No.202 is the leader
of the Brass Band which holds its regular Brass Band concerts on the Bandstand
opposite the chess lawn. On this particular day when No.6 was taking his daily
stroll around the village, and he just happened to find himself in the vicinity
of the Bandstand. Mounting the steps and approaching the Bandstand just as the
Band was coming to the end of one set, No.6 spoke with the Band leader for a
few seconds and then walked away. This resulted in the following interview with
No.202.
"A request you say?"
"Yes sir. That's all, he asked me to
play the Farandole from L'Arlesienne suit" the Band leader confirmed.
"What else?" No.2 asked, sure
that there was more to this than meets the eye.
"I don't understand sir."
"What else did he say?"
"Nothing sir."
"Nothing" No.2 repeated, linking
his hands behind his back and pacing up and down the floor of his office
"No.6 just asked you to play a tune... and then walked away."
"Did he sir? I didn't notice"
the innocent band leader replied.
"Does that make any sense to
you?"
"No sir."
"No, it doesn't does it" No.2
confirmed "I'll ask you once again... Did No.6 say anything else.... about
me for example?"
"About you sir?" No.202 said,
this time answering with a question of his own.
"Well did he?"
"No sir" came the answer.
No. 2 thought the band leader might have
forgotten "Perhaps you've forgotten. try to remember!"
But after a moment for though he found he
hadn't "He Didn't sir."
At this point No.2 began to lose the plot
"You're lying aren’t you!" he screams "there's something
going on!"
But of course the band leader wasn't
lying, and there wasn't anything going on.
"I don't know what you mean
sir."
"I don't know what you mean sir. I'm
as much in the dark as you are" mocks No.2 "You're all lying!
Its a plot! Going behind my back. Who do they think they're dealing with?
Pigmies!"
By this time No.2 had completely lost it.
The innocent No.202 wondered what it had all been about, and he was the next to
be added to the growing list of citizens who were voicing their doubts about
this current No.2. There had already been the two laboratory assistants No's
242 and 243, not to mention the head of psychiatrics-No.249, and these numbers
would surely be added to as the episode progresses!
By this time No.2 had lost all patience
with the Band leader-No.202 and indicated with sweeping gestures of his arm to
leave.
"Oh get out, get out!"
Be seeing you
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