No.19 "Yes gentlemen?"
No.6 "We've come to inspect your books."
"They've never been inspected before!"
No.6 "There's always a first time."
"Yes, well come in gentlemen. I think you'll find everything in order."
No.19, or is it 56, has been the General Store shopkeeper since, well since the arrival of the Prisoner here in the village. He has always been a loyal, and conscientious member of the community, well until that episode of Checkmate. When No.6 and No.53 recruited No.19 as part of the gang who, in a daring escape attempt, managed to contact M.S. Polotska a boat which they hoped would come in-shore to pick them up, and take them away from the village. More than that they tied No.2 up in his very own office!
But there was something of a cock-up, a mistake on the part of No.6, as No.53 applied the same test to No.6 as he had applied to others. So No.53 convinced himself that No.6, because he taken control of this little enterprise, that No.6 is in fact a guardian, and therefore he convinced the others and so released No.2 so that he could then act against No.6.
Observers of this episode will know that those who took place in the escape attempt will be, like the white Queens pawn, returned to the chessboard. However, we do not see this shopkeeper-No.19 again. Certainly he is not reinstated as the shopkeeper, as next we see in the General store is this man, the new shopkeeper-No.12.
Unlike his predecessor, No.12 is a weasly type of character, and more than that, an informer! As it is he who reports the strange behaviour of No.6 in his Emporium, listening to the Davier recording of Bizet's L'arlesienne suite.
But what could have happened to No.19? No.2 said that those conspirators would be returned to the chessboard, in other words the village, yet we do not see him again. So is there another reason for No.19's demise, other than trying to escape? Could there be a clue in No.6's fake audit of No.19's books? It is possible that this gave the village administration an idea of checking No.99's books themselves, and having done so for the very first time, as No.19 said himself "They've never been inspected before!" And during that audit of 19's books, they were found wanting! This is the only reason I can find as to why No.19 was not returned to the chessboard.
Our own reporter
Perhaps No. 6 was indeed a plant but unfortunately he was too early for checking for ISO standards 9000 and 9001 quality management, HACCP for the food sold in the shop, saftey at work standards and whatever would seem appropriate which, of course, by that time hadn't been invented. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteI like it, and how true. However did we live before so many rules and regulations?
Regards
David
BCNU
Most likely the Village as such wouldn't get approval and be licensed these days. Think of the many too narrow doors and windows, perhaps staircases too steep which don't CONFORM to any modern standard. However, where did they erect one railing: as close as it could possibly get to the Stone Boat! Where was the monument conservation observer to prevent that? - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteIn 'the Prisoner' Dutton said that places don't change only people. Well the Village has most certainly changed, and not for the better in my opinion! Too many railings have been put up all over the place - too many cafe's now!
In all probabilty, everything you see in the Village now, number amongst No.2's achievements!
I enjoyed your comment as always.
Kind regards
David
BCNU
What really astonished me on my 2011 visit (after 20 years) was the crumbling stone e.g. on the Bristol Colonnade. Certainly I'm not an expert but I would reckon this cannot be left on its own for too long. - BCNU!
ReplyDeleteHello Arno,
DeleteYes, that's the thing about Sir Clough, he wanted to build his Village, but didn't really care for them afterwards. In recent years, and you will be aware of this, the management at Portmeirion have had to demolish buildings during the winter months so to completely rebuild a number of cottages, including the Ship Shop. So I'm sure they will turn their attention the the Bristol Collonnade in time.
Regards
David
BCNU