I just got back from a local small-scale comic con type event where amongst the guests of honour were Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant and Michael Jayston.
There was no stage, so there had been no panel of any kind. It was simply a case of them sitting at their respective tables along one side of the room and signing a selection of photographs for people. The rest of the large room was taken up with stalls selling the usual bobble heads and sci fi bric a brac.
I arrived towards the end. One of the stall holders was a friend, so after deciding that I did not want to pay five pounds for a slab of fudge and seeing how kind or otherwise time had been to the guests I wandered over to chat to him.
He explained that Mark Strickson was supposed to be there too, but had cancelled at the last moment. He also said that Colin had refused to be photographed by the local newspaper for some reason.
I already knew that Sylvester was meant to be the main guest today, but once again had pulled out of an appearance, prompting Colin to take his place and adding further fuel to the rumours of growing Dementia regarding Sylvester. I mused on the irony of Colin replacing Sylvester for a change.
As for the guests, Colin looked as blankly serious as ever - and frankly a little fed up - his body language pretty much saying that he had better things to do, but this was where the money was. My feeling was that any guest daring to ask him a question while handing over their loot, had better be prepared for a somewhat acerbic reply.
At the table next to him was - of course - Nicola, who exuded a youthful brightness, vitality, good humour and just all round niceness. wearing very secretarial black framed glasses. Her smile was radiant and genuine. She just gave off good vibes. My stall holder friend, always bubbling with observations, said that she had put her photo prices up to £20 on the day, even though the poster outside said it would be £15.
Next table along was the Valyard himself, Mister Jayston, looking white haired and somewhat hunched. He was, to be honest, looking his years and I had had to look closely to make sure it was indeed him.
There were two other guests... one who had played a Dalek or something in New Who and the other was from another series. I will look up who they were, maybe, but the fact is that they were irrelevant to me. The Sixth Doctor, Peri and the Valyard were sat there! That was all that mattered to me at this moment in time.
I could have got their autographed photos, but could think of nothing to say to them that they had not heard before. And I already had Colin's autographed photo from a few years before. No, today it was enough to see this echo of THE TRIAL OF A TIMELORD.
It came time to help my friend pack his stall away and take the boxes to the car. While packing the boxes I saw Colin and Nicola sat chatting away. You could see that they were as great friends as ever. Eventually they left together. The Valyard had already vanished. Perhaps he still had that teleporting around the beach power?
All that was left was the mystery of Sylvester...
And where was that wretched Turlough, as the Brigadier might say?
