In this gripping episode, we delve into the harrowing story of Ruth Reynolds, a distraught woman seeking help for her husband, Ian, who is on the brink of a tragic decision. Ian, a former soldier deeply affected by his experiences in the Korean War, struggles with depression and a sense of hopelessness about the world. Ruth, desperate to protect her family, reaches out to Mr. Mason and Mr. Cannon, hoping they can intervene and prevent Ian from harming himself and their young son, John. As the story unfolds, we witness the intense emotional turmoil and the desperate attempts to reach Ian before it's too late.
Mr. Cannon, who shares a common bond with Ian through their shared experiences in Korea, attempts to connect with him and dissuade him from his fatal plan. Despite Cannon's efforts, Ian remains consumed by his despair, unable to see a future for himself or his family in a world he perceives as irreparably damaged. The episode explores themes of mental health, the impact of war, and the struggle to find hope in a seemingly hopeless world. Ultimately, it is a poignant reminder of the silent battles many face and the importance of reaching out for help.
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[00:00:02]
Unknown:
Hello?
[00:00:05] Unknown:
Hello? Is is that Assignments unlimited. Yeah. Good morning. Oh, good morning. Can I see someone? I want to speak to I'm not sure who.
[00:00:15] Unknown:
Hello? Hello?
[00:00:17] Unknown:
I I want I want someone to help me. I can't talk to you now. Can I come and see you? Yes. Can I come now?
[00:00:24] Unknown:
Well, certainly.
[00:00:25] Unknown:
Where are you phoning from? Wood Green in the high Road. Where do I have to come to? We're at 33 Half Moon Street.
[00:00:58] Unknown:
The ink is hardly dry on the file marked the man who thought too much. The woman sitting in front of me in the office was aged about 30. She was frail, poorly dressed, and as distraught as ever I've seen a woman in the whole of my life. She cried a lot. She puffed at the cigarette I'd given her, but she wasn't enjoying it. So far, I'd learnt nothing about the purpose of her visit. 'Mrs Reynolds, please tell me why you've come here. You must understand that it'll be difficult for us to help you if you well, if you can't tell us what troubles you. I'm sorry.
[00:01:34] Unknown:
I can't seem to explain. It it's my husband. I I want you to see him and the baby and and tell him tell him it'll be all right that that that he mustn't.
[00:01:46] Unknown:
Mustn't what, missus Reynolds? Kill himself
[00:01:48] Unknown:
and my baby. Oh, sorry. It's no use. I I better go. Oh, missus Reynolds, you mustn't go. Not like this. I I don't want to go to the police, you see. If I do, well, they might try to stop him and well, you know, they're not very Mr. Mason, he will do it. Mrs. Reynolds.
[00:02:09] Unknown:
What's your name? Your Christian name? Ruth. Tell me about yourself, Ruth.
[00:02:16] Unknown:
About myself? Where you live? About your husband, your baby? Oh, he's a a little little boy. Three. His name's John. Your husband? Ian. He was a soldier in Korea. Yes? And and we've been married nearly ten years, you see. You were so pleased when John was born. Then he began to get depressed again. Depressed? Yes. You see, the war was bad for him. He said he'd never go. He was 19 when they called him up. He said he wouldn't go but there didn't seem to be much he could do about it and he just sort of went. We weren't married then.
I knew him at school, you see. We got married after he came home when he got demobbed.
[00:02:58] Unknown:
Oh, he was a national serviceman?
[00:03:00] Unknown:
That's right. He used to cry a lot. I couldn't bear it. Why did he cry?' 'He said career was more important than the two world wars. He said that after all the excitement and that, after the other war was over everybody expected things to be better but but they got worse. Things in the world, I mean. And I agree with him, you see. But but you you can't just give up, can you? You've got to go on trying. I mean, there's the baby and everything. He mustn't kill Johnny, not my baby.' Rose. Oh, you mustn't cry. You hear me? Please, please talk to me. I'm going to have another baby too.
That's what made him say he'd do it. He doesn't want John to grow up in this world, you see. He says it's best if he dies when he's too young to know anything about it. He said about the war in Vietnam and everybody's saying it will cause a new war. Mr. Mason,
[00:04:00] Unknown:
do you understand what I understand, Ruth. I do understand everything. Ruth, will you have a drink of this?
[00:04:10] Unknown:
No. I don't think I no. No. No really. Please, please just drink this. Thank you.
[00:04:23] Unknown:
Hello. Hi chief. Look, I'll be back and just Cannon, don't go anywhere. I want to see you. Oh, but geez Five minutes, Cannon. Come up in five minutes.
[00:04:31] Unknown:
Is there anything you can do, mister Mason? It's said in your advertisement I don't know what to do.
[00:04:38] Unknown:
Ruth, Ruth, will you take Mr Cameron to your house? I'll explain.
[00:04:44] Unknown:
Yes, but I don't think Ian will see him.
[00:04:55] Unknown:
I told Cameron all I knew about the Reynolds. I asked him to go because, well, I knew that he'd fought in the Korean War. There was at least a common bond between him and Ruth's husband, however slender it might have been. At first, Cannon thought Ian Reynolds too addicted to television dramatics, but I made him understand that well, I thought he was more serious than that. This was something new to us at thirty three Half Moon Street. The least we could do was to find, well, find out just how sincere Reynolds was. Canon left with Ruth at half past one.
At the moment of departure, Canon still complained that he'd missed his lunch, but the events of that afternoon were to make him lose all interest in food for a very long time.
[00:05:43] Unknown:
We're on Seventh Floor. There's no lift I'm afraid. Wood Green. This is, this is new to me. We've only been here a few months. We had a house but, well, Ian lost his job and we couldn't keep up with the payments. Mr Callum,
[00:06:00] Unknown:
be careful with him. Don't make him angry. Look, will you show me your place and then let me go in alone? What will you say? Look, just leave it to me. Trust me now. Can I come in afterwards? John hasn't had his dinner yet. Sure, sure. 64.
[00:06:16] Unknown:
Listen, don't come any further now. It's the next landing. It's a sort of bluish door, Number 37. Okay. Mister Cannon
[00:06:25] Unknown:
Well, look, can you see your window from the movie house over the way there? Yes. I think so. Well, it's 2245, ma'am. At a little after three, I'll look out of your window if things are okay. But But when when you come up, just act like that, you don't know who I am, you see? I'm going up there now. Right.
[00:06:45] Unknown:
Be careful with him, please, mister Kelly. Sure. Sure.
[00:07:06] Unknown:
Who's that? Can I see it for a minute? What for? Who are you? Yes? Sir, is that, is that Duke Ellington you're playing there? What is it? Oh, yes. Yeah. I thought so. You know? I was just coming up these stairs, and I heard the Duke. Seven flights up, and I'm hearing the Duke. Sorry, mister. I'm not of that. No. No. No. Wait a minute. Look, you don't know who I am, but, well, I'd I'd like to listen to more of that. I'm sorry, mister, but you'll wake the kid up. You, you you don't have an apartment for me in this block, do you? I mean, I'm looking for You wanna live here? Yeah. Well, I thought I'd say Mister, this is near a sweet factory. Stinks of licorice every morning. Hope place stinks. Yeah? Well, you know, it's, it's kinda drafty out here. Yeah.
Well, you you wanna hear the Creole La Cu? Yeah. Sure. I'd like to very much. Okay. You gotta be quiet, sir. Sure. I'll be quiet. Say,
[00:08:10] Unknown:
how come the music don't wake the Kin? Well, he's used to it. He'll sleep through jazz. He just wakes when people talk too much, that's all. Oh, that's this isn't so bad. It's a lousy place to live. Was your son through that
[00:08:23] Unknown:
son? Well, I mean, you you you look the kind of man to have a boy. I'm sorry. I won't talk while What's your name? Cannon. So, you just sit here and and play jazz all day? My wife has a job.
[00:08:38] Unknown:
Don't you wanna know why I don't go out of work? Outside, I mean. Well, don't you?
[00:08:44] Unknown:
I did, mister, I did. Tell me, do you do you write? I mean, to typewriter and gramophone and enough here to keep a guy busy. Look, Mr. Cannon. I don't know what you want. Look. I just wanna talk. I don't know anybody here. Understand? I just wanna talk. You mind if I see your wreckage? If you want to. Hey. You got, Satch at the town hall here. Tell me, how do you, how do you work this machine? Yeah. Oh, god.
[00:09:16] Unknown:
It takes a while to warm up. See?
[00:09:20] Unknown:
Now that's nice. What I call real nice. Hey. We're high up here. Yeah. What are you doing? There's Ruth down there. Ruth? Get out, Cannon. May not look just Get out. She sent you here, didn't she? What are you? Look. I don't know. Now just just just wait a minute. I thought there was something funny about you.
[00:09:41] Unknown:
You didn't come up here because you heard Ellington. Now get out. I know her. She sent you here to talk to me. I wonder where she'd gone today. Hey. Hey, man. Now take it easy, man. It's loaded, and I know what to do with it. Yeah. Yeah. I I I believe it. And you can tell my wife, my dearly beloved oh, stay with your cannon. You're a copper, I suppose. No. No. I'm not a copper. No. No. A copper would have been clever. How much did she tell you about me? Oh, come on. How much?
[00:10:13] Unknown:
Well, only that, that you needed help. I mean, that you'd got yourself bugged up about the war. Bugged up?
[00:10:22] Unknown:
Oh, no. Bugged up. You talk like picture, mister Reynolds, don't don't wave that thing around. Come on. Ian, please open the door, darling. Hello, Ruth. No more. Go away. Don't come out again. I'm gonna let Carole out and then you gotta go away, both of you.
[00:10:40] Unknown:
Ian, I've got to talk to you. I'm sorry, dear, but I must see John. He's asleep. He doesn't need you. He doesn't need anybody.
[00:10:47] Unknown:
Not in Canon. When I open this door, I'll watch you out. Do you hear me? Yeah. I hear you.
[00:10:53] Unknown:
In
[00:10:59] Unknown:
oh, I hear
[00:11:06] Unknown:
After that, Reynolds switched on the gramophone. And And apart from the soprano saxophone of Sydney Bridget, there was silence in the flat. Canon had to find another way in, another way of talking to Reynolds.
[00:11:20] Unknown:
Ruth, tell me, why hasn't John walking here?
[00:11:24] Unknown:
Oh, I expect he has. His father's told him not to come out. Mhmm.
[00:11:31] Unknown:
Look, can I, can I get into the room any other way?
[00:11:34] Unknown:
Get into the room? Yeah. Oh, next door's empty. What? Oh, I This is number 36.
[00:11:45] Unknown:
30 6. Are those keys the ones that open anywhere? Almost with, prayer and a bit of luck sometimes. Uh-huh. What what you gonna well just just just wait here and
[00:12:03] Unknown:
if you climb along there he'll see you. Shh.
[00:12:06] Unknown:
Look, just wait and don't talk to me. He's still playing the grand finale. You will. That that couldn't be better. Guess I spoke too soon. Well, here we go, cannon boy.
[00:12:23] Unknown:
Well,
[00:12:27] Unknown:
for full now, exit cannon before his birthday.
[00:12:40] Unknown:
Back, Cannon. Come on, Cannon. Back. Now listen to me, Reynolds. I wanna talk to you. You said it all, mister Cannon. Cannon, you come any closer, and I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna put this window down, and I'm gonna watch it from inside the room here. And as soon as I see your silly face, Kennel, I'm gonna shoot you.
[00:13:05] Unknown:
Come on, Reynolds. Let me in. Get out. Get out. Get out.
[00:13:12] Unknown:
I had the telephone number of the block where the Reynolds lived, but for some reason, I didn't have the address. It was about half past three when I rang.
[00:13:22] Unknown:
Hello? Yeah. Oh, hello, chief. Yeah. Well, look. I haven't had any time to make any calls. Yeah. Look. Look. Reynolds signed a vase or something through the window. What? No. Well, look, there's a cop here now. No, no, no, just a few scratches, nothing serious. Mister Caden Look, chief, look, you better come over here. Mister Caden, I have to Well, you got the number. Yeah. Well, it's Carlin Heights 304 Green Lanes. Yeah. Wood Green. You got it? Okay. Bye, chief. I can't hold on any longer. There's a crowd down there now. A crowd? Look, officer, there's 10 people down there, so a vase came through a window. We're so sorry, man. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No disturb the peace if you barge in with men in uniform. Look, I want a little time. I'll buy that time if necessary but I need time.
I'm sorry. I'm not being diplomatic. Alright. I'll wait. You can have your time but I won't wait long. Thanks. Reynolds? Reynolds? Reynolds? Your wife's gone? I don't know why you're doing this, boy, but you're going out there again. Gonna have another talk with mister Reynolds. Here we go. Yeah. Take it easy, darling. Yeah. Take it easy now. Run the edge here. Here we are. Reynolds, look. You've gotta come out now. Please. It's all over. You hear me? I hear you, Kevin. What are you trying to do? Look. What have you got against your wife? I've got nothing against Ruth. Then what look. Look. I'll come in. Stay there. I'm sick of telling you to get away from me. Look, man. It's a long way down here. That's your funeral. Listen. You reckon you're gonna kill yourself, Reynolds? Yes.
Why? Well, that's the question I wanna ask you. You reckon you got a right to ask that? Yeah. And I'm asking it. This is a pretty place, the world.
[00:15:31] Unknown:
You like it, I suppose. Well, I can stand it. I have to. But I can't stand it. I don't have to. But why the Prime Minister Wilson. The war in the East can't be won. Moscow can't win. Peking can't win. Switzerland's getting a bomb and Sweden. It'll be what greens turn next. We'll we'll all have bombs. We'll be getting on the bus in the morning with them strapped on our backs. Hey now wait a minute Reynolds, hold it. Listen, you just, you just can't blot all that out, you still gotta live and, and your kids gotta live too. Why? Because that's how it's always been.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
That's what life's all about Mick. You get up, they smack you down again But you get up, you keep getting up because you're a man. Look, I know how it is. I was in Korea too. I'm not talking about Korea to anyone. Let alone you, Colonel. Listen, you've got a child in there, Remels. He can't still be asleep. He's not. But he won't come out because I told him not to. Listen. Can you hear those kids over there, Reynolds? Can you see them? Now why can't he run like that? You gonna take that from him?
[00:16:34] Unknown:
Doesn't he have a say in this? This is no place for John, not this world. I'm gonna save him. From what? From the politicians. From the little men in black who pull strings so the rest of us jump like puppets.
[00:16:46] Unknown:
What chance? You think he's got, Cannon? Well, I think he's got a chance. Give me that
[00:16:53] Unknown:
gun.
[00:16:55] Unknown:
Well, at least I'm inside.
[00:16:58] Unknown:
Now you've had it because you're dead too. Do you hear me? You're a dead man. Are you there, Cannon? Cannon.
[00:17:08] Unknown:
I just found the spaces. Catchy. Open the door. Well, I'm afraid it's kinda out of my hands.
[00:17:15] Unknown:
John hasn't been any food all day. Shut up. Hand back. We're coming in.
[00:17:19] Unknown:
You too, and you'll all die. I'll take the lot of you. Get out now.
[00:17:26] Unknown:
Reynolds, I'm not going.
[00:17:28] Unknown:
I don't wanna shoot you. You've got nothing to do with all this. Kevin.
[00:17:32] Unknown:
I'm afraid you're wrong, Reynolds. I've got everything to do with it. I wrote in and said I could do it, and here I am. Now give me that gun. No. Come on. Give it to me. No.
[00:17:45] Unknown:
I'm gonna shoot myself for now. I'm taking my son with me because he doesn't want to live any longer in this world. You haven't thought of it. I've thought of everything. Everything there is to think about, you fool. You think I decided to do this on the spur of the moment during lunch one day at the vicar's, do you? Look, cut the dramatics and give me that gun. No, cannon. You're beginning to bore me now. In fact, you've been one big bore from beginning to end. Come on out now. It's all over.
[00:18:12] Unknown:
Yeah. It's all over for you, Reynolds. John. Now look. Reynolds, leave that kid be. Leave him alone. Come here, Sonny. Come here. Now listen. I'm gonna take you out there now. You come on to me. Come on. I can't do it. Not look. Just just a minute, Reynolds. Down there, they're playing. All the kids. All the kids in the world are playing right now outside this block. Every kid that's ever been born. They're skipping and playing and scene and dancing. Everywhere they go, there's music. There's music because there are kids, and because there are kids, and because nothing can touch them, nothing at all.
All the bombs since the world began can fall in one hour, but they don't care because tomorrow is tomorrow, and there must be a sun. Even if it rains there'll be a sun because they're kids. And that's how it is with kids. And this one here, Reynolds. Your son. You know what he'll look like with a bullet through his head, Reynolds, do you? Oh, now he won't look so good, you lousy coward. If I was gonna have his chance, it'll take more than you to stop him. He'll forget you. Mark my words, you are. Well, I've been coming out now, chief. Open up the door. You better open up the door, Reynolds.
Come on. Open it up. It's still sunshine outside. This kid's tired of the dark. Listen, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to open that door.
[00:19:53] Unknown:
Come on. Give me the key. Give me the key.
[00:19:56] Unknown:
Yeah. That's better. Now open it up. Come on out of it.
[00:20:06] Unknown:
Johnny. Oh, Johnny, baby.
[00:20:09] Unknown:
Is Reynolds coming out? Is this? Yeah. This is the key. I don't know about Reynolds. I don't think there's any more can be done. I, I guess you can go in there now, officer. Stevens. Missus Reynolds, take the child away now, Willow.
[00:20:38] Unknown:
Reynolds shot himself in that room in Wood Green North 22. He shot himself whilst children played outside the school two blocks away. Reynolds killed himself whilst his wife carried their son down the stairs. She heard the gunfire and she knew what it was, but she didn't stop. There must be a multitude of men like Iain Reynolds. Wherever they look, this world has nothing to offer them. Nowhere can they see a place for themselves in the scheme of things. They carry guilt, theirs and others, around with them for all of their days. Then they crack.
There was nothing we could do to help Reynolds. Canon told me later that all the time he talked with him he could think of nothing to say because Reynolds was already dead. His eyes were dead. Cannon spoke words but he said nothing because all the time he couldn't stop looking at the eyes of this man. There comes a moment when one cannot think too long and too deep about the things that happen. Some people cannot stop thinking. Reynolds couldn't. And that's why we marked the file the man who thought too much.'
Hello?
[00:00:05] Unknown:
Hello? Is is that Assignments unlimited. Yeah. Good morning. Oh, good morning. Can I see someone? I want to speak to I'm not sure who.
[00:00:15] Unknown:
Hello? Hello?
[00:00:17] Unknown:
I I want I want someone to help me. I can't talk to you now. Can I come and see you? Yes. Can I come now?
[00:00:24] Unknown:
Well, certainly.
[00:00:25] Unknown:
Where are you phoning from? Wood Green in the high Road. Where do I have to come to? We're at 33 Half Moon Street.
[00:00:58] Unknown:
The ink is hardly dry on the file marked the man who thought too much. The woman sitting in front of me in the office was aged about 30. She was frail, poorly dressed, and as distraught as ever I've seen a woman in the whole of my life. She cried a lot. She puffed at the cigarette I'd given her, but she wasn't enjoying it. So far, I'd learnt nothing about the purpose of her visit. 'Mrs Reynolds, please tell me why you've come here. You must understand that it'll be difficult for us to help you if you well, if you can't tell us what troubles you. I'm sorry.
[00:01:34] Unknown:
I can't seem to explain. It it's my husband. I I want you to see him and the baby and and tell him tell him it'll be all right that that that he mustn't.
[00:01:46] Unknown:
Mustn't what, missus Reynolds? Kill himself
[00:01:48] Unknown:
and my baby. Oh, sorry. It's no use. I I better go. Oh, missus Reynolds, you mustn't go. Not like this. I I don't want to go to the police, you see. If I do, well, they might try to stop him and well, you know, they're not very Mr. Mason, he will do it. Mrs. Reynolds.
[00:02:09] Unknown:
What's your name? Your Christian name? Ruth. Tell me about yourself, Ruth.
[00:02:16] Unknown:
About myself? Where you live? About your husband, your baby? Oh, he's a a little little boy. Three. His name's John. Your husband? Ian. He was a soldier in Korea. Yes? And and we've been married nearly ten years, you see. You were so pleased when John was born. Then he began to get depressed again. Depressed? Yes. You see, the war was bad for him. He said he'd never go. He was 19 when they called him up. He said he wouldn't go but there didn't seem to be much he could do about it and he just sort of went. We weren't married then.
I knew him at school, you see. We got married after he came home when he got demobbed.
[00:02:58] Unknown:
Oh, he was a national serviceman?
[00:03:00] Unknown:
That's right. He used to cry a lot. I couldn't bear it. Why did he cry?' 'He said career was more important than the two world wars. He said that after all the excitement and that, after the other war was over everybody expected things to be better but but they got worse. Things in the world, I mean. And I agree with him, you see. But but you you can't just give up, can you? You've got to go on trying. I mean, there's the baby and everything. He mustn't kill Johnny, not my baby.' Rose. Oh, you mustn't cry. You hear me? Please, please talk to me. I'm going to have another baby too.
That's what made him say he'd do it. He doesn't want John to grow up in this world, you see. He says it's best if he dies when he's too young to know anything about it. He said about the war in Vietnam and everybody's saying it will cause a new war. Mr. Mason,
[00:04:00] Unknown:
do you understand what I understand, Ruth. I do understand everything. Ruth, will you have a drink of this?
[00:04:10] Unknown:
No. I don't think I no. No. No really. Please, please just drink this. Thank you.
[00:04:23] Unknown:
Hello. Hi chief. Look, I'll be back and just Cannon, don't go anywhere. I want to see you. Oh, but geez Five minutes, Cannon. Come up in five minutes.
[00:04:31] Unknown:
Is there anything you can do, mister Mason? It's said in your advertisement I don't know what to do.
[00:04:38] Unknown:
Ruth, Ruth, will you take Mr Cameron to your house? I'll explain.
[00:04:44] Unknown:
Yes, but I don't think Ian will see him.
[00:04:55] Unknown:
I told Cameron all I knew about the Reynolds. I asked him to go because, well, I knew that he'd fought in the Korean War. There was at least a common bond between him and Ruth's husband, however slender it might have been. At first, Cannon thought Ian Reynolds too addicted to television dramatics, but I made him understand that well, I thought he was more serious than that. This was something new to us at thirty three Half Moon Street. The least we could do was to find, well, find out just how sincere Reynolds was. Canon left with Ruth at half past one.
At the moment of departure, Canon still complained that he'd missed his lunch, but the events of that afternoon were to make him lose all interest in food for a very long time.
[00:05:43] Unknown:
We're on Seventh Floor. There's no lift I'm afraid. Wood Green. This is, this is new to me. We've only been here a few months. We had a house but, well, Ian lost his job and we couldn't keep up with the payments. Mr Callum,
[00:06:00] Unknown:
be careful with him. Don't make him angry. Look, will you show me your place and then let me go in alone? What will you say? Look, just leave it to me. Trust me now. Can I come in afterwards? John hasn't had his dinner yet. Sure, sure. 64.
[00:06:16] Unknown:
Listen, don't come any further now. It's the next landing. It's a sort of bluish door, Number 37. Okay. Mister Cannon
[00:06:25] Unknown:
Well, look, can you see your window from the movie house over the way there? Yes. I think so. Well, it's 2245, ma'am. At a little after three, I'll look out of your window if things are okay. But But when when you come up, just act like that, you don't know who I am, you see? I'm going up there now. Right.
[00:06:45] Unknown:
Be careful with him, please, mister Kelly. Sure. Sure.
[00:07:06] Unknown:
Who's that? Can I see it for a minute? What for? Who are you? Yes? Sir, is that, is that Duke Ellington you're playing there? What is it? Oh, yes. Yeah. I thought so. You know? I was just coming up these stairs, and I heard the Duke. Seven flights up, and I'm hearing the Duke. Sorry, mister. I'm not of that. No. No. No. Wait a minute. Look, you don't know who I am, but, well, I'd I'd like to listen to more of that. I'm sorry, mister, but you'll wake the kid up. You, you you don't have an apartment for me in this block, do you? I mean, I'm looking for You wanna live here? Yeah. Well, I thought I'd say Mister, this is near a sweet factory. Stinks of licorice every morning. Hope place stinks. Yeah? Well, you know, it's, it's kinda drafty out here. Yeah.
Well, you you wanna hear the Creole La Cu? Yeah. Sure. I'd like to very much. Okay. You gotta be quiet, sir. Sure. I'll be quiet. Say,
[00:08:10] Unknown:
how come the music don't wake the Kin? Well, he's used to it. He'll sleep through jazz. He just wakes when people talk too much, that's all. Oh, that's this isn't so bad. It's a lousy place to live. Was your son through that
[00:08:23] Unknown:
son? Well, I mean, you you you look the kind of man to have a boy. I'm sorry. I won't talk while What's your name? Cannon. So, you just sit here and and play jazz all day? My wife has a job.
[00:08:38] Unknown:
Don't you wanna know why I don't go out of work? Outside, I mean. Well, don't you?
[00:08:44] Unknown:
I did, mister, I did. Tell me, do you do you write? I mean, to typewriter and gramophone and enough here to keep a guy busy. Look, Mr. Cannon. I don't know what you want. Look. I just wanna talk. I don't know anybody here. Understand? I just wanna talk. You mind if I see your wreckage? If you want to. Hey. You got, Satch at the town hall here. Tell me, how do you, how do you work this machine? Yeah. Oh, god.
[00:09:16] Unknown:
It takes a while to warm up. See?
[00:09:20] Unknown:
Now that's nice. What I call real nice. Hey. We're high up here. Yeah. What are you doing? There's Ruth down there. Ruth? Get out, Cannon. May not look just Get out. She sent you here, didn't she? What are you? Look. I don't know. Now just just just wait a minute. I thought there was something funny about you.
[00:09:41] Unknown:
You didn't come up here because you heard Ellington. Now get out. I know her. She sent you here to talk to me. I wonder where she'd gone today. Hey. Hey, man. Now take it easy, man. It's loaded, and I know what to do with it. Yeah. Yeah. I I I believe it. And you can tell my wife, my dearly beloved oh, stay with your cannon. You're a copper, I suppose. No. No. I'm not a copper. No. No. A copper would have been clever. How much did she tell you about me? Oh, come on. How much?
[00:10:13] Unknown:
Well, only that, that you needed help. I mean, that you'd got yourself bugged up about the war. Bugged up?
[00:10:22] Unknown:
Oh, no. Bugged up. You talk like picture, mister Reynolds, don't don't wave that thing around. Come on. Ian, please open the door, darling. Hello, Ruth. No more. Go away. Don't come out again. I'm gonna let Carole out and then you gotta go away, both of you.
[00:10:40] Unknown:
Ian, I've got to talk to you. I'm sorry, dear, but I must see John. He's asleep. He doesn't need you. He doesn't need anybody.
[00:10:47] Unknown:
Not in Canon. When I open this door, I'll watch you out. Do you hear me? Yeah. I hear you.
[00:10:53] Unknown:
In
[00:10:59] Unknown:
oh, I hear
[00:11:06] Unknown:
After that, Reynolds switched on the gramophone. And And apart from the soprano saxophone of Sydney Bridget, there was silence in the flat. Canon had to find another way in, another way of talking to Reynolds.
[00:11:20] Unknown:
Ruth, tell me, why hasn't John walking here?
[00:11:24] Unknown:
Oh, I expect he has. His father's told him not to come out. Mhmm.
[00:11:31] Unknown:
Look, can I, can I get into the room any other way?
[00:11:34] Unknown:
Get into the room? Yeah. Oh, next door's empty. What? Oh, I This is number 36.
[00:11:45] Unknown:
30 6. Are those keys the ones that open anywhere? Almost with, prayer and a bit of luck sometimes. Uh-huh. What what you gonna well just just just wait here and
[00:12:03] Unknown:
if you climb along there he'll see you. Shh.
[00:12:06] Unknown:
Look, just wait and don't talk to me. He's still playing the grand finale. You will. That that couldn't be better. Guess I spoke too soon. Well, here we go, cannon boy.
[00:12:23] Unknown:
Well,
[00:12:27] Unknown:
for full now, exit cannon before his birthday.
[00:12:40] Unknown:
Back, Cannon. Come on, Cannon. Back. Now listen to me, Reynolds. I wanna talk to you. You said it all, mister Cannon. Cannon, you come any closer, and I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna put this window down, and I'm gonna watch it from inside the room here. And as soon as I see your silly face, Kennel, I'm gonna shoot you.
[00:13:05] Unknown:
Come on, Reynolds. Let me in. Get out. Get out. Get out.
[00:13:12] Unknown:
I had the telephone number of the block where the Reynolds lived, but for some reason, I didn't have the address. It was about half past three when I rang.
[00:13:22] Unknown:
Hello? Yeah. Oh, hello, chief. Yeah. Well, look. I haven't had any time to make any calls. Yeah. Look. Look. Reynolds signed a vase or something through the window. What? No. Well, look, there's a cop here now. No, no, no, just a few scratches, nothing serious. Mister Caden Look, chief, look, you better come over here. Mister Caden, I have to Well, you got the number. Yeah. Well, it's Carlin Heights 304 Green Lanes. Yeah. Wood Green. You got it? Okay. Bye, chief. I can't hold on any longer. There's a crowd down there now. A crowd? Look, officer, there's 10 people down there, so a vase came through a window. We're so sorry, man. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No disturb the peace if you barge in with men in uniform. Look, I want a little time. I'll buy that time if necessary but I need time.
I'm sorry. I'm not being diplomatic. Alright. I'll wait. You can have your time but I won't wait long. Thanks. Reynolds? Reynolds? Reynolds? Your wife's gone? I don't know why you're doing this, boy, but you're going out there again. Gonna have another talk with mister Reynolds. Here we go. Yeah. Take it easy, darling. Yeah. Take it easy now. Run the edge here. Here we are. Reynolds, look. You've gotta come out now. Please. It's all over. You hear me? I hear you, Kevin. What are you trying to do? Look. What have you got against your wife? I've got nothing against Ruth. Then what look. Look. I'll come in. Stay there. I'm sick of telling you to get away from me. Look, man. It's a long way down here. That's your funeral. Listen. You reckon you're gonna kill yourself, Reynolds? Yes.
Why? Well, that's the question I wanna ask you. You reckon you got a right to ask that? Yeah. And I'm asking it. This is a pretty place, the world.
[00:15:31] Unknown:
You like it, I suppose. Well, I can stand it. I have to. But I can't stand it. I don't have to. But why the Prime Minister Wilson. The war in the East can't be won. Moscow can't win. Peking can't win. Switzerland's getting a bomb and Sweden. It'll be what greens turn next. We'll we'll all have bombs. We'll be getting on the bus in the morning with them strapped on our backs. Hey now wait a minute Reynolds, hold it. Listen, you just, you just can't blot all that out, you still gotta live and, and your kids gotta live too. Why? Because that's how it's always been.
[00:16:03] Unknown:
That's what life's all about Mick. You get up, they smack you down again But you get up, you keep getting up because you're a man. Look, I know how it is. I was in Korea too. I'm not talking about Korea to anyone. Let alone you, Colonel. Listen, you've got a child in there, Remels. He can't still be asleep. He's not. But he won't come out because I told him not to. Listen. Can you hear those kids over there, Reynolds? Can you see them? Now why can't he run like that? You gonna take that from him?
[00:16:34] Unknown:
Doesn't he have a say in this? This is no place for John, not this world. I'm gonna save him. From what? From the politicians. From the little men in black who pull strings so the rest of us jump like puppets.
[00:16:46] Unknown:
What chance? You think he's got, Cannon? Well, I think he's got a chance. Give me that
[00:16:53] Unknown:
gun.
[00:16:55] Unknown:
Well, at least I'm inside.
[00:16:58] Unknown:
Now you've had it because you're dead too. Do you hear me? You're a dead man. Are you there, Cannon? Cannon.
[00:17:08] Unknown:
I just found the spaces. Catchy. Open the door. Well, I'm afraid it's kinda out of my hands.
[00:17:15] Unknown:
John hasn't been any food all day. Shut up. Hand back. We're coming in.
[00:17:19] Unknown:
You too, and you'll all die. I'll take the lot of you. Get out now.
[00:17:26] Unknown:
Reynolds, I'm not going.
[00:17:28] Unknown:
I don't wanna shoot you. You've got nothing to do with all this. Kevin.
[00:17:32] Unknown:
I'm afraid you're wrong, Reynolds. I've got everything to do with it. I wrote in and said I could do it, and here I am. Now give me that gun. No. Come on. Give it to me. No.
[00:17:45] Unknown:
I'm gonna shoot myself for now. I'm taking my son with me because he doesn't want to live any longer in this world. You haven't thought of it. I've thought of everything. Everything there is to think about, you fool. You think I decided to do this on the spur of the moment during lunch one day at the vicar's, do you? Look, cut the dramatics and give me that gun. No, cannon. You're beginning to bore me now. In fact, you've been one big bore from beginning to end. Come on out now. It's all over.
[00:18:12] Unknown:
Yeah. It's all over for you, Reynolds. John. Now look. Reynolds, leave that kid be. Leave him alone. Come here, Sonny. Come here. Now listen. I'm gonna take you out there now. You come on to me. Come on. I can't do it. Not look. Just just a minute, Reynolds. Down there, they're playing. All the kids. All the kids in the world are playing right now outside this block. Every kid that's ever been born. They're skipping and playing and scene and dancing. Everywhere they go, there's music. There's music because there are kids, and because there are kids, and because nothing can touch them, nothing at all.
All the bombs since the world began can fall in one hour, but they don't care because tomorrow is tomorrow, and there must be a sun. Even if it rains there'll be a sun because they're kids. And that's how it is with kids. And this one here, Reynolds. Your son. You know what he'll look like with a bullet through his head, Reynolds, do you? Oh, now he won't look so good, you lousy coward. If I was gonna have his chance, it'll take more than you to stop him. He'll forget you. Mark my words, you are. Well, I've been coming out now, chief. Open up the door. You better open up the door, Reynolds.
Come on. Open it up. It's still sunshine outside. This kid's tired of the dark. Listen, I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to open that door.
[00:19:53] Unknown:
Come on. Give me the key. Give me the key.
[00:19:56] Unknown:
Yeah. That's better. Now open it up. Come on out of it.
[00:20:06] Unknown:
Johnny. Oh, Johnny, baby.
[00:20:09] Unknown:
Is Reynolds coming out? Is this? Yeah. This is the key. I don't know about Reynolds. I don't think there's any more can be done. I, I guess you can go in there now, officer. Stevens. Missus Reynolds, take the child away now, Willow.
[00:20:38] Unknown:
Reynolds shot himself in that room in Wood Green North 22. He shot himself whilst children played outside the school two blocks away. Reynolds killed himself whilst his wife carried their son down the stairs. She heard the gunfire and she knew what it was, but she didn't stop. There must be a multitude of men like Iain Reynolds. Wherever they look, this world has nothing to offer them. Nowhere can they see a place for themselves in the scheme of things. They carry guilt, theirs and others, around with them for all of their days. Then they crack.
There was nothing we could do to help Reynolds. Canon told me later that all the time he talked with him he could think of nothing to say because Reynolds was already dead. His eyes were dead. Cannon spoke words but he said nothing because all the time he couldn't stop looking at the eyes of this man. There comes a moment when one cannot think too long and too deep about the things that happen. Some people cannot stop thinking. Reynolds couldn't. And that's why we marked the file the man who thought too much.'
