THIRTY-SIX
The new Black Rod, dressed in his black finery, looked a lot like Zondo, except Rod wore knickerbockers and not drainpipe trousers. There was nothing glorious about them, though his red nose did look like a cherry on top of the ice cream Knickerbocker Glory, whereas Zondo was a particularly skinny magus. Rodney, (a curious coincidence that Black Rod was called Rod) was a tub of lard. Bernie’s replacement met the crew as they climbed the stairs from the basement in Westminster Palace, intent on entering the House of Commons chamber.
Black Rodney stood in front of the motley crew, raised his formal rod, which was black, and instructed them all to halt, to stand where they were. He called for their passes, when all of a sudden, he recognised dead Bernie and then, the dancing nun,
