
Civil War-era hardtack
Carlos Daffodil-11 Villavicencio was a dishwasher in the White House kitchen. After being assigned his new government middle name, he—haltingly and with embarrassment—told President Wilbur Daffodil-11 Swain that they each were given the same one. They embraced, with the President calling him his "brother".[1] After the Albanian Flu killed most White House employees, Villavicencio loyally remained as the final staff member,[2] leading Swain to refer to him as "my Sancho Panza". His primary duty was to make lunch for the President, consisting of hardtack, smoked oysters, and whatever else could be found. Even as the nation collapsed, Villavicencio still called the United States "the most powerful country in the world", leading Swain to refer to him as "a really stupid man".[3]
He ultimately left the White House with President Swain and Bernard O'Hare in a helicopter that the latter man had maintained, hidden in an underground silo. The plan was to leave Villavicencio in Indianapolis, where numerous members of the Daffodil family had congregated, to be cared for in his old age.[4] With Swain, he was greeted with parades and feasts by the Daffodils upon arriving and, like all family members, was allowed to vote at their weekly meeting.[5] When Swain left him on his way to meet the King of Michigan, Villavicencio thanked him for bringing him home to his family, saying "Lonesome no more!",[6] which had been Swain's campaign slogan for creating artificial extended families.[7]
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 114.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 127.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 129.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 134.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 141.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 148.
- ↑ Slapstick, Vonnegut: Novels & Stories 1976-1985, pg. 107.