2121

Far, far in the future, the citizens of the Southern Province have become disillusioned with democracy. They are afraid that a charismatic buffoon may be voted in as their President.

The good citizens have been searching for a different way of choosing their next President. To this end, an archivist has found an ancient method of testing mental acuity and calmness under pressure using a game developed for an entertainment programme in the 1950s – ‘The Yes/No Interlude’. In this game, the candidate must answer a volley of questions over one minute without ever using the words ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. To increase the stress, a huge clock will be both visible and audible, ticking the seconds away, and a huge gong will strike with deafening loudness at the first and disastrous mistake.

The people of the Southern Province believe that this will select the person best suited to lead them in the years ahead.

A finalist is facing the inquisitor, Andrew March.

‘So, your name is John Orbison, is it?’

‘That is correct.’

‘Are you quite sure about that?’

‘I am.’

‘You have a lovely smile. What’s your favourite colour?’

‘Blue.’

‘Did you say ‘blue’?’

‘I did.’

‘Do you accept that deaths from the most recent pandemic have been unacceptably high?’

‘Now, l’m not going to speculate …’

‘Did you say ‘speculate’?’

‘I did.’

‘You didn’t?’

‘I did.’

‘Well then, do you believe that care of the elderly and the vulnerable is the highest social good?’

‘Look, Andrew, we have to keep things in perspective …’

‘Is that a cop out?’

‘Now let’s be absolutely clear …’

‘Did you say ‘clear’?’

‘I said clear.’

‘Do you value human life over building our economy?’

‘Well, with the greatest respect …’

Forty-five seconds on the clock! Fifteen seconds left to go!!

‘Have you ever dated an American dancer?’

‘Em … Em … I fail to see the relevance …’

‘Or was she a business-woman?’

‘Listen, Andrew …’

‘A business-woman, then?’

Fifty-eight seconds.

‘Yes!”

GONG!

Game over. At the final fence.

Uproar! And he seemed to have such promise. 

For a brief taste of the Yes/No interlude, 1955, use the link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irg29je8G8k