The Prisoner

    You have him Number Two, he will be here within a matter of hours, everything is prepared, his cottage has been fitted out as a home from home. Never has any Number Two been as successful as you. You instigated it all, because you know him, all your life you have known him, congratulations Number Two. Let me shake you by the hand. If you must. You are calm, like him, he is calm, calm and calculating, you are like him. You are opposites, on different sides, I am so excited, but pleased for you. This will lead to promotion. I don’t think I want promotion. You might not, but it wouldn’t do you any harm. He’s got to talk first. Oh he’ll talk. You’ll have him in here, in your office, home ground. You’ll press a button and a black leather chair will rise up through a hole in the floor, he’ll be impressed by that. He’ll sit down, you’ll take off your glasses, clean them, and slowly slip them on, he’ll start talking at that point. He’ll spill his guts Two, he’ll want to talk so badly, so much, he will unburden himself, you won’t be able to shut him up! I wish you would! What me, oh I talk when I’m excited, oh Number Two what a pinnacle to rise to. How will you go about it? Rubber hoses? The strong arm stuff, get two guardians to beat him up? I think I’ll sit him in a chair.... That’s right, the comfy chair treatment. Offer him a cup of tea, a cigarette maybe, he lights it, and you smack it out of his mouth.....you’ll tell him when he can smoke! Give him the full treatment, offer him breakfast...... What at three in the afternoon? High tea then, whatever. He’ll talk, one way or another he’ll talk. And he has much to tell us. Perhaps he’ll want protection, possibly asylum, well we will make him very welcome, and he can stay with us. Our security is one hundred percent. No-one is escaping, and there’s no way in unless one is due to come here. He will end his days here in The Village. Attending brass band concerts, drinking coffee at the cafe, playing chess, taking long walks along the beach, attending concerts, The Village festival, modelling in clay for the arts and crafts exhibition. Getting himself involved with all manner of activities, finally to retire to the Old People’s Home. Listen, is that the helicopter? He’s here, he’s arrived earlier than expected. Are we going to meet him? No, let them take him to his home from home, and wait for him to wake up. That’s the start of it. He wakes up in what he thinks to be his own home, but no, he’s here in The Village! The surprise, the shock. What has happened, how did I get here? Where is here, The Village? Is that how it was for you the first time Number Two? That’s how it was for me, how it is for every new arrival.

Be seeing you