Life Must Go On

Narrator Peter Benson believes that his son, Andy, is innocent. But Andy was found guilty in a court of law. Every spare minute of Peter's time – and Sheila's time, too – is taken up in trying to find evidence to establish Andy's innocence... But Peter has very little spare time. He has a business to run. Life, as they say, must go on...

Peter... and send a copy to Mr Cox. That's C – Charlie, O – Oscar, X – X-ray.

Angela Oh, I'm sorry.

Peter That's QK. Come in, Miss Marriot.

Angela It's not urgent.

Peter No problem. I've just this minute finished dictating a letter.

Angela To Dan Harvey?

Peter Yes, to Dan. How did you guess?

Angela Well, you've already dealt with all your other incoming correspondence.

Peter You'd make a good detective... Or a thief, for that matter.

Angela A thief? Me, a thief?

Peter Ha, ha. 'Set a thief to catch a thief'. That's what I meant. Ha, ha...

Angela Ha, ha. I see. 'Poachers make the best gamekeepers'. That sort of thing.

Peter That's it... Well, what can I do for you?

Angela This morning you asked me to do an inventory of office equipment here in Head Office.

Peter And?

Angela I've done it...

Peter Already?

Angela Of course. I've done it, but I have a few questions to ask.

Peter Fire away.

Angela Well, we have seven electric typewriters...

Peter Electric or electronic?

Angela Electric. We have two electronic typewriters.

Peter Who has them?

Angela They're both in Accounts.

Peter In Accounts Department? Why?

Angela They're useful for invoices. They can store a lot of names and addresses.

Peter Yes, of course. I remember authorising them now.

Angela You authorised their purchase last September.

Peter Yes, yes... Do we have any manual typewriters left here?

Angela No. Not a single one.

Peter We don't have any other dictating machines, do we?

Angela Only one. Mine. But I wanted to ask you about...

Narrator Angela asked Peter about the possibility of purchasing some microcomputers, for word processing, and a fax machine to use instead of the telex where possible. Peter asked her to let him have a memo listing the equipment currently in use, together with her recommendations.

Episode 11

A Good Uncle?

Part 1

Narrator Peter and Sheila are not the only ones interested in finding out the truth about Andy's drug offence. Arnold wants to get into the act. He wants to help, too... or does he?

Andy 7408.

Arnold Andy? Is that you?

Andy Yes, who's calling?

Arnold It's me. Arnold.

Andy Oh, hello, Uncle Arnold. Do you want to speak to Mum?

Arnold No, I'd like a word with you.

Andy Me? What about?

Arnold I've been speaking to your father. He told me about the woman.

Andy What woman?

Arnold The one connected with your car accident.

Andy Oh, her. What about her?

Arnold I'd like you to tell me about her. I want to help.

Andy She may not exist. It's like a sort of dream...

Arnold Look, Andy, I'd like to meet you. Are you free this evening?

Andy Yes. What time?

Arnold Straight after work. Can you meet me at the Crown and Anchor at half past five?

Andy Yes, of course. I'll be there at five-thirty.

Arnold Good. Don't say anything about this to Peter and Sheila... See you.

Andy Bye.

Part 2

Narrator Arnold and Andy are now in the pub. Let's eavesdrop on their conversation.

Arnold So, she had short, dark hair, a big mouth and tinted glasses...

Andy Yes. Only her mouth wasn't big so much as wide. Wider than usual.

Arnold What about her voice? Do you remember her voice?

Andy I don't remember anything. It's just a jumble of impressions.

Arnold OK, OK... Would you recognise her voice again?

Andy I should think so. It was – how can I put it – something between British English and American English.

Arnold Mid-Atlantic. Like in some of the old Hollywood movies?

Andy Yes. Like in a lot of the old black and white films that are on television all the time.

Arnold Good, good. What else can you tell me about her?

Andy Not much, I'm afraid... She was rather pretty.

Arnold Pretty? In what way?

Andy It's hard to define. She was soft and warm, but...

Arnold But what?

Andy She was also very strong, I think. Yes, physically she seemed to be very strong.

Arnold What about the boat? Peter mentioned a boat.

Andy I'm quite sure it was a houseboat... on a river.

Arnold Where? Try to think where. It can't be so far from here.

Andy There was a little old white church nearby. It was on the bank of the river. And a graveyard...

Arnold Anything else?

Andy No. I'm sorry... Uncle Arnold?

Arnold Yes? What?

Andy Why don't you want me to tell Mum and Dad about our meeting?

Arnold They might not like my sticking my nose into your private affairs. That's all. It's best to keep quiet.

Narrator So, Andy seems to be remembering – or imagining – more and more about the mystery woman. And Arnold seems to want to help... Just like a good uncle should... But why doesn't he want Peter and Sheila to know about it?

Episode 12

Takeover!

Narrator As I said earlier, 'life must go on'. Despite his family problems, Peter still has a job to do. His energy is amazing. In addition to coping with his heavy workload as Managing Director of Bensons, he somehow finds time – or, rather, makes time – to work on his computer software project. In fact, he's discussing it now with his friend, Jim Lovelace. Jim works for BIM – B...I...M – a large, international computer company.

Jim So the big plus of this system is that an author can virtually typeset a book at home?

Peter Yes, even the most complicated subject matter.

Jim In any language with a Latin-based alphabet?

Peter More than that, Jim. It can cope with other alphabets, too. Russian, for example.

Jim Ah. Cyrillic, too?

Peter No problem. Don't forget, I've spent five years on this.

Jim Instead of using a conventional typewriter, the author types into a home computer, right?

Peter Right. The author or reporter or copywriter or whoever...

Jim Yes, of course. It can be used for books, magazines, brochures, leaflets, the lot...

Peter Using our floppy disks, of course.

Jim Or BIM's floppy disks?

Peter Well, maybe. We'll have to see about that.

Jim We're very interested, you know. And we've got the finance and distribution network which'll be needed.

Peter Oh, yes, you've got the know-how... Ha, ha. I didn't think you were here just for old times' sake!

Jim Ha, ha. Don't mix business with pleasure, you mean?

Peter No, not really, Jim. It's good to see you again.

Jim But business is business, eh?

Peter I am interested in some sort of deal with BIM.

Jim When you say 'I', do you mean Peter the individual or Bensons the company?

Peter Good question. I've done all the development work in my spare time.

Jim In your own time, eh? But using the company's computers?

Peter No, funnily enough, I bought them out of my own pocket.

Jim So it's your own personal invention? Not Bensons'?

Peter I don't know. I've never thought about it in those terms.

Jim Ha, ha. 'L'état, c'est moi', eh? Peter is Bensons.

Peter Ha, ha. Stop showing off, Jim. It was just my hobby, my pet project.

Jim Well, whoever the invention belongs to, we're interested in buying the rights.

Peter I'll think about it.

Jim Have you taken out a patent?

Peter Yes. At least, the patent's applied for... Come in.

Angela There's a telex in from Dan Harvey, Mr Benson. I thought you should see it at once.

Peter Hmm, what's he up to? Excuse me, Jim.

Jim Go ahead.

Peter Pleased to inform you that... Oh, my God!

Jim Peter! Are you all right? What is it?

Peter Bloody hell! Here. Read it yourself.

Jim Pleased to inform you that Superbooks Inc. now owns 51% of Benson's shares. Arriving Wednesday 06 00 hours. Harvey.

Angela What does it mean?

Jim It means that Bensons has been taken over by Superbooks.

Peter But who sold them the... Arnold! I'll kill him! I'll kill the rotten...

Narrator I don't think you should hear what Peter is saying. It's not very polite. And understandably so. It looks as though Arnold has stabbed him in the back.

Episode 13

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