Post
by Polecat » Fri Aug 02, 2013 7:59 am
This story did cause me to chuckle merrily, also to grin.
In fact, I'll go out on a limb and say that it is my favourite DC episode for a very long time. The story was indeed strange, and pleased this strange listener immensely; no explanation was offered as to why the door was screaming, and, I think, none was necessary - I saw (heard?) it as an allegory of the misfortunes that can strike us at any time that are completely beyond our control - the loss of a job, or a loved one, mental illness or one of the other slings and arrows that, to put it in british parlance, knock us for six, and render living in the "normal" world inhabited by our friends and neighbours an impossibility. Speaking of british parlance, I loved Mr. Flink's style - it had that "I've learned English ever so well and I'm going to damn well show you" quality in common with the likes of Conrad and Nabokov; almost perfect, but with a slightly "off" quality. I found it impossible to visualise which country the action was taking place in, somewhere where restraint and socially acceptable behaviour is highly valued, as in Britain or the scandinavian countries I've visited, but not specifically identifiable as any particular one. I found the story whimsical, too - the protagonist is repeatedly threatened with "incarceration" by members of the constabulary, but rather than being banged up with a bunch of criminals, drug addicts and drunks, the implication of this threat feels more like "we'll send you to bed with no supper", a different prospect entirely.
Then there was the delivery, which induced a sharp attack of nostalgia. I grew up in Britain, mainly in the 1970s, when the broadcast media was the BBC, and the BBC still insisted upon "recieved pronunciation" - none of your Yorkshire, Scottish or Irish accents, and god forbid, nothing from the colonies. Dan Chambers' reading was reminiscent of this lost age of broadcasting, and quite delightful.
Thank you very much, Mr. Sherman, for this splendid episode.
