Bureau of Visual Records

    After watching his own political broadcast on the television No.6 tells the housemaid No.58 that although she has been in the village for a short time, there is one thing that can be learned very quickly, obey the rules and they will take good care of her. Then over a cup of tea he asks No.58 to “Try it.” Not the tea, but to try and say the phrase “Be seeing you” in English. And he gets angry when she doesn’t. Then something inexplicable happens, he says the phrase “Be seeing you” in 58’s own language!!! “Lye eezeet zoon,” then No.58 understands. For some reason, perhaps because of 58’s enthusiasm, No.6 comes to his senses, tearing off the rosette from his lapel he runs out of the cottage and drives off in a Mini-Moke with No.58 pursuing him on foot. Eventually the road ahead is barricaded outside the Town Hall by No.113c and his Tally Ho dispenser, a garden tractor, along with a number of No.6’s enthusiastic supporters brandishing placards. This effectively stops him from reaching the beach in an attempt to escape in the Mini-Moke as he did on the day of his arrival in the village. Mind you, the tide being in at the time would have stopped him dead in his tracks anyway.

   No.6 then abandons the Mini-Moke and runs off. By this time No.58 has caught up with him and chases after him. In his attempt to run away from her No.6 runs down a set of steps leading down to the waterfall. No.58 stands at the top and waves at him enthusiastically, this makes No.6 looks as though he can’t get away fast enough, but his way is barred in two directions, the one way being barred by the diminutive Butler together with the hovering helicopter, the other by more of his enthusiastic supporters blocking his escape towards the Old People’s Home.

   This leaves No.6 only one direction in which to run, down to the slipway and steal one of the two Jet boats if he is to escape. What follows is a desperate struggle with the two motor mechanics, and a chase scene between boat and helicopter piloted by No.2. And just when No.6 was doing so well, now he was being foolish. This won’t get him anywhere, he had better go back before it’s too late!

    It wasn’t until I watched ‘Free For All’ quite recently, I realised that in this scene No.6 is being “herded” down to the slipway. Perhaps I’m a bit slow on the uptake! This in turn gave me the idea that it was No.2’s intention that No.6 should try and escape by using one of the jet boats. Otherwise why is he already waiting close by, piloting the hovering helicopter himself, in order to give chase when No.6 makes his move to escape?

Be seeing you