9 INT. BACK ROOM

The "SECRET CHIEF" seated at a counter. A loose-leaf binder lies open before him. To his right is some kind of CONSOLE, attached to a video SCREEN. He lays down his PEN and reaches beneath the counter, produced a severed HEAD much like his own. He holds it by the hair, looks it in the eyes.

THE "SECRET CHIEF"
Ah?

No response; he inserts the neck into a circular metal port mounted on the counter. Taking the head in both hands, he twists it about 45 degrees; it locks. He taps a few buttons impatiently. Nothing happens.

THE "SECRET CHIEF"
GAY!

He smacks the SCREEN. It flickers to life. After warming up a few moments it resolves into a black-and-white image of the FRONT LAWN. He taps a few buttons. Nothing happens.

THE "SECRET CHIEF"
Uh-huh...

He taps another button. Tracking lines crisscross the still static image. He picks up his PEN.

from THE JOURNALS OF THE SECRET CHIEF

... the first breakdown occurred at 00:00:35 in the program. Right on time. Were the subject an 'actor' or 'thinker' this birth crisis would be over in a matter of seconds. As our lucky contestant is a 'writer' I predict a ten-minute wait. Ideally I would cut out this rough spot altogether, but that would require impression and activation prior to the current release point, i.e. the coincidence of its actual and 'remembered' mornings. In tests this ingenious solution had unfortunate side-effects, i.e. the short-term's subsequent refusal to leave the house.