Hi Falcon.” The falcon flew and landed on her shoulder faster than she could duck. She retrieved the note. It was a message from Sir Robert Swancutt inviting Blarin to dinner on Swancutt’s blimp. The note mentioned to invite Mary Scot of Queens as well. Ellen put the message in her pocket.

Blarin the layman linguist

Ellen realized Blarin fancies himself to be a laymen linguist. She stumbled across a collection of words Blarin was hoping to have added to the Oxford dictionary he’d brought back from the university. He even hand wrote them into their proper places in his copy of the book.

Contrahilarious – A serious or solemn situation.
Postcautionary – Being careful after a mishap occurs.
Yestermorrow - The present day. Also see today.
Igtremendous – Being of no particular interest.

Escargot

Ellen punched on Blarin’s computer. Blarin evidently tried to organize a hunting expedition. It was to be a snail hunt. Although he had no takers for the event, he had an amazing number of inquires.

She looked up from the computer screen when she heard a tapping on Blarin’s front window glass. The falcon was hanging upside down from the eave of Blarin’s shack, tapping his beak on the glass. Ellen remembered the bird food she was given at Pedro’s Salad Bar and realized she was now responsible for the birds.

Blarin finds his keys

Thumbing through Blarin’s travel diary, Ellen noticed an entry where Blarin described trying to find his set of keys he’d lost while tromping through the Florida Everglades. He described happening upon what he realized to be the Fountain of Youth, but disregarded the find. He was intent on finding his keys.

A trivial lawsuit

Ellen Games made it back to Blarin’s desk. She picked up a highlighted newspaper clipping. Evidently, Blarin found interest in a local legal matter.
According to the article, a man had spit on a sidewalk. Someone behind him slipped on the spot and cracked an elbow. A law suit resulted. To remain anonymous, the spitter’s name was changed to Sebastian V. Calatorian III. Sebastian’s lawyer countersued, shifting the blame on the city. His lawyer stated: “The city should know people spit on the sidewalk from time to time. They should have installed spit-absorbing sidewalks.”