Something came to me, something which I had never really given much thought to, because I've never been keen on that No.48, never very keen on the late Alexis Kanner if it comes to that. However, if one leaves all No.8's singing of "Dem Bones" and athletic dancing about out of it, he does actually get to plead his case before the assembly, which is more than the former No.6 did. No.48 tells it like it is in asking the President if he got the message? No.48 has been with the village, but then he went and gone, he's gone, gone far away. "Give it to me baby!" the President shouts.
"That's it, all you want is give."
"And take" says the President.
"That's it, take! Takes all they want, take, take, take, take!" is No.48's response, but he will not confess!
Simple term maybe, but those simple words of No.48, they do just about sum up both the village and its administration. The Village takes and takes, and gives nothing back to the individual, except perhaps in welfare, which is the villages biggest consumer item.
Then there is the "late No.2." Even he gets to address the members of the Assembly "My Lords, ladies and gentlemen, a most extraordinary thing happened to me on my way... here, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,." "It has been my lot, in the past, to wield a not inconsiderable power. Nay I have had the ear of statesmen, Kings and Princes of many lands. Governments have been swayed, policies defined and revolution nipped in the bud at a word from me in the right place and at the propitious time...... Not surprising therefore, that this community should find a use for me. Not altogether by accident, that one day I should be abducted and wake up here amongst you.... What is so deplorable , is that I resisted for so short a time. A fine tribute to your methods. I wish to thank you for recognition of my talents, which placed me in a position of power second only to one."
That of course is only part of this "late No.2's" address to the assembly, but he was able to say the things that needed to be said. Not so the former Number 6, for all the President's praise set upon him, being a man of steel, who is magnificently equipped to lead us. A man who has gloriously vindicated the right of the individual to be individual and who should now no longer be known as No.6, or indeed as any number at all. A man who has survived the ultimate test, overcome coercion, fought, maintained, revolted, held fast, maintained, destroyed resistance. And yet, when given the opportunity to address the assembly "they" shout him down at every attempt! The members of the assembly will not hear what Sir has to say. But why? After all they sat and listened to No.48, in his rebellious youth, and then an ex-No.2 who has bitten the hand that fed! So why not sir? What did they expect him to say that would be so disagreeable to them? Sir surely had something to say for himself, as he tried to make himself heard over the chanting of the members of the assembly "Hip hip hooray!" Perhaps McGoohan himself had nothing more to say, although he was "Pissed off" at the time.
I'll be seeing you.
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