"It's..." "Monty python's flying circus." "Oh, good, that'll be the vet, dear." "I'd better go and let him in." "It's the vet, dear." "Very glad, indeed" "You could come round, sir." "Not at all." "Now, what seems to be the problem?" "You can tell me." "I'm a vet, you know." "See?" "tell him, dear." "Well..." "It's our cat!" "He doesn't do anything." "He just sits out there on the lawn." "Is he... dead?" "Oh, no." "Thank god for that." "For one ghastly moment I thought I was..." "Too late." "If only more people would call in the nick of time." "He just sits there" "All day and every day." "And at night..." "Shh!" "almost motionless." "We have to take his food out to him." "And his milk..." "Shh!" "he doesn't do anything." "He just sits there." "Are you at your wit's end?" "Definitely-- shh-- yes." "Hmm, I see." "Well, I think I may be able to help you." "You see..." "Your cat is suffering" "From what we vets haven't found a word for." "His condition is typified by total physical inertia" "Absence of interest in its ambiance" "What we vets call "environment."" "Oh..." "Failure to respond" "To the conventional external stimuli:" "A ball of string, a nice juicy mouse, a bird." "To be blunt, your cat is in a rut." "It's the old..." "stockbroker syndrome" "The suburban fin-de-siecle ennui" "Angst, weltschmertz-- call it what you will." "Moping." "In a way, in a way." "Hmm, "moping," I must remember that." "Now, what's to be done." "Tell me, sir, have you confused your cat recently?" "Well, i..." "Shh!" "no." "Yes, well..." "I think I can definitely say" "That your cat badly needs to be confused." "What?" "Shh!" "what?" "Confused" "To shake it out of its state of complacency." "I'm afraid..." "I'm not personally qualified to confuse cats" "But I can recommend an extremely good service." "Here is their card." "Oh, "confuse-a-cat."" ""confuse-a-cat, limited."" "Oh." "Squad!" "eyes front!" "Stand at ease!" "Cat confusers..." "Confusers... ho!" "Well, men, we've got" "A very difficult cat to confuse today" "So let's get straight on with it, jolly good." "Thank you, sergeant." "Confusers!" "Attend to the van and fetch out..." "Wait for it!" "Fetch out the funny things!" "Move, move, move, move!" "One, two, one, two" "Get those funny things off!" "Right, get rid of that!" "Get a move on, move it." "Round about this way." "Further back, over there, leave it down." "One, two, one, two." "Confusers!" "fall... in!" "Stage ready for confusing, sir!" "Very good." "Carry on, sergeant." "Left turn!" "Double march!" "Right, men, confuse the... cat." "My lords, ladies and gentlemen..." "I hope to god it works." "Anyway, we shall know any minute now." "Oh, I can't believe it!" "Neither can i." "It's just like the old days." "He's cured." "Oh, thank you, general." "What can we ever do to repay you?" "No need to, sir." "It's all in a day's work for..." "Confuse-a-cat." "Have you read this, sir?" "No-- oh, yes, yes, yes." "Anything to declare?" "Yes-- no!" "no!" "No, no, nothing to declare, no." "Nothing in my suitcase, no." "No watches, cameras, radio sets?" "Oh, yes, four watches..." "No!" "no!" "no..." "No, one watch." "No!" "no, not even one watch." "No watches at all." "No, no watches at all." "No precision watches, no." "Which country have you been visiting, sir?" "Switzerland..." "No!" "no, not switzerland, ha!" "Not switzerland." "It began with "s" but it wasn't switzerland." "Oh, what could it be?" "Terribly bad memory for names." "Uh... what's the name of that country" "Where they don't make watches at all?" "Spain?" "Spain!" "that's it." "Spain, yes, mmm." "The label says "zurich," sir." "Yes, well..." "it was spain, then." "Zurich's in switzerland, sir." "Switzerland, yeah, mmm, mmm..." "Switzerland." "Yeah, mm-hmm..." "Where they make the watches." "Ah!" "yeah..." "Ooh, nice shed you've got here." "Have you got any swiss currency, sir?" "No, just the watches." "Ah!" "just my watch." "Just my watch, uh..." "my watch on the currency." "I've kept a watch on the currency" "And I've watched it and I haven't got any." "That come out a bit glib, didn't it?" "Have you got an alarm clock in there, sir?" "No, no, heavens no, no." "Just vests, ha!" "Sounded a bit like an alarm clock going off." "Well, it can't have been." "It must have been a vest..." "Uh... going off." "Going off." "All right!" "I confess, I'm a smuggler." "This whole case is crammed full" "Of swiss watches and clocks." "I've been purposely trying to deceive" "Her majesty's customs and excise." "I've been a bloody fool." "I don't believe you, sir." "It's true, I'm guilty of smuggling." "Don't give me that, sir." "You couldn't smuggle a piece of grease-proofed paper" "Let alone a case full of watches." "What do you mean?" "!" "I've smuggled watches before, you know!" "I've smuggled bombs, cameras, microfilms, aircraft components." "You name it, I've smuggled it." "Now, move along, please." "You're wasting our time, move along, please." "Look!" "look at this." "Look, for all I know, sir, you could've bought these in london" "Before you ever went" "To switzerland." "I wouldn't buy 2,000 clocks!" "People do." "Now close her up." "Move along, please." "Go on, don't waste our time." "We're out to catch the real smugglers." "I am a real smuggler!" "I'm a smuggler, everybody!" "Don't you understand?" "I'm a smuggler!" "I'm a lawbreaker!" "I'm a smuggler!" "Poor fellow, I think he needs help." "Right, cut the wisecracks, vicar." "Get to the search room and strip." "Well, to discuss the implications of that sketch" "And to consider the moral problems" "Raised by the law enforcement methods involved" "We have a duck, a cat and a lizard." "Now, first of all" "I'd like to put this question to you, please, lizard:" "How effective do you consider the legal weapons" "Employed by legal customs officers nowadays?" "Well, while you're thinking about that" "I'd like to bring the duck in here" "And ask her, if possible" "To clarify the whole question of currency restrictions" "And custom regulations in the world today." "Perhaps the cat would rather answer that?" "No?" "lizard?" "No." "Well, uh..." "Let's ask the man in the street what he thinks." "I am not a man, you silly billy." "I'm not in the street, you fairy!" "Well, uh, speaking as a man in the street..." "What was the question again?" "Just how relevant" "Are contemporary customs regulations" "And currency restrictions" "In a modern, expanding industrial economy?" "Oh, never mind." "Well, I think customs men should be armed" "So they can kill people carrying more than 200 cigarettes." "Well, I think that, uh..." "nobody who has gone abroad" "Should be allowed back in the country!" "I mean, uh... blimey!" "Blimey!" "If they're not keen enough to stay here when they're here" "Why should we allow them back, huh..." "At the taxpayers' expense?" "I mean, be fair!" "I mean, I don't eat squirrels, do i?" "I mean, well, perhaps I do, one or two" "But there's no law against that, is there?" "It's a free country!" "I mean, if I want to eat a squirrel now and again" "That's my own business, isn't it?" "I mean, I'm no racialist!" "I..." "Oh..." "I think it's silly to ask a lizard what it thinks, anyway." "Why?" "I mean, they should have asked margaret drabble." "Well, I think customs people are quite necessary" "And I think they're doing quite a good job, really." "Check." "Door's open." "Oh, yeah." "All right, all right, all right, all right." "My name's police constable henry thatcher" "And this is a raid." "I have reason to believe" "That there are certain substances" "On the premises." "What sort of substances, officer?" "Er, certain substances." "Well, what sort of certain substances?" "Er, certain substances of an illicit nature." "Could you be more specific?" "I beg your pardon?" "Could you be clearer?" "Oh, oh, yeah." "Certain substances on the premises" "To be removed for clinical tests." "Have you got anything particular in mind?" "Well, what have you got?" "Nothing, officer." "You are sandy camp, the actor?" "Yes." "I must warn you, sir" "That outside I have police dog josephine" "Who is not only armed" "And trained to sniff out certain substances" "But is also a junkie." "What are you after?" "Oh!" "Oh, oh!" "Oh!" "Oh, oh, oh!" "Oh, oh... oh!" "I've..." "Here is a brown paper bag" "I have found on the premises." "I must confiscate this, sir" "And take it with me for clinical examination." "Wait a minute." "You just got that out of your pocket." "What?" "Well, what's in it anyway?" "Sandwiches?" "Sandwiches?" "Blimey!" "whatever did I give the wife?" ""dear bbc, east grimstead, friday..." ""I feel I really must write and protest about that sketch." ""my husband, in common with a lot of people of his age, is 50." ""for how long are we to put up with these things?" "Yours sincerely, e.d. debenham, mrs."" ""dear freddy grisewood, bagshot, surrey." ""as a prolific letter writer" ""I feel I must protest about the previous letter." ""I am nearly 60 and am quite mad." ""but I do en joy listening to the bbc home service." ""if this continues to go on unabated" ""dunkirk, dark days of the war, backs to the wall" ""alvar liddell, berlin airlift, moral upheaval of profumo case" ""young hippies roaming the streets" ""raping, looting and killing." "Yours, etcetera, brigadier arthur gormanstrop, mrs."" "Well, I think they should attack things like that..." "With satire." "I mean, ned sherrin." "Fair's fair." "I think people should be able to make up their own minds for me." "Well, I think they should attack" "The fuddy-duddy attitudes of the lower middle classes" "Which permit the establishment to survive" "And keep the mores of the whole country" "Back where they were in the 19th century" "And the ghastly days of the presexual revolution." "Well, that's, er, very interesting" "Because, er, I am, in fact, made entirely of wood." "Well, I think they should attack the lower classes" "First with bombs and rockets, destroying their homes" "And then when they run helpless into the streets" "Mowing them down with machine guns." "And then, of course, releasing the vultures." "I know these views aren't popular" "But I have never courted popularity." "I think there should be more race prejudice." "Less." "Less race prejudice." "...and several butcher's aprons." "In fulham this morning, a jeweler's shop was broken into" "And jewelry to the value of £2,000 stolen." "Police have issued this picture of a man they wish to interview." "The man is in his late 20s" "Wearing a gray suit, a white shirt and a floral tie." "Will anyone who sees this man" "Or can give any information about his whereabouts" "Contact their nearest police station?" "Ah..." "Oh, we've just heard that police have detained" "The man they wished to interview" "In connection with the jewel robbery." "But after questioning" "Police have ruled him out of their inquiries" "And released him." "Sport." "Ah, they say, however, that acting on his information" "They now wish to interview a newsreader" "In the central london area." "Police are concentrating their inquiries" "On the british broadcasting associ..." "Excuse me a minute." "We understand a man is now helping police" "With their inquiries." "And that is the end of the news." "And now, "match of the day."" "Uh, I'm terribly sorry." "It's not, in fact, "match of the day."" "It is, in fact, edited highlights" "Of tonight's romantic movie." "Uh... sorry." "Ooh!" "I'm sorry." "On bbc2, joan bakewell will be talking to michael dean" "About what makes exciting television." "Ah, sorry about all that." "And now, back to the movie." "Oh, bevis." "Oh, darling." "Oh, should we?" "Why not?" "Oh!" "Be gentle with me." "Oh, bevis, are you going to do anything" "Or are you just going to show me films all evening?" "Just one more, dear." "Oh!" "Whoa!" "charles atlas!" "With the world's most perfectly developed body." "Tired of being pushed around?" "Would you like to do some pushing around instead?" "Would you like a body that can't fail to attract women?" "A body that is the envy of other men?" "Oh, I must get one of those." "Then let me have your skinny, scrawny little body" "For just 15 minutes a day." "I've heard that one before, ducky." "Let me slap 50 pounds of he-man muscles on you." "Thick, herculean arms..." "A deep, massive chest..." "Atomic-powered legs, shoulders a yard wide" "And right in the privacy of your own home." "What's my secret?" "It's dynamo tension." "Muscles pulling against muscles, the natural way." "Here's living proof." "And there's no need to stop there." "So don't delay." "Send today" "For my gigantic, free, 78-page muscle-building course." "Postman." "And start building a body you can be proud of." "You know, I really en joy interviewing applicants" "For this management training course." "Come in." "Ah, come and sit down." "Thank you." "Would you mind just standing up again" "For one moment?" "Take a seat." "I'm sorry?" "Take a seat." "Yes." "Ah!" "Good morning." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Tell me, why do you say "good morning"" "When you know perfectly well it's afternoon?" "Well, you said "good morning."" "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Oh, dear." "Good evening." "Good-bye?" "No." "Aren't you going to ask me" "Why I rang the bell?" "Er, why did you ring the bell?" "Why do you think I rang the bell?" "Five, four..." "Three, two..." "One, zero!" "Well, i, i..." "Too late!" "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding" "Ding-ding- ding-ding-ding." "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding" "Ding-ding- ding-ding-ding." "Um... this is..." "is the interview" "For the management training course, is it?" "Yes-- yes, it is." "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding-ding..." "Oh, dear, I don't think I'm doing very well." "Why do you say that?" "Well, I don't know." "Do you say it because you didn't know?" "Well, i..." "I don't know." "Five!" "Four, three, two, one, zero!" "Right." "I'm sorry, I'm confused." "Well, why did you think I did that then?" "Well, I don't know." "Aren't you curious?" "Well, yes." "Well, why don't you ask me?" "Name?" "What?" "Your name, please!" "Um, er, david." "David. sure?" "Oh, yes." "David... shaw." "No, no-- thomas." "Thomas shaw?" "No, no-- david thomas." "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding..." "Oh, dear, we're back to that again." "Good night" "Ding-ding-ding-ding" "Ding-ding- ding-ding-ding." "I don't know what to do when you do that." "Well, do something." "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding..." "Five!" "Four!" "three!" "Two!" "one!" "Good!" "Good?" "Very good." "Do it again." "Very good indeed." "Quite outstanding." "Ah, right, ready now." "Right, once more." "Good night" "Ding-ding- ding-ding" "Ding-ding- ding-ding-ding." "Wha... what's going on?" "What's going on?" "You got very good marks." "Well, I don't care." "I want to know what's going on!" "I think you're deliberately trying to humiliate people" "And I'm going straight out of here" "And I'm going to tell the police" "Exactly what you do to people" "And they're going to make bloody sure" "That you never do it again." "There, what do you think of that?" "!" "What do you think of that?" "Very good marks." "Oh, oh..." "Well, do I get the job?" "Er, well, I'm afraid not." "I'm afraid all the vacancies were filled several weeks ago." "Hmm." "Well, that was all good fun" "And we all had a jolly good laugh." "But I would like to assure you" "That you'd never be treated like that" "If you had an interview here at the careers advisory board." "Perhaps I should introduce myself." "I am the head of the careers advisory board." "I wanted to be a doctor, but there we are." "I'm head of the careers advisory board." "Or a sculptor-- something artistic." "Or an engineer, with all those dams" "But there we are, it's no use crying over spilt milk." "The facts are there and that's that." "I'm the head of this lousy board." "Never mind." "Now, I wonder if you've ever considered" "What a very profitable line of work this man is in." "Burglar!" "Burglar!" "Yes?" "Burglar, madam." "What do you want?" "I want to come in and steal a few things, madam." "Are you an encyclopedia salesman?" "No, madam, I'm a burglar." "I burgle people." "I think you're an encyclopedia salesman." "Oh, I'm not, open the door." "Let me in, please." "If I let you in, you'll sell me encyclopedias." "I won't, madam." "I just want to come in, ransack the flat... honestly." "Promise?" "No encyclopedias?" "None at all." "All right." "You'd better come in, then." "Mind you, I don't know" "Whether you've ever really considered" "The advantages of owning a really fine set" "Of modern encyclopedias." "You know, they can do you really wonders." "That man was a successful encyclopedia salesman." "But not all encyclopedia salesmen are successful." "Here is an unsuccessful encyclopedia salesman." "Now here are two unsuccessful encyclopedia salesmen." "I think there's a lesson there for all of us."