Chalky, Dufus, Shirt & Lupine …

… and the Varos Masterplan

Seventh Galaxy and The What Shop’s feud was at a height. Seventh Galaxy had arranged for Nicholas Courtney and Peter Purves to attend to sign the newly released “The Daleks Masterplan” CDs. However, on the same day, the What Shop were offering Shirt’s favourite monster from the Colin Baker era (no not the Bandril Ambassador), Sil, in the person of Nabil Shaban to sign the newly released “Vengeance on Varos” DVD. A plan was hatched, the friends would attend both. Lupine was contacted, and being interested in all the offered guests, agreed to attend.

On the day of the signing, as Dufus did not have a DVD player, and did want to wait around for Lupine, who was meeting the others at The What Shop, continued on on the train, going to Seventh Galaxy alone. Chalky and Shirt went therefore, fought their way through the “heaving masses” in The What Shop (it was deserted).

"Do you want a free VAROS novelisation?", asked Helen A. (Ask Shirt a stupid question)

Leaving the shop with DVDs and novelisations, they waited for Lupine. In the meantime, Shirt “entertained” Chalky with his Ricky Martin inspired ditty on Nabil’s name - "Shaban, Shaban.....she moves...she moves..."

Lupine finally arrived to save Chalky from this torture, and having picked up his DVD and free novelisation, the continued lack of a queue encouraged the three to wander into East Ham’s main shopping area to waste time (and for Lupine to get some breakfast).

A KFC brunch, and some Harry Potter inspired “Bertie Botts’ All Flavour Beans” and Chocolate Frogs, the three joined the small queue outside the shop.

After a minor breakdown in mobile communication, Dufus was contacted by phone. It seemed that there had been an incident at Seventh Galaxy in which Dufus had annoyed Big Ted by asking if the signed Paul McGann covers that had been promised the friends for several months had arrived. (He did have some justification, as Nick Courtney was also in said CD, and so it would have been nice to have his signature as well).

Unlike its rival, the signing at the What Shop started early, and soon (there being only four people in front of them), the three were inside the shop, and before Nabil.

Shirt was first, getting his DVD cover and video sleeve signed, as well as Dufus’ “VAROS” cover signed.

Chalky & Shirt, then decided flattery gets you everywhere.

"You were our favourite monster", they chorused.

"More than the Daleks?", asked Nabil.

"Yes", the creeps replied.

"Well why didn't I get more stories then ?"

The two decided there was no answer to this.

Chalky and Lupine got their items signed, and the three posed for photos with Nabil, very conscious of not drawing too much attention to Nabil’s disability.

The three left the shop, and Shirt rejoined the queue behind the three people left, and went round again, getting both his and Dufus’ “Trial of A Timelord” boxsets signed, as well as two novelisations (one for the exquisite Enigma).

Impressed that he’d got everything signed to the correct person, Shirt rejoined Chalky and Lupine, and the three travelled the one stop to Seventh Galaxy.

They found Dufus near the front of the queue, and Chalky and Lupine went into the shop to buy the CDs, then went to join the back of the very long queue. Shirt however, who was not buying the CD due to his “Hartnell hatred”, joined Dufus, in order to take photos of him with the guests.

Approaching the table, Shirt explained that he had not queue-jumped and was merely taking Dufus’ photos. However, Little Ted told him, “Go on, you can meet them. Go on.."

A little apprehensively, Shirt did so, telling Little Ted, "I'll blame you if there's any problems"

Peter happily signed Shirt’s computer-produced “The Celestial Toymaker” reconstruction video sleeve, and Nick signed the first Large Endings’ “Earthsearch” CD. Dufus got his items signed, and having taken photos of each other with the guests, they left the shop to annoy Chalky and Lupine in the queue.

The queue moved very slowly, but finally Chalky and Lupine also reached the shop, and a few minutes and photos later, the four decamped to the local Pansy Burger Bar, before wending their way home.

CHALKY	NABIL	DUFUS	PETER	LUPINE	NICK	SHIRT

[PL]