The Tally Ho

 

The Village 2021 Calendar

 REVERSE SIDE MONTAGE

BE SEEING YOU

More Tales From The Village

    It was quiet in the village, a few minutes to curfew and housemaids flitted from cottage to cottage making citizens their nightcap of hot chocolate.
    “There you are sir” the housemaid said with a pleasing smile.
    “What is it?” No.10 asked
    “It’s good for you.”
    “It might be good for someone!”
    “Good night sir.”
    “Goodnight.”
    He didn’t drink the nightcap, instead he poured it down the sink, he thought it might not be good for him. He likes to be on his guard you see, it’s at night when they come for you those nice men in white coats. And when they have you they do unspeakable things to you. Such as feed you mind altering drugs so that you have no idea who you are, or whether you’re coming or going! They change you physically so you look like someone else, and then make you undergo a make-over so that you then look like you, but find your job is to go about the village impersonating yourself!
    In the control room an Observer turned from his monitor “Supervisor, Number 10 is proving more than a little restless.”
    “Put up camera 23, let’s have him on the screen” the supervisor ordered.
    No.10 was pacing the floor of his cottage, he sat down, and then got to his feet and paced about a bit more. No not really, No.10 was sat in an armchair quietly reading a copy of the glossy magazine Village Weekly.
    “Did he drink his nightcap?” the supervisor’s assistant asked.
    “I don’t know” the Observer replied.
    “I bet he didn’t” the supervisor said “I bet he poured it down the sink.”
    “Why should he do that?” his assistant asked.
    “He probably thought it wouldn’t be very good for him!”
    “Supervisor” said another Observer.
    “Yes what is it now?”
    “The tea’s arrived.”
    “Good, I could do with a cup!”
    “What about Number 10?” the assistant asked.
    “What about him, he’s not going anywhere” the supervisor said stirring his tea.
    “Yes but he should be asleep.”
    “He will be….eventually!” the supervisor said watching the screen and sipping his tea.
    No.10 was enjoying reading his copy of the Village Weekly, when he suddenly thought he would like a cup of tea. He dropped the magazine on the floor and rose out of the chair and went through to the kitchen and topped up the kettle from the cold water tap, then switching it on prepared to make a pot of tea. He warmed the pot first, then added three caddy spoons of tea, one for himself, one for the pot, and one for luck, then let it stand for a while. He put milk and sugar in a cup and poured out the tea. Taking the cup and saucer into the lounge he resumed his former position in the armchair, and picked up the Village Weekly and commenced reading again while he sipped his tea. Some twenty minutes later the magazine had slipped to the floor, the cup and saucer was balanced on an arm of the chair, and No.10 was sound asleep.
    The supervisor stood looking at the wall screen with a smile on his face.
    “How did you know…oh I see” said the assistant “the sedative isn’t physically put in the nightcap by the housemaids, it’s introduced into the cold water supply.”
    “You see Number 8 there is more than one way to skin a cat. Our friend Number 10 may be clever, but he’s not clever enough. Now I think it’s time we all had another brew. Do the honours Number 8.”
    “I’m just the office boy; only fit for making the tea” from across the control room floor he shot the supervisor a curious look “I suppose it’s safe?”
    “Safe?” the supervisor asked.
    “Safe to use the water, I’d hate to accidentally sedate us all!”  

  Be seeing you

Once Upon A time

    Watching ‘Once Upon A Time’ last night I had the strange feeling that what I was watching on the television screen had happened yesterday. No.2 having been brought back to the village, his being watched by the Guardian until he tells No.1 to remove it before admitting that he was, is a good man but that if No.1 gets No.6 he will be better, and suggesting that Degree Absolute is the only way. And that night as I sat watching No.2 recite nursery rhymes to the slumbering No.6 on the television screen I said to Morag that’s happening now right this minute!
   And for the first time last night, in all the times I have watched this episode, as the butler took the headmaster’s mortar board, gown, and cane out of the wardrobe I saw the red anorak worn by No.8 in ‘Living In Harmony, the Prisoner’s suit, and the buckskin jacket worn by the stranger {No.6} in ‘Living In Harmony.’ Except, that buckskin jacket shouldn’t be in the wardrobe because it shouldn’t physically exist, as we only see No.6 wearing it during his role playing in Harmony!

    And now this morning No.2 wakes No.6 to ask him if he wants to go walkies, and telling him to wash and dress quickly and he’ll show him some nice things. And after a perambulation around the village, and the purchase of an ice cream, they return to the Green Dome from where No.2 takes No.6 to the Embryo Room to begin what No.2 is pleased to call their deliberations. The Butler is already there of course, standing in the Embryo Room, with the door shut and the lights out in the pitch black. And there they will be for the next week!

Be seeing you

Watching The Prisoner - Once Upon A Time

 

   As I approach the end of watching the Prisoner in this format of real time, and think back to when it began back in October last year, it seemed ages then until it was time for ‘Once Upon A Time.’ And yet here we are just 8 days until No.6 faces his nemesis, the agent responsible for his downfall!
   The above picture, is this how No.2 first woke up in the village having been abducted there as a prisoner? He’s certainly not happy at having been brought back to the village, and the last time No.1 didn’t listen to him when he told him he was using the wrong approach. But perhaps he was unhappy at being usurped by a weather balloon! It has to be either one of them. No.2 was a good man, is a good man, but if they get No.6 he will be better, and No.2 is prepared to put his life on the line for the cause. Although there are better causes to die for!

 Caught on camera!

    This is the chap, one of the 5 Observers who in ‘Once Upon A Time’ are released by the Supervisor as subsidiary personnel. Do you recognize him? He is a former interim No.2 from ‘It’s Your Funeral,’ so now we know what happened to him after that. Unless of course he wasn’t an interim No.2 at all, but was an Observer who was asked to perform the role of an interim No.2 for the camera!
    ‘Once Upon A Time’ but this is no fairytale as No.6 is about to have his mind regressed to his childhood, as in the Embryo Room he’s about to relive his life from the cradle…..to the grave. All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts, and the butler is there to assist in the deliberations, as well as to make the tea! It is generally thought that when it comes to murder mysteries it’s the butler who always does it, that is a fallacy. And certainly in this case the butler is blameless, as it appears No.2 died of a heart attack, brought on by the strain of the ordeal. But he did bring it on himself, but at least he managed to learn more about the reason behind No.6’s resignation than any former No.2.
    ‘Once Upon A Time’ or to give this episode its original title “Degree Absolute’ is the ultimate test and the prequel to ‘Fall Out.’ Eight days, one day and night to prepare and regress No.6’s mind back to his childhood, back to the age of 5 years 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5. Forcing No.2 to sit up all night in 6 Private reciting nursery rhymes to No.6, so its no wonder he got off to such a bad start having had no sleep the night before!   ‘Once Upon A time’ is a serious matter, a last ditch attempt to extract the reason behind the Prisoner’s resignation, but what No.6 has to say about why he resigned “I reassigned for peace of mind. Because too many people know too much” really warrant such a desperate measure as Degree Absolute?
   One might wonder where they get people to promote as No.2, perhaps from the depths of the Civil Service, or promoted from within the village administration. But caught on camera as the control room is cleared of all subsidiary personnel, one former interim No.2 seen in ‘It’s Your Funeral’ is now an Observer!
    At the end No.6 didn’t seem at all happy when the Supervisor said they’ll need the body for evidence, he smashed his glass on the floor in a fit of anger! The Supervisor then asked 6 what he desired, he said “Number 1.” Why to make his report? After all Nadia had to make her report to someone after the end of her secondment to the village. No.6 in his impersonation of Curtis thought he had to report to the General. And the Colonel at the end of ‘Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling’ was keen for No.1 to know that he had done his duty.
    ‘Once Upon A Time,’ one day and one teeny-weeny week before the Fall Out, and we see but a fraction of what takes place in the Embryo Room. And before you ask, no I’m not going to try and eke out this episode and take a week to watch it, that would be trying to take things just a bit too far. 
   It was simple to date this episode, it had to take place 8 days prior to ‘Fall Out,’ and ‘Fall Out’ has to be placed at the finale of ‘the Prisoner’ in December due to the date No.6 and his two confederates returned to London.

 Be seeing you

THE HARMONY POSTERS VIDEO

 

BE SEEING YOU PARTNER!

More Tales From The Village

    The silver grey alouette helicopter approached the village from across the estuary, it circled twice causing a downward daft with its rotor blades before flying out over the estuary once more then to turn and land on the lawn by the sea wall. A white Mini-Moke was parked waiting, as the rotors of the helicopter slowed the driver got out of the taxi and stood by the vehicle. Eventually the cabin door opened and a tall acid faced woman, her auburn hair was swept back and made her look all the more severe, stepped out onto the float and then down onto the grass, the taxi driver stepped forward.
   “I am your driver; I’m to take you to the Green Dome.”
   The helicopter pilot placed a single suitcase onto the float, the taxi driver collected it and escorted the woman to the taxi.   
   “This is the village” the woman said.
   “Yes ma’am” the drive replied placing the suitcase in the back of the Mini-Moke.       The woman stood looking about her for a few moments, taking in her new surroundings “And that she asked?”
   “That’s the Old People’s home.”
    “I see we had better be on our way” the woman said climbing into the front passenger seat.
    The driver climbed in behind the wheel, started the engine and drove the taxi up towards the Old People’s Home, round the hairpin bend and up the hill into the village.
    “It would appear the old folk are well looked after here” the acid faced woman said.
    “They are ma’am we have an excellent welfare service.”
    “And that building what is it?”
    “That’s the Town Hall” the driver said as the taxi drove passed.
    “The Town Hall, a town council presumably.”
    “Yes ma’am, we’re democratic here….in some ways.”
    “Really, that’s rather like putting the inmates in charge of the asylum, wouldn’t you say?”
    “I wouldn’t know ma’am.”
    The taxi carried on its way, turning right, passed the café and following the road towards the imposing building of the Green Dome. The driver sounding the two-tone horn to warn pedestrians and cyclists alike of their approach, warning to clear the way. The taxi came to a stop at the foot of the steps leading up to the Green Dome.
    “We have arrived” the taxi driver said.
    The woman stepped out “What about my bag?”
    “I’m afraid you’ll have to carry it yourself ma’am. I have to drive your predecessor to the helicopter.”
    The woman took her bag and climbed the steps. Standing on the balcony she stood looking out, taking in the local surroundings before turning her attention to the pair of arches and the door under those arches. There was a wrought iron bell pull, she pulled it and from somewhere a deep sounding bell tolled and the front door opened. A diminutive butler in black tails and gloves greeted her. He bowed and taking her suitcase led her through the double French doors up a short ramp to a pair of steel doors which opened leading through into a large purple walled domed chamber.
   “Ah good you’ve arrived at last” said the bearded man sitting in a black globe chair. He got out of the chair and walked out from behind the grey curved desk.  
   “And you are?” the woman asked.
   “An ex-interim Number 2, your predecessor, you are the new interim Number 2 my successor, and this is what I liked to think of as my inner sanctum. It is now your inner sanctum.”
   He picked up the two suitcases which stood next to the desk and made to leave.
   “Wait” she said “aren’t you going to instruct me on my duties?”
   “What show you the ropes you mean, oh no there’s no time for that, the helicopter leaves in a few minutes. If you want to know anything just pick up an intercom. There’s nothing to it really, just don’t become too involved there’s nothing much for you to do, after all you’re simply an interim Number 2 while my permanent replacement arrives. Be seeing you, well I won’t really, but good luck. Only just don’t get embroiled with Number 6”
   It was as though the ex-No.2 couldn’t get away fast enough, he hurried up the ramp, through the opening steel doors, through the foyer where the butler bowed bidding him farewell then outside and away in the Mini-Moke to take him to the waiting helicopter. The helicopter lifted off the ground and flew out across the estuary, it was but a quick flip to the landing stage where the ex-No.2 was transferred to a boat.
    It took the interim No.2 a couple of days to find her feet, relying heavily as she did upon her assistant No.22, a tall middle aged man, with light blue eyes and brown hair. He sported a light grey jacket with dark blue piping. He arrived this morning in No.2’s office to find her reading through a small number of files.
    “Good morning Number 2."
    “What can you tell me about this man?” No.2 asked holding up a black and white photograph.
    “That’s Number 6 ma’am, what is your interest in him?”
    “You haven’t answered my question.”
    “He’s a trouble maker, your predecessors did not fair too well against him.”
    “Is that all you can tell me?”
    “He refuses to settle down, he has tried numerous times to escape, and when he’s not organizing escape plans he’s putting his nose into business which does not concern him. He refuses to give any information away. Only on rare occasions has he responded to his number, which he has always refused to wear, except on the one occasion when it suited him to do so.”
    “I want to see this Number 6.”
    “You can ma’am at any time” No.22 told his superior “may I?”
    The large wall screen was switched on at the touch of a button displaying No.6 in his cottage, he was pacing up and down in his study, a half eaten ham sandwich in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
   “Tell me, does he do that a lot?”
   “Frequently." 
   “I want to talk to him.”
   “That is easily arranged, simply pick up an intercom and have a call put through to his cottage ‘6 Private.’
   “I mean face to face, bring him to my office.”
   “I don’t think that would be terribly wise, after all you’re……….well there’s no need."
    “Interim……I still want to talk to Number 6” No.2 said sternly.
    “Yes Number 2, I’ll have him brought to you at once.”
    No.22 marched smartly across the floor, up the ramp and out through the opening steel doors. It was but a short walk down the steps, across the street, across the square to ‘6 Private.’ He was accompanied by two burly set men in striped jerseys, guardians. Approaching the door to the cottage it opened automatically and the three men went inside.    
    No.6, a man of medium height with dark hair was lying on a recliner listening to music “What do you want?”     
“You Number 6, you are to come with us” No.22 ordered. 
   “What if I don’t want to, after all here I am nice and comfortable listening to a little Purcell, you come barging your way into my cottage demanding I go with you. Where are we supposed to be going anyway?”
   “Number 2 wants to see you.”
    “What if I don’t want to see him?”
    “Her.”
    “Her, oh I see there’s been a change in command, well it won’t be the first time, shouldn’t be surprised it’s not the last” Number 6 stood up, stopped the record playing and put on his blazer “right, shall we go gentlemen?”
    “Where?”
    “To the Green Dome, I hear there’s a new Number 2 in office, I think it’s time I made her acquaintance” No.6 said joyfully and led the way out of his cottage, across the square, across the street, up the steps to the Green Dome.
    The pair of steels doors opened No.6 walked in to No.2’s purple walled office followed by No.22, the steel doors closed behind them>
    A woman sat in the black globe chair, she had an open file on her lap and was drinking tea.
    “You must be the new Number 2, I’m………”
    “Number 6” the woman said “I know all about you.”
    “What from my file?”
    “You can go 22, I won’t be needing you.”
    “If you’re sure Number 2, I mean you’ll be alright on your own with him?”
    “Why is he dangerous? Would you like some tea?”
    No.22 could tell when he wasn’t wanted, and made to leave the office while No.2 poured out a cup of tea for her visitor.
    The steel doors closed.
    “Milk and sugar?”
    “Two lumps” he said.
    She offered the cup and he drew close to her “You, of all people, what are you doing here?”
    “If I told you there would be a submarine off the mouth of the estuary in two days time at midnight, would you believe me?”
    “Yes.”
    “We’ll talk later, here you never know who might be listening” she told him “enjoy your tea, and while you’re about it tell me why you resigned.”
    “Are you trying to earn Brownie points, if you are, you’re talking to the wrong man, and I’ll tell you nothing!”
    Of course someone had been listening, and watching as it happened, No.1 wasn’t at all impressed. “Where do they find them” might have been one question on his mind, another what to do…..what to do?
    It was after curfew that No.2 finally got to be in a somewhat elaborately decorated room in the Town Hall. Something was on her mind, it having been easy to get into the village; it would prove rather more difficult even for a No.2 to get out. Perhaps together she and No.6 might just make it by stealing one of the jet boats at night under the cover of darkness.
    The next day when No.6 came to call on No.2………
    “Number 6 is it, well what do you want?”
    A white haired gentleman probably in his early 60’s sat in the black globe chair.    No.6 walked across the floor and approached the desk “I want to see Number 2.”
    “Who do you think I am?”
    “Number 2?”
    “I’m a busy man, state your business if you would be so good. Otherwise get out!” No.2 said sternly.
    “I want to see your predecessor.”
    “You mean the one who was sent here to get you out.”
    No.6 tried not to let the expression on his face give him away.
    “Oh you needn’t try to hide it Number 6, she has told us all we needed to know, and more."
    “Where is she?”
    “In the hospital where she is being well looked after.”
    “What will happen to her?”
    “There is a price to pay for conspiracy. She’s being given the best treatment, and will be released back into the community……as a prisoner.”

 Be seeing you