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Tuesday 24 June 2014

To Be Number 1

   They do say that it’s a lonely place, that place of command. It must be more so for Number 1. Most certainly if we are to assume that No.1 keeps himself to himself inside that red one rocket all the time. But he can’t possibly wear that black and white mask and cowled robe all the time can he? Well monks wear their habits all the time, so why not? But for Number 1 to be hidden away like that all the time, imagine how it would have been for Number 6 to have given way his resistance, how costly it would have been to him. I know he put a high value on his personal freedom, preferred his own privacy to the company of others at times. But to have to go about dressed like a monk, or something out of the Ku-Klux clan, and to be forced to wear that mask to hide his identity, and maintain his anonymity from others day after day, after day. His identity, and personal freedom finally stripped from him. It makes one wonder why anyone would want to be Number 1 in the first place, just think of the personal cost. Much better to be a small cog in the machine, than the machine itself!

I’ll be seeing you

8 comments:

  1. Hello David,
    better be a small cog in the machine, than the machine itself, indeed. I like this one very much. From this point of view the "normal" prisoners seem to be better off compared to Number 1.
    Although I think that Number 1 isn't bound to stay at the rocket all the time. I think he could have many disguises and since nobody is aware of his face nobody would know when they meet him. Unless they are told. As or Fall Out I could imagine that Number 1 placed himself in there to lure Number 6 to the cone and make him the first man on the moon, or maybe to guide the orbit tubes to their orbits?

    Very kind regards,
    Jana
    BCNU

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  2. A Fantomas reincarnation? - BCNU!

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  3. Hello Jana and Arno,
    Ah I'd not thought of that, No.1 having many disguises, and since no one was aware of his face no one would know him when they saw him, yes that's good. Mind you at the same time, and then again perhaps No.1 enjoys the delights of The Village early in the morning when there's no one about. For example and rEmembering No.1 looks like No.6, in the early morning of 'The Chimes of Big Ben, when No.6 is still in bed, we see No.1 dressed identically standing on the balcony of the Green Dome. Then later that morning just before we see No.6 leaving the Green Dome No.1, again dressed identically as No.6, is standing on top of the stone bandstand!

    Ah Fantomas, a character created by two French writers Marcel Allain and Pierre Souvestre.

    Very kind regards to you both
    David
    BCNU

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  4. No. 1 the "un-one". He who un-won, the one (1) who didn't win (over No. 6). Did he? Sophistry. - BCNU!

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    1. Hello arno,
      Is that like Un-Two in THEPRIS6NER?

      David
      BCNU

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    2. Possibly yes. Not manifest, of course, but in perspective at least. A nice thought isn't it! - BCNU!

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  5. un-won, I like this!
    I also can imagine that he prefers the early morning hours. I bet he doesn't sleep too well, too.
    Yes, like fantomas, or a chameleon, or maybe a mirror that shows a different face to anyone who looks at it. Or the like. Just crossed my mind.

    Best wishes
    Jana
    BCNU

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  6. "un" is also French for "1" or "a/an". So, this can be taken for "1-1", perhaps "11". Oh, must stop here. There's the Colonel (the Colonel, called Monty Pythons) saying something like "Stop it, this is getting too silly..." - BCNU!

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