This story of mine is based on something that I saw on the show, probably over thirty years ago, and this particular item was introduced and described by Miss Hann, I believe. I won’t say what it is here and now, it’s highlighted in the story itself, but to the best of my memory, the quote I use at the end of that particular piece WAS uttered by Judith.
Obviously I’ve changed her name, and that of the show itself, even introducing a fictional Television Company. Oh, and to give you all an idea of the timescale here, I’ve introduced another device here, one that DID very “catch on” and become such a part of our everyday lives, that I know of people who CANNOT live without them!
Incidentally, the name “Space Oddity,” for this featured device was primarily designed to be used in space, comes from the title of an early Album by the late, and great, David Bowie.
SPACE ODDITY
The rain continued to hammer down, so my original idea of going to the pub for the weekly quiz night quickly became shelved. Settling down on the sofa, dinner all eaten and tidied up I thought that I might as well watch a bit of T.V. and in particular learn about possible inventions that might become everyday items, on G.B.T.V.s “Future World” program, just about to start. That really was the theme of this particular show, it featured devices designed with the future in mind, and who knows, things we first saw here could well feature in the world to come. There were, after all, examples of this present in today’s world, that had first come to the attention and knowledge of the “man in the street” earlier on, during a broadcast of this very show.
And there was another, possibly a little more base, reason why I decided to view. Recently a new female presenter had joined the “Future World” team, and at just twenty-six years of age, Miss Julia Handley, was extremely good looking, indeed she could very reasonably classed as “sexy.” Well, I certainly thought so! As the program commenced I fervently hoped that at least one of tonight’s offerings would be highlighted by Julia.
And I wasn’t about to be dis-appointed. First up though was one of the male presenters, holding something approximately the size of a brick, with a retractable aerial about a metre long attached to it. This was a “mobile ’phone,” a telecommunications device that could actually be carried around with oneself. And apparently they DO work, and you can ring people, and talk to them away from the home or the office. “Can’t see that catching on,” I said to myself. Isn’t hindsight SUCH a wonderful thing?
Next up was the delicious Miss Handley, with something that appeared to be a large “ball.” Made of, to be honest I’m not sure, some sort of cross between plastic, nylon and canvas. Julia described it as a “space rescue pod,” the idea being that a human being could fit inside and I guess be transported within it between space vehicles, I guess. It featured a double zip arrangement, that completely sealed the inner “chamber” where the “passenger” would be placed, in some dis-comfort for they’d have to sit in a ball shape themselves. It also featured a circulation pump for breathing purposes and a communication link for the “outside” world to talk to the person inside. Having described all of the above, Julia climbed inside herself, and was zipped in. Unable to release herself unaided, as the camera zoomed in to the round shape, Miss Handley's voice sounded from within, “and now I think it’s ME that needs to be rescued!”
I had been absolutely fixated, and almost immediately the images of a naked Julia, or even better, one where she just wore stockings and suspenders while trapped inside the pod came into my head and produced a MASSIVE smile on my face, not to mention a reaction from another part of my anatomy, as the fantasy took hold. To be replaced straight away by an alternative desire. Oh Julia would still be just suspender clad, but she’d now be the one zipping up the pod, with somebody else helpless inside of it! ME!
And instead of any transportation between space vehicles, I’d be trapped by the sexy Julia inside her device in order for her to transport my body into her sexual custody! Oh yes, I subjected myself to a VERY vigorous “five knuckle shuffle” that night, with THAT particular dream running around inside of my head!
Naturally come the morning the real world disturbed such thoughts, and the need to report for work overwhelmed any dreams of being in Julia’s hands and power within said pod. And gradually the image of my latest fantasy began to diminish somewhat, although it didn’t die off totally. Several months after the broadcast containing Julia and her pod had been shown, I was watching “Future World” again, and in this episode they announced a competition, in which the lucky winners, ten in total, would be given a guided tour of the studio where the program itself was filmed, and would have the pleasure of meeting the presenters of the show, including Miss Julia Handley. Not believing that I stood ANY chance of being one of that fortunate number, I sent off my entry.
Well, blow me, I only ended up claiming a “Golden Ticket” after all, I was to be one of the ten. Obviously, the chance of actually MEETING Miss Handley sent shivers of excitement coursing around my entire body, but to be honest I’d almost forgotten about the space pod by now. And, even if I hadn’t, surely THAT wouldn’t be one of the exhibits we’d get to see. And what IF it WAS there? What would be the chances of a scantily clad Miss Julia Handley capturing me and placing my form inside of it? Exactly!
Funnily enough my memories of that evening, and Julia stuck inside the pod where rekindled by the “mobile ’phone.” For that was one of the first exhibits on display, and we were invited to “ring” somebody with it. Interestingly Julia herself asked me to try it out, and I thought I clocked quite a smile on her gorgeous face when I informed her that I lived alone and was a single man. She can’t be interested in me, surely? But actually I did use the ’phone to ring my mum, and yes, it did work, exactly as intended! Maybe it will catch on after all!
After lunch, during which Julia and I did have a long chat, was that so surprising I was a good looking lad in those days, the tour resumed. And suddenly, there is was! Obviously I was drawn straight to the site of my fantasy pod, about four feet in diameter, orange in colour and open, with the double zip system in full display. Next thing I knew, a soft female voice was in my ear. Having made sure that nobody else was in the near vicinity, Miss Handley gently whispered, “I can tell, you’d like to be sealed away inside of that wouldn’t you?”
