Thursday, 4 June 2020

Expo & Cons Old Sixie, Voc Robots and False Hopes by Matt Rabjohns


Imagine the scenes. ​
I'm young and on fire! The day has finally come! ​
Today me and my family go to Longleat to meet the Doctor himself! I am not lying when I say I am staggeringly nervous. I always was such a trembling little idiot when anywhere near anyone I love on Telly! I have met a few people from the show before but this, for me, is the first mega deal name with the show that I am to be meeting! I just can’t believe it. I am also greatly looking forward to dressing up for the competition they are supposed to be holding. I am all dolled up in my Pat Troughton Doctor garb and my sister Davina is dressed and ready as Peri, and even if I say so myself, I think we're both in with a chance of winning! 
Colin Baker! Old Sixie. Still for me a relatively new Doctor whom I've not seen all of his stories yet on TV. This is also before the emergence of Big Finish audio productions. But I love what I've seen of his Doctor already and am elated and jubilant as we reach the gates of Longleat and are let in to the grounds. ​
I'm slightly perturbed at the huge turnout for the event! You see with my Asperger's syndrome I always find it very hard mixing in with large crowds. I have overcome this aspect of my Asperger's now, but back on this day it was intimidating. But I loved the superb cosplayers who were dressed as Paul McGann and Peter Davison and every other Doctor back then! ​
Then I get my first annoyance of the day. We are informed that the competition is no longer taking place. I am hugely disappointed, but swallow it down because at least I still get to meet the Doctor himself! And not only that, there are Cybermen walking about too and a Voc Robot and a Zygon! I feel sorry for the poor man or woman who has to walk about in that sweltering Zygon costume all day! ​
And Michael Jayston is here too! I can’t believe I'm going to shake the hand of the Valeyard! This is an extra special treat! Oh, wow I'm so hyped up and then the Cyber Leader (who I am sure was actually David Banks because his voice sounded just like his did back on Silver Nemesis) walks up and we talk to him about what he has for lunch. He states Duracell batteries. Of course, I should have known that! ​
My Dad is in his wheelchair today and this is when I find out just how kind a man Colin Baker is. My Dad is constantly getting bashed and whacked around his bonce with camera bags and tripods and hand bags and all that kinda rubbish. Colin then sees my Dad amidst the crowd getting irate about being constantly smacked around the head. He himself even notices someone clout my Dad with a tripod and he breaks through the crowd. "Excuse me please, thank you!" he bursts through these people and shakes my Dad's hand and we get to talk to Colin first out of the whole crowd. His kindness for seeing my Dad being hurt and interceding have remained with my Dad and me to this day and that's why Colin is my most purchased Doctor in the Big Finish Audio range. I like to think its some small kindness for his kindness for sending those thoughtless idiots away and seeing me and my family first. He signs my photos and books and even calls my sister Divine Davina! ​
I'm not sure at what juncture the next little thing occurs to me, but I recall it vividly. I am having my photo taken with the Zygon and the Cybermen and the Voc Robot. The Voc Robot is right next to me. I've looked around and whoever is inside this costume is the only person right next to me. When the camera clicks then I distinctly feel the unmistakable feeling of a hand fondling my backside. I joke with you not. To this day I am sure it was whoever was in that Voc Robot costume as no one else was standing near me for the photo then. I bet there's not many people then who can say they've been molested by a Voc Robot! If I had been any older then I would have told my Mum and Dad but I didn't want to cause a scene so I kept quiet. But that hand on my backside still makes me shudder now. Wherever you are Voc Robot you need to be deactivated, or your wandering hands do at least!!!​
Then I go to the Longleat Doctor Who shop and I am awed at just how much stuff is crammed into this little space! I am even more elated that my Mum and Dad have let me have a brilliant amount of pocket money! So, when my gaze falls on the novels of The Power and The Evil of the Daleks I am ecstatic! I've always wanted to see Power and Evil and am not yet versed in the episode loss of the black and white era. All I know is I love these big chunky Target novels which are bigger than any previous Target novel! I am awed by the fact that I can purchase them both! ​
Both Michael Jayston and Colin seem to be lovely blokes who talk openly and candidly about their time on the show and how much they enjoyed it. It's a dream come true for me to be able to shake the hand of Doctor Who!​
Then the Cyberleader comes over whilst Colin is talking to my Dad and he slips his hands round my Dad's throat and Colin playfully says "NO DON'T YOU DO THAT, I WANT TO!" Me and my Dad are laughing our heads off!! ​
All in all, despite my disappointment at not being able to partake in any competition I am so happy. It's been one of the happiest days of my life despite the Voc Robot with the wandering hands. Several other occasions will soon arise for me to meet other people to do with the show!​
A few years later and this time we are back at Longleat: this time meeting the king of Doctor Who, Tom Baker himself! And there's a little mystery to do with my Dad again this time. No one calls my Dad by name but suddenly Tom points at my Dad and says "Ian, come over here, your turn now" or words to that effect. And at the time this passed us by but afterwards me and my Dad wonder how in the heck Tom knew my Dad's name! The only thing we can think of is that he must have seen my Dad's wildlife videos he produced, because unless he is clairvoyant how else would he know my Dad's name? My Mum too only called Dad Love that day every time she spoke to him, so the mystery of how Tom knew my Dad's name remains with us to this day! Haha!​
More recently I have gotten to meet Wendy Padbury and Frazer Hines and John Levene too. I even got to have my photo taken with all three of them. All three of them are such kind and warm and particularly John is absolutely side splittingly amusing. He's such a nice and funny guy and its truly a delight to meet all three of them at the Cardiff Comic Con! I have been blessed now with meeting so many favourites of mine from the history of the show. I'm on Doctor Who cloud nine. ​ Oh, and at the same Comic Con I met Garrick Hagon who portrayed Ky in the Mutants and George Roubicek who played Captain Hopper in Tomb of the Cybermen and the lovely Julian Glover as well! WOW!
Next on my to meet list are Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann. I'd love to meet these chaps. Oh and Peter Davison as well. I'd adore to meet the rest of the still living classic era Doctors. And I wouldn't say no to meeting Peter Capaldi or Jodie Whittaker either. They all seem such lovely and amazing people! ​
What other show has ever given me such days of happiness in my life? None at all. Doctor Who will always be my favourite ever show on TV.

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