After his taxi ride, the Prisoner, on the morning of his arrival, goes into the General Store to purchase a map of the area. The Shopkeeper-No.19 is busy serving a customer, to whom he is speaking in some incomprehensible language. The moment the Shopkeeper see's his next customer, he immediately stops taking in a foreign language, and starts speaking to the woman in English "Would you help yourself to a pineapple madam," Why? Does he think his next customer will understand what he's saying, or is it for the Prisoner's benefit that he suddenly speaks English? And what language might it be? It's certainly not French, it might very well be some made up jibberish made to sound like a language.
Be seeing you
Perhaps a Babel fish suddenly jumped into the Prisoner's ear...
ReplyDeleteBCNU );oB
Hello Steve,
DeleteGood morning, and nice to hear from you again.
I'm not conversant with 'The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy,' but my wife has just given me the grif about the Babel fish...very good, thinking outside the box I see!
Very kind regards
David
BCNU
I love this scene! "Won't you help yourself to a pineapple, madam." Perhaps a free pineapple was the special offer of the day! Or perhaps she's his favourite customer! That shop looks fascinating - I would love a good rummage around, ha ha!
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Hello Nadia,
DeleteThe General Store is like an Aladdin's cave, looks like the shop sold just about anything as most "corner shops" did at that time. The shop even sells Portmeirion pottery salt and pepper pots seen on a shelf behind the counter.
The shopkeeper may have asked his customer to help herself to a pineapple, but I bet a Pound to a Work Unit that the shopkeeper charged her for it! Mind you he could have had an offer on, buy one get one free, although that's way ahead in time of The Village! Did you notice the Village carrier bags hanging up, white with a red label, just behind the Prisoner in the picture.
Very best regards
David
BCNU