I Am Not A Number, I Am A Free Man!
Gary Hill
Number Six: Where am I?
Number Two: In the Village.
Number Six: What do you want?
Number Two: Information.
Number Six: Whose side are you on?
Number Two: That would be telling. We want information..........information..........information.
Number Six: You won't get it.
Number Two: By hook or by crook, we will.
Number Six: Who are you?
Number Two: The new Number Two.
Number Six: Who is Number One?
Number Two: You are Number Six.
Number Six: I am not a number! I am a free man!
Number Two: [laughs]
Number Six: I will not make any deals with you. I've resigned. I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered! My life is my own!
If none of the above makes sense to you, you are definitely not an aficionado of the 1960s British surreal cult TV series 'The Prisoner'.
Number Six: I have a choice?
Number Two: Of course. You can do as you want.
Number Six: As long as it's what you want.
Number Two: As long as it is what the majority wants. We're democratic. In some ways.
Number Two: What were you looking at?
Number Six: A light.
Number Two: A star.
Number Six: A boat.
Number Two: An insect.
Number Six: A plane.
Number Two: A flying fish.
Number Six: Somebody who belongs to my world.
Number Two: This is your world. I am your world. If you insist on living a dream you may be taken for mad.
Number Six: I like my dream.
Number Two: Then you are mad.
Number Six: Why do you use people?
Man With Stick: Some psychiatrists say it satisfies the desire for power. The only opportunity one gets here.
Number Six: That depends what side you're on.
Man With Stick: I'm on my side.
Number Six: Aren't we all?
Man With Stick: You must be new here. In time, most of us join the enemy.............against ourselves.
Number Two: [offering coffee] I can never remember. One lump or two?
Number Six: It's in the file.
Number Two: Yes, as a matter of fact, yes. But it would save time if you just answered.
Number Six: Why? Running out of time?
Number Two: "Does not take sugar." Frightened of putting on weight?
Number Six: No. Nor of being reduced.
Number Two: Oh, that's excellent. I am glad you are here. You really are a model.
Number Six: But I don't run on clockwork.
Number Two: You will, my dear chap. You will.
Number Two: You destroyed me.
Number Six: No.. you destroyed yourself. You destroyed yourself. A character flaw. You were afraid of your masters. A weak link in the chain of command waiting to be broken.
Number Two: Don't tell them...........don't report me.
Number Six: I don't intend to. You are going to report yourself.
Number Two: [taking the phone] I have to report a breakdown..........in control. Number Two needs to be replaced. Yes, this is Number Two reporting.
Questions are a burden to others; answers a prison for oneself.
'I Am Not A Number, I Am A Free Man!'. Original images © Gary Hill 2017. All rights reserved. Not in public domain. If you wish to use my work for anything other than legal 'fair use' (i.e., non-profit educational or scholarly research or critique purposes) please contact me for permission first.
