60 Second Interview with No.14

   No.113 'Can we have a word with you Number Fourteen?'
   No.14 'Well I'm very busy at present.'
   'Yes, we can see that!'
   'Look what do you want? Who are you?'
   'I am number one-one-three, and this is my photographic colleague number one-one-three b. We contribute to The Tally Ho don't you know.'
   No.113b 'Smile' {click goes the camera}.
   No.14 'No, I didn't know. Now if you'll excuse me.'
   'There's something very curious about you.'
   'Curious. What the devil are you taking about?'
   'Please take a look at this photograph, and tell me if you see anything familar about the man in the photogragph.'
   'You must be mad!'
   'Please Fourteen, humour me.'
   'Oh, very well.'
   {Number Fourteen takes the photograph and looks at it}

No.14 'Well, who is he?'
'Number Twenty-Two. You don't see anything familiar about him?'
'No. why should I?'
'You wouldn't say it was like looking into a mirror?'
'No, why should it be?'
'You're not Number Twenty-Two are you?'
'You must be mad! I'm Number Fourteen, always have been.'
'You were not meant to be Twenty-Two then?'
'What are you talking about? I was never Twenty-Two, I don't even look like Twenty-Two!'
'Not look like him. But you have to admit there is a similarity between you. I mean to say, you're both wearing the same clothes. And after all, citizens have been known to.....change numbers. I mean look at Ninety-three, he was once Two-Four-Nine!'
'So he moved up in the rankings.......'
'You are an ambitious man Fourteen. Eager to please, only too willing to help, loyal. Perhaps you want promotion, to Number Two perhaps.'
'Yes, I don't mind admitting that I am...........................'
'There you are, at last. You admit that you are Number Twenty-Two!'
'I admit nothing of the kind!'
'Well you look like Number Twenty-Two. You dress exactly the same as Number Twenty-Two. So it must follow that you must be Number Twenty-Two.'
'That's stupid. You might just as well say that he looks like me. Dresses exactly like me. So it must follow that Number Twenty-Two is me!'
'Simple. Fool proof you might say.'
'Look if you don't get out of here.........'
'You'll do what?'
'I'll give you both a thoroughly good dusting down!'
{So it was, that myself and my photographic colleague Number One-One-Three beat a hasty retreat out of the foyer of the green Dome, so as to be able to report another day.}
Reporter No.113
Photographer No.113b