Questions, Questions – Wayne 30

 

[For back story go here: Story so far at 17 Sept 2020.]

[Back story also found through in-links and if you don't know Mastermind go here.]

With Cassie and Cath on a video link, Dave in the room with him and no reference books or internet access whatsoever, Wayne sat in the wicker chair in the centre of Dave’s flat and looked uncomfortable. He’d just been asked which singer-songwriter had been voted ‘most likely to be famous’ by their school mates in 2004 and it was proving difficult to come up with a name of anyone who he was certain would have been in school at that time.

“You can pass if you want to,” grinned Dave.

“Can you look a bit more confident?” asked Cath over the link. “You might not know the answer but looking completely lost like that isn’t going to do you any good at all.”

“Leave him alone,” chipped in Cassie. “He can decide whether to think this one over or move on and it’s all about watching the process as well. Great TV.”

“Rita Ora?”

“Right age but sadly, no.”

Wayne wasn’t about to give up and on this test run of Mastermind, he was allowed to pick and choose where he got his questions from. He reasoned there would be less chance that he’d get stressed by either the specialist subject or the general knowledge if they were mixed up and everyone asking questions would also make the experience more fun. At least he’d hoped so.

“Move on, move on,” he said.

“You’re meant to say ‘Pass’.”

“I’m not Passing, just putting that one on the back burner – I’ll come back to it.”

“Not allowed to do that on the show!”

“I’m practising for heaven’s sake! Give us a specialist subject someone.”

“What was Mary Berry given in the Birthday Honours list in 2012?”

“Yay! CBE – Commander of the Order of the British Empire!” said Wayne enthusiastically.

“What kind of a Commander she’d make is anyone’s guess…” commented Cath.

“She’d be great,” said Wayne. “‘Come over here and do this and I’ll give you a cupcake.' Fantastic. It was for services to culinary arts anyway, so it’s not like they’re expecting her to manage a battalion or something.”

“What’s the national speed limit for cars and motorcycles on single carriageway roads?” Asked Cassie.

“Officially or unofficially?”

“What do you mean unofficially?”

“Er…. 50?”

“60 miles per hour.”

Wayne had yet to receive a definite time or date for the celebrity Mastermind session. It was still highly likely to be conducted by video link rather than in person, even though between them Dave and he had devised a clear way in which the quiz show could be recorded while social distancing was observed. You could even put the question master and the contestant in separate booths if you were really worried. Strictly Come Dancing had managed to get everything to work through some imaginative bubbling and studio management, Mastermind would be a piece of cake.

“Who is credited with the invention of choux pastry in or around 1540?” asked Dave.

“Oh give me a break,” said Wayne exasperated, “As if they’d ask that.”

“It’s general knowledge.”

“Is it hell, it’s very very specific knowledge that only you would are interested in,” retorted Wayne. “And I doubt if it’s actually your knowledge – I’m guessing that’s a wikipedia job, right?”

Dave grinned and blushed a little. “Got me,” he admitted. “Pantanelli was his name.”

“So why didn’t they call it Panto pastry or something? One more, come on make it Mary Berry again.”

“Of what did Mary Berry become President in 2016?”

“2016? Ah, the National Garden Scheme,” said Wayne. “Back of the net. Let’s take a break.”

He relaxed and got up to make some tea. There was a smattering of applause from Cath and Cassie and even Dave looked impressed.

“I’ll let them know you’re ready,” noted Cath, “It’ll give me an excuse to nudge them and see where we’re at.”

Cath fizzed off the line. 

“I think this will be fun,” said Dave. “And it’ll be you in a different light.”

“Have you given up on the ‘most likely to be famous person’ question?” came Cassie’s voice.

“I, er, yeah, alright, go on then.”

“Ed Sheeran.”

Wayne pulled a face. For some reason he had a dislike of Sheeran. Possibly because the music did nothing for him and therefore it seemed there wasn’t a lot of point to him. He suspected Ed felt the same about him, if indeed he felt about him at all.

“Sorry,” said Cassie. “But he is well known. Might come up. Anyway, I’ll push off and see you later. Thanks for the money by the way.”

The kettle was boiled and the tea was made. Dave found some rewarding home made biscuits and the two settled down and found some less than rewarding but relaxing TV for the rest of the evening.

It was only when they packed up to go to bed that Dave finally said: “So, how much money have you given her so far?”