BE SEEING YOU, NUMBER 6

At the tender age of 14 I aquired the habit of watching Danger Man on TV starring Patrick McGoohan mainly because my mum watched it. But, i became hooked on the stories and on the actor himself, who seemed to posses all the attitudes that a punk kid could relate to and who was best of all, "cool"

Danger Man or "Secret Agent" as it was known in the USA became a minor cult and i even learned that he lived close to a place i regularly walked my dog and rode my bike. One day being typically inquisitive, I clambered through a hole in a hedge and found myself in a large garden replete with a built extension containing an indoor swimming pool. As i was a regular swimmer and member of the local club i peered in through the window. Of course there was no one there and nothing to see, but as i turned to make my escape I found myself confronted by an imposing figure in casual clothing who i instantly recognised when he spoke. "What do you want?" he asked sharply, Had it been a few years later i would have probably said, "Information" but I just said i was exploring which was the truth. "Well you better fuck off then!" he replied.

I was not offended or concerned by this and in fact, regarded it as quite a compliment coming from the Secret Agent himself. A few years later of course i was like many of my age group totally hooked on the prisoner, but because i had actually been confronted by Mr McGoohan his plight and attempts at escape were somehow more personal. I am only sorry that i have not honoured Patrick McGoohan till now.

The Prisoner was not just a cult TV program, it was strangely prophetic. Living now as we do on a prison island full of CCTV cams, constrained by an ever growing number of repressive laws and half witted paranoid Government Ministers who treat us all like we are the enemy, its hard not to identify with the Prisoner. All the more credit should go to McGoohan for not just the vision to see this but also the ability to write, direct and act the story. I only regret not having had the temerity to engage him in a longer dialogue but se la vie. You will be missed Number 6, but also long remembered. And the information they were always trying to get from you? They never did get it, did they? "Be Seeing You"