Apparently nobody else noticed it, but it is a fact. Della Street is hundred years old. For those who came from a different galaxy, Della Street is the incomparable confidential secretary of Perry Mason, the greatest attorney ever, who appeared in numerous novels written by the late Erle Stanley Gardner.

Della Street first appeared in Gardner's novel The Case of The Velvet Claws, published in March 1933. The perfect secretary was at that time 27 years old (p.2), which means that she was born in 1906. So, this year 2006, she is exactly hundred years old. Happy hundredth birthday, dear Della, and thanks for all the wonderful mysteries.

Erle Stanley Gardner is one of the greatest bestselling authors of all time. His books sold hundreds of million copies and were translated to all known languages.

TRIVIAL QUESTION (try to answer it before you look at the answer): Perry Mason used to juggle two guns in many of his cases. In which cases were involved more than two guns?

ANSWER: In The Case of The Long Legged Models, Perry juggled three guns. In The Case of The Counterfeit Eye were also involved three guns in a murder. In The Case of The Singing Skirt there were four guns in a gambling establishment, out of which Perry juggled three. In The Case of The Nervous Accomplice there were seven guns in a private collection; the murderer stole one of them (which he planned to use in a murder) and substituted another one of a similar appearance - that makes it eight guns total; after doing his illegal deed, the murderer again substituted the murder weapon for another one in the collection. That makes it three juggled guns out of eight.

Copyright 2006 by Karel Havel.