The Spying Game

Back when I was at university it was well understood that a particular History don had a good working relationship with the security services. Over a pint or more in the beer cellar (and in whispers) the gossip suggested that his job was to spot likely candidates for espionage and guide them from dozing in the library to stalking the back streets of Sofia armed with an exploding fountain pen.

It was with some excitement, therefore, that I saw that a neatly typed note had been stuck to the green baize college noticeboard, signed with the don’s name. It said “a gentleman from the Civil Service will be visiting college to discuss careers in public service”. I smiled, relishing the discretion of the don’s language. A gentleman from the “civil service” – beautifully put! Word spread quickly and by four o’clock a line of us had formed, hair neatly combed, Sandanista-supporting t-shirts swapped for shirt and tie; all trying to look like we could mix a martini with one hand whilst throttling the life out of an enemy of the State with the other.

I was not, it had to be said, an obvious candidate - well not since the British Security Services abandoned their former practice of recruiting only communists and then being amazed when they defected. I was a member of CND and a would-be firebrand of the Labour Club. My prospects of recruitment therefore depended on their having not found out anything at all about me. However, with their past track record that seemed decent enough odds.

I was invited into the room by the previous candiate as he left. I settled myself into a chair and tried to look deadly. Opposite me was a man in his 30s. He was clean-shaven and had mousey hair receding faster than he no doubt would have liked. He gave me a warm smile and asked me what I saw myself doing in the public service. I didn’t feel I could say “sleeping with pneumatically-busted double agents and firing off live rounds”. I realised that, like the History don, I needed to demonstrate a certain discretion.

“I would like to travel”

There was a long pause: “Yes, go on”.

I wondered whether I’d said enough. He obviously thought not.

“I would like the opportunity to use foreign langauges”

“Uh-huh” he encouraged. I was running out of innuendoes.

“And travel to places that … you know … one might not ordinarily get to see”

“Sounds like the Foreign Office” he interjected.

“Well … sort of … but perhaps a bit less diplomatic”.

He shifted in his chair and moved his hands so that he showed me his palms.

“Well” he said “I’m from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries so I don’t really know a great deal about the Foreign Office. I did spend 4 months in the Department of Transport – would that be the kind of thing that would interest you?”

The answer was no. I rose sadly from my chair and shook his hand, only then wondering if it might be covered with some swift-acting contact poison (it wasn’t).

“Before you go” he added

“Yes?” I said, turning back.

“Could you ask the next person to come in?”