#0440

things! continue! to happen!

Yeah, Violet’s ribbon gets more off-screen adventures than Quigley. The last time we see the fake set of keys is in the operation theater when Hal denounces the Baudelaire orphans’ deception:

“I think I can explain that,” said anotherfamiliar voice, and everyone turned to see Hal enter the operating theater. In one hand he was clutching thering of keys the Baudelaires had made from paper clips and Violet’s hair ribbon, and with the other handhe was pointing angrily at the children.[The Hostile Hospital, Chapter Eleven]

Next thing you know, it appears in Olaf’s truck. The only explanation I could find is that Mattathias ran into Hal as they escaped the burning hospital and snatched Violet’s ribbon from him. Olaf has a tendancy to collect trophies. For example, he had one of the Baudelaire parents’ trained lions stuffed and displayed in his home:

…the stuffed head of a lion, which was nailed to the wall. For more information about the abuse of lions, interested parties might turn to Book the Ninth. Professional lions are often named after their trainers, but I have been unable to determine if the lion on Count Olaf’s wall was Beatrice or Bertrand.[The Bad Beginning: Rare Edition, p.23]

What makes the timeline confusing is Violet’s comment when she finds the ribbon in Olaf’s truck:

Her voice trailed off, and Klaus saw that she hadreached her hand into the pocket of Count Olaf’s pants and was drawing out a ribbon that looked just like theone she usually wore. “Yerz,” Sunny said.“It is mine,” Violet said, looking at itclosely. “Count Olaf must have kept it when he was preparing me for surgery, and left it in his pocket.”[The Carnivorous Carnival, Chapter Six]

She's not finished with this yet! Jeez, cut her some slack. Maybe you could go bug someone somewhere else for a while? Or at the very least, somewhen else.