The elder Baudelaires find a tin of wasabi, give some to Sunny, and she is revived just in time. She asks for water, thanks her siblings for saving her, and takes a nap. Violet and Klaus also take the wasabi since they were exposed to the deadly fungus. Just as they try to figure what to do next, they receive a Voluntary Factual Dispatch from none other than Quigley which Violet reads out: “‘It is my understanding that you have three additional volunteers on board STOP.’” she read, remembering that “STOP” indicates the end of a sentence in a telegram. “‘We are in desperate need of their services for a most urgent matter STOP. Please deliver them Tuesday to the location indicated in the rhymes below STOP.’” Of course, given what happened in the last book this must cheer Violet up to know her boyfriend is alive. They then receive a couple of excerpts by Lewis Carroll and T.S. Eliot. But where can they find the books? Then Violet remembers that Fiona mentioned her brother and stepdad once studied poetry together so there must be poetry books on board the Queequeg. So her and Klaus discover the secret poetry books hidden away as well as a family photo when Fernald had hands while his and Fiona’s mom was alive. Though debate on whether they can trust Fiona and her brother, Klaus reluctantly agrees that solving the code and finding Captain Widdershins is more important. Yet, he already solved Lewis Carroll section and states that they need to get to Briny Beach, where all their troubles began.

The song I went with here is Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” which you’ll find on every soundtrack listing for almost every movie about the 1960s or the Vietnam War. Though often seen as an anti-war song, Stephen Stills was inspired to write the song in wake of the Sunset Strip curfew riots of November 1966 which was an early counterculture clash between police and young people on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. Due to young people going to music venues and clubs around the area which caused a traffic congestion, a 10 pm curfew ordinance was enacted to deter loitering which the young people thought infringed on their civil rights. A protest rally was arranged outside Pandora’s Box Club on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Crescent Heights. Things started out peacefully with 1,000 protestors but trouble broke out with unrest continuing for weeks, causing some clubs to shut down. In this version, I have Klaus solve the first part of the code Quigley sent him and his siblings.

 

“For What It’s Worth” (ASOUE Version)

Sung by Klaus Baudelaire

It’s Quigley’s telegram here
But what it says ain’t exactly clear
Says of three more volunteers
Saying there’s an urgent matter

I think it’s time we stop
Siblings, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

He’s listed some rhymes below
Guess this is in the poetic code
Get me Carroll and Eliot books
Not so great with poetics, here we go

It’s time we stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

He wants to meet on Briny Beach
We’ll get there by submarine
Just have to check with these charts
Let’s get there before Tuesday and start

It’s time we stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you’re always afraid
Step out of line, shit, Count Olaf’s now here at bay

We better stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

We better stop
Hey, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

We better stop
Now, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?

We better stop
Siblings, what’s that sound?
Everybody look – what’s going down?