THURSDAY THEORY OF RELATEEVEETY - SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE

Back in December of last year, the Facebook group “Columbo TV” held a competition to write a 200 word ‘Columbo’ story.  I submitted a few – one in which the Lieutenant gathered all of the surviving Vito Scotti characters together (one of them had been murdered.)  It was my first attempt and had there been no word limit, I could have had a cool resolution – also at that meeting was the lawyer played by Don Ameche in “Suitable For Framing.”  It would have turned out that he wasn’t there to advise Columbo, but that he proved to be Columbo’s suspect.

But O’Bviously there was no way I could have fit all of that into 200 words. I should have dropped the character of Frank Simpson and made it a self-contained story in which one of the other Vito Scotti characters was the killer.  Probably Thomas Dolan since he had the best line to close out the story – “Perhaps I should consult my solicitor….”

Maybe I’ll give it another go one day.

I also wrote a few others – one in which we got to see the Lieutenant buy that umbrella in London atGrace Brothers; another with Columbo meeting up with Peter Falk at the soundstage for ‘The Larry Sanders Show’; and then of course for this unabashed Whovian, the Doctor got Columbo to go back in Time to check on the status of Amy and Rory, trapped in 1938.

But enough about me.  There were plenty of other stories that really impressed me and it’s a good thing I wasn’t a judge because I probably could never have been able to make a choice.

As this is a Thursday Theory of Relateeveety, there was one story which really impressed me for making a connection I never would have come up with.  And I would like to share it with you here.

The author is Terry Waters and the story combines two ‘Columbo’ episodes:

• “Requiem For A Falling Star”
• “Ashes To Ashes”

I hope you like it as much as I did….

Columbo: Fallen Star

‘Chandler, you have a visitor.’

Nora looked up to see her sister standing outside her cell. They hadn’t spoken for years and now was the worst time she could pick to reconcile. Although, it was probably some kind of game; her sister was good at playing games, especially when it meant dishing up some dirt to sell a news story - true or not.

‘Well, well….’ said her sister, a smile as broad as her hat spread across her face. ‘You have been a bad girl. Would you care to put your side across so my readers can make an informed decision on what really happened between you and Al?’

‘We both know there would be no informed decisions here. Now I remember why we have spent so many years apart.’

‘Nora, didn’t Daddy always tell you to play nicely?’

‘Our father let you get away with murder.’

‘Well, you sure didn’t. I can see I’m not going to get anything here. I’ll have to try and find the truth on my own.’

‘You should be careful about the way you handle your version of the truth, Verity…one day it might just get you killed!’

By Terry Waters

An excellent theory of relateeveety, Terry!

BCnU!