Many Happy Returns

    Not one word is spoken for just over 15 minutes 35 seconds when Günter detects smoke and says “Schnell nindishtoya” or something like as I’m not sure of the correct spelling. Number 6 doesn’t speak until 22 minutes into the episode when he encounters a man with a whippet hound, Where is this?” he asks. The Romany ignores him, then Number 6 follows the man to a gypsy camp, and for the first time since his abduction to The Village he is shown an act of genuine kindness, from a young Romany woman. I’ve no idea what one of the Romany men says to her as she gives the raggedy man a cup of hot broth or tea, but she certainly give the man a mouthful of abuse back!
   “A road, where is there a road?” he asks.
   The young woman points “Donderon doi doi” she replies and sends the raggedy man on his way.
    The Romany’s are far better off than the nameless exile they have just encountered. For they might be travellers, but at least they have food, shelter, transport, money, and just as importantly they have each other for company. While the raggedy man has none of these things, he relied on a handout of a hot drink. There is nowhere he can rest, he has no money he can pay to get about, and has no-one who can help him. He is completely on his own, and isolated from the world he inhabits! Yes eventually he finds a woman, Mrs Butterworth, who condescends to help him, even insist that she will help him. She’s even good enough to lend him his own car! Eventually ZM73 goes running back to his ex-employers. He makes his report even though there is no requirement of him to do so. But in the end, it seems that there is only one place Number 6 can ever go, The Village. Besides, by the evidence we see, it would appear that Number 6 is more at home in The Village than elsewhere. It provides for him. He has a home with all the modern comforts, food, warmth, money of a sort, he even has a freedom of sorts. One might be forgiven in thinking that for Number 6, The Village is not enough, he wants more, to escape! But then he did escape, he was given a taste of freedom, and what happened? He couldn’t get back to The Village quick enough! Perhaps it takes a while to see which side one’s bread is buttered!

Be seeing you