Shirt…
…Jeffrey Wickham is Unwell
Seventh Galaxy had
announced four guests for their next signing – Jeffrey Wickham – guest star in
“The Reign of Terror”, Nik Howden – the Public House patron in “Vincent and the
Doctor”, Tom Langford –
Having previously met
Thomas twice, and his hatred for Black-and-White Who meaning that he did not
want Jeffrey’s signature, Shirt was attending for only two of the guests. He
was therefore not particularly upset on arriving at the Barking Learning Centre
and being told that Jeffrey was too ill to attend. Paying for two autographs,
Shirt joined the short queue.
First up was Nik, who
signed Shirt’s Series 5 poster next to Chrissie Cotterill, who also appeared in
“Vincent and the Doctor”. Next was Tom, and so Shirt struggled to get his
Specials poster out of its cardboard tube. Having laid it down on the table,
Tom initially seemed confused by Shirt’s request to sign it “To Shirt”. The
steward beside him repeated the request, and so Tom began slowly writing “To
Shirt, from Tom Langford” in his best handwriting under the large signature of Velile Tshabalala, reminding Shirt of his previous meetings with
Thomas (see CDS…Invasion
VIII).
Retrieving his poster,
Shirt sidestepped Thomas and took a seat for the panel. Speaking to Bobod who
conducts these panels, it seemed that his carefully worked-out twin panels, one
with the two children, one with the two men, had been ruined by the lack of
Jeffrey Wickham. He was therefore going to try a mixed panel. This went well,
with all happy to answer questions such as “How did you get the part ?”, until
Bobod began asking Nik about his appearance in “Ashes to Ashes”. Given that his
appearance involved him being naked, before being placed spread-eagled on a
pool table, whilst ‘Gene Hunt’ potted balls at him, it proved difficult to
discuss this with two young boys sitting next to him. The panel continuing,
both boys it seemed, saw their futures in sport not acting. Nik had also played
his “dream-part”, Stan Laurel, to whom he bears a passing resemblance.
Panel completed, Shirt
picked up his belongings, and making his way back to the station, wended his
way home, still smiling about the efforts not to upset the two boys, who as
both described being keen rugby players, had probably heard (or seen) worse.
[PL]