Citizen No.60

    We have seen a number of Supervisors, the most capable one in my opinion being No.28, whose only mistake was not knowing that it wasn’t No.6’s birthday, and that No.113 didn’t exist, an old woman who died a month ago. 28’s removal quickly brought about the promotion of this man, the Supervisor’s assistant No.60, as the new Supervisor. It’s the first time we witness a Supervisor being replaced in a similar way as to when No.2 is replaced, only this is much more instant! And yet I wonder just how long No.60 would have lasted in his new position? Not simply because of No.2 having to be replaced, but upon the realization there was no need to replace the Supervisor in the first place. No.28’s eventual reinstatement would have seen No.60’s demotion. And yet, even before that there was the tell-tale sign that this man wasn’t quite up to the job, especially considering we never see him again after this episode! I’m thinking of the incident of the carrier pigeon! He reported to No.2 that No.6 was seen approaching the restricted area, walking through the mangrove walk, which meant he could have been making for the shore or the hills. He was ordered to keep a watch on No.6 which was fair enough and easily done by the Observers. But then came the pigeon, No.60 ordered the pigeon released by No.6 to be tracked visually by surveillance camera, again that was fair enough, but then he ordered the activation of the Beam. By now the pigeon was out of sight, and he had the bird tracked by radar, radar got a fix and then he went and ordered “Hellfire” suggesting this new Supervisor had suddenly lost his head. It was lucky No.2 turned up when he did ordering the Beam to be set at minimum strength, otherwise the pigeon would have been toast and No.6’s message with it! That one indecent must have dented any faith No.2 could have had in No.60 as a Supervisor, because the next day at 0: 600 hours when No.6 was due to send a vital message by visual signal, No.2 himself took command of the Control Room. This effectively reduced No.60 back to assistant Supervisor, something he might well have been pleased about as it released him from the pressure and responsibility of command!

Be seeing you