"Always wanted to be a racing driver" "But I never ever, ever liked the smell of cars" "I knew that I'd go far" "Yeah, I knew that I'd go far" "Far enough to see I'd get there without a car" "Without a car" "Always wanted to be just a little biz' more than clever" "But I wasn't born underneath a lucky star" "I knew that I'd go far" "Yeah, knew that I'd go far" "Far enough to see I'd get there without a star♪" "Sorry to rush you, darling." "I've got a meeting at 9:45." "Jocelyn, have you got that file on George Eliot?" "Yes." " You have rung Stephen, haven't you?" " Yes." " Oh!" "Good morning, Ann." " Good morning." " How's Daddy?" " Fine, thank you." " Mummy well?" " Yes." "That's good." "Hello Jean, could you possibly ask Dean to come on Thursday to see Mrs Talbot?" "Yes, that is tomorrow." "Uh-huh." "Okay, bye-bye" "Come and meet everybody, Peter." "Jocelyn, this is Peter Morissey, a very brilliant young writer who we've been lucky enough to sign." "Now, I think we should have a bio on him." "Have you got time to give Jocelyn it now?" " Biography?" " Yes." " Oh, no." "Tomorrow." " Yes." "Yes, we'll fix up some time that's mutually convenient." "Or rather, convenient for Mr Morissey." "Oh, yes, this is little Ann." " Hello, little Ann." " Hello." "Looks better like that." "Ann says you're a writer." " What do you write?" " Oh, anything." "Have you read that new book?" "I can't remember the author's name, but it's about this spy who flies a plane to the Arctic to break..." "Ice Cool." "Why can't you remember it?" "It's absolutely fantastic." "Very clever actually." "Written by a chap called Alex Marvel." " Do you know him?" " Oh, yes, Mrs Talbot is his agent." " Really?" " The woman I work for." "Very clever." "They sold the film rights and American paperback rights before it was brought out over here." " Really?" " Mmm." "I'll tell you what." "I'll have a word with him." "I'm sure we can manage something." " That's very good of you, sir." " That's all right." " By the way, my name is George." " Oh, I know." " Well, you must call me George then." " Thank you, sir." " Peter, have some cake." " Thank you." "Has Sylvia told you about the party?" "Would you like to come?" "No, thank you, no." "It's perfectly all right for you to come if you want to." "I'm sure, but I..." "I don't think I will." "Oh." "Please yourself." " Clarke, more tea?" " Yes, please." "Thank you, sir." " Would you like any?" " Oh, no, thank you." "Well, we just made it." "I think we've got a minute or two." " Your ticket, Peter." " I don't have it." "Oh, hang on." "There's one coming in now." " Have you got your..." " Oh, it's all right, Arthur." " He'll pay at the other end, all right?" " Thank you." "Well, go on, darling." "See your guest off." " How are you, then?" " All right." "Good." " I'm sorry if it's been awful." " It was all right." "But it's a bit of a long journey on your own." "Do you wanna come?" "Hello." "Spear..." "Spears Agency." "Oh, hello." "Yes, okay." " Hello?" " Hello, Henry." " Did you get the supper?" " Yeah." " Oh, hello." " I'm in here." "I'm Henry." " I'll take that." " This is Henry." " I've introduced myself." " Oh." "This is Ann." " Hello, Ann." " Hello." " Did you get the supper?" " Yeah." "And don't screw it up, because we've got a guest." " Hello." " Hello." " Who does the cooking?" " Oh, we take it in turns." " Can I help?" " Yes." "No." "No." "Do you want some orange juice?" "Or milk, if you'd like that." "I bought a bottle of wine." "I bought..." "Henry, I'm thinking of giving up the railways." "What?" " You don't want to do that." " I'm going into aviation." " And what as?" " I'm gonna be a pilot." "Well, you'll be a steward or something like that." "You can't just go and be a pilot." "How about I start as a steward..." " Then what?" " Then go up to a pilot." "Eh?" "What about your train?" "I think I better go and get Ann on her train." "Have you got a train?" "11:32 from Waterloo." " Well, you've got plenty of time." " Yeah." "It's getting a bit late." "Yeah, we'd better try and make it, I think." " Why don't you stay?" " Yeah." "No, let's go." "We'll try and make it." "You all right?" "Whoa." " Good night." " Good night." "Oh, thank God." " Are you all right?" " Yes, I'm fine." "Where have you been?" "What's been going on?" "I've been with Peter." " Peter?" " Yes, I've had a lovely time." "Why didn't you ring us?" "We've been terribly worried." " We've been up all night." " I'm sorry." "I would've rung you, but by the time I remembered, it was a bit late." " Well, you might think of us." " I'm sorry." "Ann, well, where have you been all night?" "Where did you sleep?" "I've been walking." "I think I'd better go to bed." "Night-night." " What are you going to do?" " Got to let Erica know." " What, all of us?" " Oh, yes." " What, you and me, and..." " Oh, yes." "I see." "Once the..." "Once the..." " That's your proposition, is it?" " Once the opening is there." " Then we're all in." " We're all in." " Yes." "Did you do it?" " I'm not telling you." " No?" " No." "Well, I'll try another tack." "Well, I didn't do it, if you wanna know." " Didn't you?" " No." "Why not?" "Because a relationship isn't based on sex." "It's not a paltry love affair, the sort of thing that you're used to." " It's a pure, spiritual love." " Ls it?" "It's love." "I love her." "Got a nice pair of tits, though, doesn't she?" " Hello, there." " Hello." " Well, what kind of a day did you have?" " Fine." "Mummy wants to know whether you'd like some food." " Oh, no, nothing, thanks." " You sure?" "No trouble, she'll make up a tray." "All right, young lady." "You do realise that you upset your mother terribly." " Why?" " Oh, darling, staying out all night." " The way you behaved this morning." " Well, she knew where I was." "As far as we were concerned, dear, you were going to the cinema, then probably a drive afterwards." "Well, I can't tell you every single move I make, can I?" " No, no, all right." " I mean, there wasn't a rail crash or anything, so nothing could have happened." "Anything could have happened." " Well, nothing did." " We don't know that." "What do you mean?" "Oh, don't be so silly." "That's none of your business." "Now, look, Ann, we are still legally responsible for you." "Oh, fuck off!" " We were going to the cinema." " Oh, yes." " What time is the show starting?" " 7:10." "We never seem to go anywhere nowadays." "Ah!" "What have we got?" " Whisky all right?" " Lovely, thank you." "Trust him to be in the bloody herbaceous border." "Here we are." "Ann, why don't you take your car?" " You have a licence?" " Yes." "Thank you." "Ann's still got her provisional licence." "She failed her test." " Still, be practice for you, won't it?" " Yes." "Silly old sod." "How are you getting home?" "Look, if you wanna bring her here, bring her here." "I don't mind." "Someone else to do the cooking, for Christ's sake." "What, you know..." "I mean, what do you think?" "She wouldn't like it, or something?" "She's very clean." "Well, we can clean up, can't we?" "Move in?" " Hello, sport." " Morning, ladies." " How are you?" " I'm all right." " Where have you been?" " On the freight train." " On the job?" " Yeah." "That's nice." "What's that?" " Letters." " Thank you." "There you go." "Peter Morissey." "Well anyway, think about it." " Yeah, see you later." " All right, see you later." "Goodbye, Henry." "That's not bad, is it?" "All right!" ""Dear Mr Morissey, I enclose a cheque for 500 as payment"" ""for publication rights for your short story."" ""It includes an advance for your projected novel."" ""Yours, Erica Talbot."" "Good old Mrs Talbot, eh?" " Saucepans." " All right, you'll need saucepans." " And a frying pan." " And a frying pan." "It's a lovely place you've got here." "It is, isn't it?" " Why have you got it?" " So I can be alone." " Do you want to be alone?" " No." "You know, you'll need a bath mat and some lavatory paper, probably." "I'm in here." " And an aerosol." " Yeah." "Right." " Where..." " In the kitchen." " Oh, yeah." " Cupboards, oven." " Okay." " Sounds good." "Here you are." "Cooking oil..." "Oh, yeah." "Well, they're..." "coming, all right?" "I haven't got any plugs for the speakers either, so you'll have to get them." " Washing up mop." " Eh?" " Washing up mop." " You got this on the list?" " No." " Aha!" " Oh, you've got one." " I've got one." "Oh, that's very short-sighted of you." "You can get all sorts of things in tins." "Yeah, get a tin opener and you're away, aren't you?" "Yeah." "Tomatoes, guavas." "When you got food, did you get salt and pepper?" "Got the salt, haven't got any pepper." "Salt, Pepper..." "Well, shut up." "God, I can't think." "Got to think of everything, you see." "This is a very nice-sized place for two." "Eh?" "It's just big enough for two." "Yeah, when you moving in?" "No, I mean, you two." " No, we've got one or two problems." " What?" " I thought that's why you..." " No!" "No, no, no." "It is, it's beautiful." "What?" "Oh that." "And that." " Can I give you a lift?" " No, I don't think so." " Here we are." " Thank you." "Excuse me." "I've been thinking." " Have you?" "What about?" " I don't really want to go home." "No, it's all right." "Look, don't worry." "I'm staying the night with Peter." "No, I'm not coming home tomorrow either." "No." "Yes, of course I'm going to work tomorrow." "I'm not going mad." "All right." "Okay." "Bye." "They're going to ring me at work tomorrow." " When you're away from me?" " Yes." " How were they?" " Fine." " All right?" " Yes." " What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Nothing." "You were funny." "I've got cramp." "You're very funny." "Bloody foot..." "You know what we should do today, don%you?" " What?" " Should get down to Esher and get your things." "No, I better go down when my father's not there." " Why?" " 'Cause he might start a row." " He's a bit earhole, is he?" " Well, he might." " He wouldn't hit me, would he?" " No, I don't think he'd hit you." " Would he strike me?" " He might." " Strike me?" " Yes." "Oh, Christ, I'm not going down there then." "No, I'll go down alone and get them." "Do you want to do it here?" "You're a sexy little beast, aren't you?" "No?" " Now?" " No." " Under the table?" " No!" "Christ." " Why?" "Why not?" " Get off!" "Mind my Guinness." "Look what you've done." " It's your fault." "You're a nymphomaniac." " I'm not." " Yes, you are." " No, I'm not." "Peter." "Christ, here comes Roy Rogers." "He's got Trigger with him." " Hello, Ann, how are you?" " I'm fine, thank you." "Right, dear." "Alex Marvel." " Do you know Ann?" "You do?" " Yeah, I've seen Ann before." "Yes, and this is Peter Morissey." "He's a very good writer." " Is he?" " Really, yes." "Now, sit down, everybody." "I've got good news, Peter." "L really have." "Now get us a drink, Alex." " What would you like?" " Champagne, I think, to celebrate." " Of course you would like champagne." " Yes." "Would you like to come with me, darling?" "Now, you're gonna be delighted about this." " What?" " I think we've got a deal with Titan of Munich." " Oh, really?" " Yes." " Do you know who they are?" " No, no, I don't." "Well, it's a production company and they want to buy one of your stories." "Are you seeing a lot of Ann?" " I see enough of her." " Oh!" "Her father phoned me this morning, you know." " Really?" " He's rather worried." "Hasn't heard from her." " Well, she phones him." " Not enough." " Well, she phones him." " Peter, I know it's none of my..." "Here we are, then." " No champagne, it's off, dear." " All right, that'll do." "Lager for you, Guinness for you, lager for you and a Guinness for me." "Ann, Alex, I've got marvellous news." "I think I've sold his story to Titan of Munich." "And furthermore, they're going to retain him as the writer, which as you all know, is practically unheard of." "Is this the story that Peter wrote for Woman's Own?" "Yes, it is." "Peter, can I tell you something?" "I thought that story was really very good." " Did you?" " And I don't think you should sell it to Titan of Munich." " Now, Alex..." " And I'll tell you why." "I'll tell you why." "Because Titan of Munich or any other company like that will just ruin anything." "And that story had something." "And that story should be kept as it is." "Listen, if he wants to sell to Titan of Munich, he can write rubbish like I write and he can sell that to them." "But not a story like that." " I'm sure it isn't rubbish." " Oh, it is, man, come on." " Alex, dear, you're a very good writer." " Thank you." "But you're not a very good agent and I think you should leave that" " department to me." " Don't sell it, Peter." "Stick to it." "Because it's a good style." "Well, it's a load of rubbish because..." "I don't know why I have to justify myself, but it's a load of rubbish because I wanted some time to buy a bit of..." "Bit of time when I could really write what I wanted to write, you know?" "Yeah." "And that is that." "I'd..." "You know, I'd go out walking somewhere on my own." "And just this sort of feel of the, of the turf." "Or the wind, or bits of twig that I'd pick up." "Just this sort of tactile thing," "I wanna get down on paper." "And I can't, yet." "You can't do it with just..." "Using sort of..." "But what I want to write about is not a story" "with people." "It's nothing." "It's just..." "Getting back to, you know, the beginning." "Writing about what it's like to go out and jump in a puddle of water." " Kind of Andre Gide stuff." " No, kind of Alex Marvel stuff." "But just without using any flowery..." "language." "Or any sort of language whatsoever except the basics." " I jump into a puddle of water." " What do you want?" "Everyone should know what..." "What it's about." "Yeah." "Come in." "Come on, wank!" "Hello." "Do you think you've been very honest?" "We let you have the car." " We trusted you..." " Oh, Christ." "To behave like an adult." "Look, I thought you and I understood each other." "I don't think we do very well." "She's very young still." "Peter, it's her state of mind that worries me, that's all." " Or do you think she's happy?" " No, I don't." "I don't see how she can be." " What's that?" " What?" "Oh..." "Some of Ann's things." "Her mother thought that..." "I thought for one awful moment you were going to move in." "Good bye." " What's that doing there?" " Better ask your father." "He brought it." " Was he here?" " Yes, he was here." " When?" " About an hour ago." "Came in, smacked his teeth together, and left." "So..." "I mean, didn't he do anything?" "What did he say?" "Nothing." "Just pissed me off, that's all he did." "He just won't leave me alone." "He was around at the office with Erica the other day." "I'm so fed up with all this." "I wanna go away." " I'll take you anywhere." " I think it's a nice idea." " Honolulu?" " Honolulu?" "No, somewhere nice." " Greenland?" " Yes." "With icicles on the end of your titties." "Would you like that?" " Are we really going?" " I am." "Coming?" "Come on." "I got saucepans." "Right." "Hot water bottle." "Hey, thanks for bringing me here." "Do you like it?" "I mean, why are you so interested anyway?" "Just interested, that's all." "You're not going to rush out into the fields, are you?" "Eh?" "Look for the biggest bull." "No, I'm just interested in how they do it, that's all." "Well, they do it in a purely conventional way." "And anyway, I mean, it doesn't really matter because..." "Why'?" "Well, I mean, you get..." "You are satisfied, aren't you?" "Yes, I'm just interested." "I mean, you wanna dream about it because I don't know any other things." " Don't you?" " Not really." "And I'm terribly tired." "You'd rather have a horse than me, wouldn't you?" "A big fat butt pig." "Someone's coming." "Oh, it's Bill." "Highland Bill." " Good morning." " Hello, there." " Oh, you brought it." " Mmm-hmm." "That's lovely, thank you." "Why don't you try to just do it?" " Have you some bullets?" " Mmm-hmm." "Here." " I've been digging potatoes all morning." " Oh, right." "Come in." "Ann!" "Mmm?" " How do you do?" " Ann, this is Bill." "This is Ann." " How do you do?" " My wife." " Would you like some..." " Mmm." "Thanks very much." "Yes." "A bit of Highland malt." "Hey." "Thank you." "It's very nice." " Very strong, isn't it?" " Yes." "That's the way it should be." "You know, I'm interested, 'cause I wanna go hunting, you see." "What about rabbits, are there any?" "Well, there are some, they're coming back a bit." "They come back and then they seem to... get this myxomatosis again and they get sick on the ground." "But if I was after a rabbit, see, what would I do?" "I should think that gun that you have would be the best plan." "Hey." "Where have you been?" "Hunting." "Did you catch anything?" "No, I thought it might be nice if we had vegetables tonight for a change." "You didn't catch a thing?" " Not really, no." " You've been out all day." "You haven't caught one thing?" "I've got some eggs." "Ann!" "Ann?" " Hello." " Hello." "What would you really like to eat tonight?" "Eh?" "Go on." "Well, potatoes and things." "That's what I'm making." "Don't you want any meat?" "'Cause I've gotten you a rabbit." "Oh." "I don't want it." " Why not?" " Well, I don't know what to do with it." "Well, cook it." "I don't want it." "You've got to take all the skin off and all that." " Well, you can do that." " I don't know how to do it." "Oh, no, take it away." "You know, I don't know what you're shooting rabbits for when you ought to be writing your book." "Oh, Christ!" " Give us a minute." " I'm going in then." " I'm going to punish you." " Why?" " 'Cause I'm bloody fed up with you." " No, you're not." " I am, I'm going to put you in." " No, you won't." "Oh, I love you." "You pig!" "You..." "You..." "I'm..." "I'm fed up with you!" "You really are..." "You just go too bloody far!" "I think you take..." "Go away!" "You take life far too seriously." "Oi!" "Now, go away!" " Why didn't you turn the light off?" " I don't want to turn the light off." " I want the light off." " Well, turn it off yourself then." " I'm fed up." " Eh?" " I want to go home." " Why?" "I just want to go home." " But it's lovely here." " It's not." " Of course it is." " I want to go back to London." "Anyway, you're not working here at all." "But we've been through all this already." "I don't need to work." " Yes, you do need to work." " Why?" "You need to earn some money for a start." "Well, I've got some money." "You haven't got enough to live on forever." " Well, how much do you want then?" " You live in a dream world." " L..." " You think we can go on and on." " Can't go on eating potatoes." " We can..." " When do you want to go home?" " Very soon." " When?" " Tomorrow." " Tomorrow?" " Yeah." "You'd tear up my Rupert books if you could, wouldn't you?" " Why don't you go and see Erica?" " Yeah, yeah, I will." " You ought to." " I know what I ought to do, Ann." "What about you?" "What ought you to do?" "Oh, I don't suppose she'll want to see me." "I don't suppose she will." "You've got to get your book published." "Yes, I know." " Stupid." " What?" "Nothing, I was just trying to get a hold of Stephen." "Why don't you write some more short stories?" "I don't want to." "Why?" "You get lots of money for them." "Yeah, but I don't want to." "I think you're silly." " Are you all right, Ann?" " Yes, of course." "I mean, you don't feel sick or anything?" " No, why should I?" " Nothing, nothing, I just..." "Ann, you're not pregnant, are you?" "No, no, of course I'm not." "Why did you think of that?" "No reason, I just thought you..." "Well, you might be." "I'm just a bit late, that's all." " So you are pregnant, aren't you?" " No, I'm not." " I knew you are." " I don't know whether I am or not." "I'm going to have a test tomorrow." "Hello, love." " Isn't there any tea?" " Oh, I'll get you some." " Are you all right?" " It's positive." "That doesn't mean to say that it's definite." "I mean, if it was negative it would be definite, but if it's positive, that doesn't mean to say..." "I see." "Well, what are we going to do?" "Nothing." "We don't have to do anything, do we?" "I mean, we'll just have the thing." " Do you want it?" " Of course I want it." "I thought you wouldn't want it." "No, I want it, very much." "Well, there's your tea." "Well, you want it, don't you?" "I don't want to make you do anything that you don't want to do." "Do you want it?" "If you really wanted it, you wouldn't keep asking." "Of course I want it." " It's not a joke, you know, Peter." " Well, who's making a joke of it?" "You've got to take it seriously." "That's Stephen." "Where?" "Over there." "Stephen!" "How are you?" " Great to see you." " Yeah." "What's the matter?" " Nothing." " Are you sure?" "Yeah." "What are you doing?" "You still in the flat?" "With Henry, with Henry." "Yeah, yeah." "There's the bus." "Are you coming?" "No, no, I'm waiting." " Look, come around and see us." " Yeah, okay." "Anytime." "What are you going to do?" "I don't know." "What are you going to do?" "Well, I'm not going to do anything, am I?" "Why not?" "That's the trouble with you." "You always talk about things, then you don't do anything." "Well, I can't have the bloody baby." "I mean, that's ridiculous." "No, I know, I have to go through with it, don't I?" "Well, that's all right." "You're a woman." "Well, it's very easy for you to say that, isn't it?" "I'm the one who has to suffer." "I detect a certain air of animosity, don%you?" "Not in a bad mood, are you?" "Well, of course I'm not in a bad mood." "You are in a bad mood." " You're in a bad mood." " I'm not." "Why don't we see some people?" " Who?" " I don't know, anyone." "Well, who do you want to see?" "Just someone different, that's all." " We're going to see Henry and Stephen?" " No, I don't mean that." "I was thinking of asking Mummy and Daddy round actually." " Ooh." "Were you?" " Yes." " Mmm." " For dinner." "Dinner?" "What, spam and chips in the back kitchen?" " Well, it's all right." " Oh, they'll love that, won't they?" "Well, there's nothing wrong with asking them round for dinner." "No, no, no, very enjoyable." " Yes, it'll be nice." " Mmm." " Won't it?" " Awfully lovely." "All right, send him in." "Hello." " Sit down." " Thanks." "I read your novel." " Did you?" " Yes." "L think it has a lot of marvellous qualities about it." "I really do." "Shows great sensitivity, awareness, and I think you're going to write a very, very good book." "What do you mean?" "Not this one." "Really not." "I just know you could do better." "But I spent a year on that book." "What do you mean, I could do better?" "No, but you haven't spent a year on it." "And it shows it." "It needs pruning, cutting, shaping, discipline." "That we could do together." "If you would..." "What do you mean, "We could do it together"?" "If you would rely on me because there are quite a lot of books that I have been..." "You mean you don't like it?" "It isn't that I don't like it." "It really isn't that I don't like it." "It's simply that it's undisciplined and a little old-fashioned." "I'm afraid I can't agree with you because I think it's a very good book." "You just carry on publishing the old rubbish, right?" "Stick to..." "Where is our young genius?" " Hello, Peter." "How are you?" " All right." "Good to see you." "Ls this your new book?" "Yeah, my latest failure." " Can I have a look at it?" " No, I'm afraid you can't, Alex." " Why?" "You just haven't finished it?" " No, I finished it." "But it's a load of bloody crap." "Peter, why not phone me when you get home?" "Yeah, I'll phone you when I feel like it." "Sorry about that." "When the police were finally able to enter the building, a hoard of weapons were found on the second floor." "Seventeen youths were charged with offences including possessing dangerous weapons, using threatening behaviour and resisting arrest." "With the present short-term housing..." "Little shits!" " Eh?" " Bloody commentator." "Oh, yeah." "Isn't Stephen coming?" "Yeah, he should be." "He'll be here in a minute." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I just wanted to watch the programme." "Anyway, I've made you a spectacular supper." "That's all right." "Yeah, in fact, it's probably boiling over." "Hang on." "Oh." " Is Henry in?" " Oh, yes, come in." "Oh, lverna." "Hello." " Come in." "This is Ann." " Hello." " And this is Peter." " Hello." "Iverna." "I was just burning the supper actually." "Peter's a writer." " What do you write for?" " Money." "Hmm." "Oh, look, I've got these copies of Black Dwarf that you wanted." "Oh, thanks." "Look, it's great, this article here." " There." "Mmm." " Oh, yeah." "Yeah, I think it's the sort of thing to interest people." "What are you going to do with them?" "Distribute them at work." " Should go down like a bomb." " Don't you think so?" "Have you got a revolutionary set at the agency?" "Yes, we have." "Oh, you know, we print posters and we sent some money to Paris." "That's good." "Good." "What books do you write?" " Mainly short stories actually." " Oh, really?" "Well, that's rather difficult, isn't it?" "There aren't any publishers for them, are there?" "No, I've had one or two things published in Woman's Own." "You think it's easier to write for women?" "I really hadn't given it much thought." " I better get back to the stew." " Where's Stephen?" "Oh, God knows." "He's often out late." " Do you know Stephen?" " Yes." " Don't you like him?" " What?" " Don't you like him?" " Well, he's uncommitted, isn't he?" "He expects to be carried along." "I think he's rather nice." "Well, I don't think being nice is what we need now." "All right, supper's ready." "And the point is, he's bothered to learn the technique, he's a craftsman." "Unlike so many of the young painters today." "Oh, but he's so much better." "L can never understand how some of these students leave college and then they're recognised as geniuses overnight." "Well, I don't mind young people getting recognition." "Why, it's a bit ridiculous, isn't it?" "After all, there are many gifted people that have been working at it for years." "Well, no, it's the lack of technique that worries me." "I don't know what they teach them in the schools today." "Self-expression, isn't it?" "Oh, no, self-expression, true creativity..." "Well, it's the highest purpose of life." "Now, if that was learnt in the schools, fine." "You see, what we've got to guard against is self-indulgence." "Yes." "I didn't realise what a clever cook you were." " Oh, let me help you, please." " No, don't worry." "May I, Peter?" "Thank you." "Well, that was a delicious meal." "Well, how is she?" " Fine." " Good." " But she's not working?" " No." " She doesn't need to work." " No, no, of course not." "But it's always good to have something to do." "Yeah." " Well, it doesn't worry you?" " No, not at all." " I mean, she finds plenty to do." " Oh, really?" "Anyway, it's not really my business." "I mean, I don't run her life for her, you know." "No." "But you have taken on a responsibility." "I mean, you don't want me to be responsible so I'm just asking whether you're satisfied about her." "Yes, I'm satisfied." "Why does she look so tired?" " More?" " Oh, no, only a cup." "Thank goodness for that." "I'm full up, dear." " Thank you." " Here, Peter." "Now, who wants sugar?" " Ann tells me you've written a novel." " Yes." "And when is it coming out?" "I don't really know, it's a very difficult process, publishing." "Erica's very efficient though." "I'm sure she'll get it done as quickly..." " Erica's not taking it though, is she?" " What?" " No." "She didn't like it." " I didn't know." " When did she see it?" " Last week." " And what have you done?" " Nothing." " What do you mean, nothing?" " Nothing." "What can I do?" "She didn't like it." "Well, I mean, she's not the only agent in London, is she?" "Well, if she didn't like it, I think..." " You can improve it, perhaps." " Yes." "And try it again." " She'd take it." " I'm sure she'd like to help." "I don't think I want to improve it very much." "Perhaps you could have a word with Erica." " Hello, mate." " Hello, Stephen." "I'm so sorry I missed you when you came around." "Hello." "I'm really sorry, I had to go out and see someone." "It's all right." "This is my mother and father." "This is Stephen." " Hello." " How do you do?" "Good to see you." "It's really good to see you." " You're seeing us." " Yeah." " Living in the country?" " Yeah." " Had a nice time?" " Lovely." "Where have you been?" "Sussex, on the Downs." "Marvellous." "Mmm, yeah, it's so nice." "Really green." "It's a bring down to get back to this place, isn't it?" "It's such a drag up here." "Well, I think we ought to be going then." "Yes, yes, it's past our bedtime." " I'll get your coat." " Thanks, dear." "Good bye." " Good night." " Goodbye, dear." "Bye, Mummy." "And I'm sorry." "Thank God they're gone." " Why didn't you tell me?" " What?" " About the book." " Well, I didn't have an opportunity." " And why do you have to be so rude?" " Me, rude?" "He was the one that was being bloody rude." " He wasn't, he was just going to help." " He bloody well was." "Why does he have to go and stick his nose into my business and tell Erica about my book?" "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to break it up." "No, you didn't break anything up." " An argument." " No, they were going anyway." " Who?" " My parents." " Family tiff." " Oh." "Can I have some orange juice?" " Orange juice." "We got any orange juice?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I'll get you some." "Sit down." " When are you going to have a baby then?" " What?" " When are you going to have a baby?" " How did you know?" "Well, I didn't." "I just thought..." " Are you going to have a baby?" " Yeah." "Oh, great." "Fantastic news." " What?" " Ann's going to have a baby." "I know." "A few problems." "What problems, mate?" "I suppose there aren't really, are there?" "You should be pleased." "Well, I am." "I am pleased." "So, how was the country?" "Oh." "All right, great, fantastic." "I was just thinking when you get back, the noise is so loud after being so quiet in the country, by comparison." "Well, I don't know why you live here, do you?" "I'd live there all the time if I was you." "Hmm." " Have you eaten?" " No." "Well, do you want something?" "Stay for some supper." " What, here?" " Yeah, why not?" "Yeah." "Okay." "It'll be nice, it'll be nice." "So that we can talk." "Sorry, I broke all that up." "No, you didn't break anything up." "Really." " Can I go to the toilet?" " Yeah." "Can I just have my... bag?" "Stephen?" "Peter!" "What's he doing?" "Tell him to get out of there, will you?" "Tell him to get out!" "Peter, what's he doing?" " It's all right." " Get him out, will you?" "Tell her it's all right." "Will you please get him out?" "Please!" " Come on now." " No, you must make him stop." "Listen, it's all right, darling." "Now, come on." "Please, Peter." "Look, it's not our business." "He can't do that." "Well, we can't do anything about it." "Love, we can't run his life for him." "Well, he can't do it here." "Please, Peter." "Hey, get that thing off your arm." "You Okay?" "Look, you don't have to go." "How long have you been taking that shit?" " Well, not long." " But why?" " It's okay." " You're crazy." " You don't need it, man, you just do it." " You're crazy, Stephen." " I'd better go." " No, look, you don't have to go." "Yeah, I'll go." "You frightened him." "Oh don't be so bloody stupid." "What are you gonna do?" "Well, what can I do?" "It's nothing to do with us, love." "Well, you must help him." "You heard what he said." "He's just trying it, there's nothing wrong." "Well, you'd better bloody well do something about it, that's all." "I like your stuff." "Are those more of the poems?" "Just a few more, yeah." "They're not finished." "There isn't a great deal of call for poems as such, here." "Come in." "Come in!" "I'll get it." " Oh, it's you, Jim." "Oh, lovely." " Ease over, please." "Stella asked me to bring the coffee." " Sugar?" " Yeah, two, please." "This is Peter, by the way, Peter Morissey, a friend of Henry." " Hi." " Hello." "How are you?" "Peter just sent me a..." "Well, actually a poem." "Ah." "Well, Roger, that's the latest." " Who's this from?" "Samson?" " Yeah." "If the objection's "Glowing warmth," why not change it to something like," ""Snugly warm?" I mean, it's more colloquial." " Yes, I like snugly warm." " Cuddly warm?" "Well, of course, it's different writing for any satirical." "Our work's much more, sort of demanding, much more disciplined." "Well, I've been working here for about 10 years and I reckon it's only about now that I'm sort of on the right wavelength." " Are you?" " Snugly is a good word." "Bloody Samson." "Hey, Roger, got your message." "Listen, I wanna talk to you about something." "Oh, Bob, I wanted you to meet Peter Morissey." "Peter, this is Bob Good." " Hi." " Hello, it's nice to meet you." "Listen, I've just had feelers, little tinklet from them." "They're very happy with the last campaign, think it's great." "So much so that they'd like a new product and a new campaign." " That's nice." " Mmm." "Within a week." " A week?" " Mmm." "A new dog food within a week?" " Are you visiting?" " No, no, I'm here for a job actually." "Have you ever worked in an agency before?" " No." " Peter's a friend of Henry's." " He writes poems." " Oh." "Well, you'll find that the writing we do here is not geared to an esoteric audience." "It requires discipline and very demanding." " Wouldn't you say so, Jim?" " Yeah." " Dog food in a week?" " Yeah." "How about chewing gum for dogs?" " Stephen." " Oh." " Are you still here?" " What did they say?" " They said, I'm all right." " What do you mean you're all right?" "You've only been in there a couple of minutes." "No, no, I had a quick examination." "What did they do?" "Did they give you an injection or anything?" "No, we had a cup of tea and we had a few jellies and cakes." "Oh, come on, what did they say?" "I'm all right." "I'm A-okay." "I've passed out." "Well, you can't be okay." "You've only been in there a little while." "They gave me a quick one." "They'll write me a letter." "I'll come in with you and get it straightened out." " No, I've been in there." " Come on, Stephen." "I don't wanna go in again." "Look, I didn't bring you all the way down here just to hear that crap." "All right." "Push off then." "I was trying to bloody help you." "Well, you helped." "You brought me down." "Now, push off." "Go on, you piss me off." " Do you think it's a good idea?" " What?" "Work?" "Well, you've got to." "Yeah, I know." "But advertising?" "Don't you like it?" "It's all right." " The money's good." " Well..." "And you can write when you get home in the evenings." "Yeah." "That's all right, then, isn't it?" " These are for Jonathan." "All right." " In the post room." "Straight and right." "Look, I'll only be a minute." "I must get these off, all right?" " How was it?" " Okay." " What did they say?" " Nothing." " It's all right?" " Yeah, it's all right." "That's my boss." " When's it going to be?" " Oh, months." " Well, how long?" " Seven months." " Can we go now?" "Come on." " Yeah." "Ann, do you want to get married?" "Because I'm pregnant?" " No, uh..." " You didn't want to before." " No." " So, what's the difference now?" "Well, somehow I think it's right that we should be married." "Because I'm pregnant?" " Peter!" " What's the matter?" "Christ!" "Be careful." "For Christ's sakes." "What's the matter?" " There might be somebody in there." " Oh, yeah." "It's all right." "God!" "God, they've taken everything!" " Oh, shut up, Ann." "Don't get all..." " But they have!" "Shut up!" "They've taken your typewriter and the record player." "L have a pair of eyes, Ann." "I can see perfectly well what they've taken." "And they haven't taken everything." "They have left the bloody bed." "Ann?" " Ann, you're not asleep, are you?" " Mmm." "Well, what we came up with was basically this." "Vitaminised sweet for dogs." "Sweet meaning, pudding?" " Pudding, yes." " Dessert?" "Yes." "If it's the South Atlantic you come from." "We have pudding, so why shouldn't dogs?" "I mean, sure." "I think this guy could appeal." "Oh, yeah." "Then we have the strategy and the strategy is simply to convince the dog owners that no form of feeding offers their pet all the minerals and vitamins that they need." "Therefore, they must have their diet supplemented by our product." " Let's have a bit of a test, eh?" " I think it's a good idea, yeah." "I'm sick of that bloody job." "Do you know what they said today?" "What's wrong?" "Hello, Peter." "Bye, Ann." "What's he doing here?" " Just dropped in." " What did he want?" "To see how I was." "Lunch." "Jog for your dog." " Is this one of your creations?" " That's right." "Hold on, here." "Just let me finish this." "I suppose you haven't seen Stephen, have you?" " No." "Where is he?" " Oh." " Where is he?" " I don't know." "He hasn't been about for a few days." " Hasn't he?" " No." " What's he doing?" " I don't know." "Haven't seen him for about a week." "What, have you phoned his work or anything?" "Oh, I don't know where he's working." " Well, he's working at the station." " No, he's not." " Where is he?" " I don't know." "He went to be an airline pilot and that's the last I saw of him." "You know what he's doing, don't you?" "Haven't the faintest idea what he's doing." "Hasn't been home." "Ann!" " Peter." " Where's Ann?" "She's not here." "She's not at home." "Do you know where she is?" "She's all right." "She came to ask for help." "Help?" "What's the matter?" " She tried to phone you..." " Ann is not here." " Well, I wanna bloody see her!" " Get downstairs!" " How dare you?" " Stop..." "Stop it!" " Ann has lost her baby." " What?" " She came here for help and she got it." " Oh, God." "I begged you to be careful, but you took no notice." " You went on your own sweet way." " She wouldn't have done that." " She really wanted that child." " She didn't." "She would never have been able to cope with the child." "Could you?" "Where is she?" "She's in a nursing home." "She'll be there a few days." " Can I see her?" " Of course." " Not tonight." " When?" "Why don't you go and see her tomorrow?" " Hello." " It's all right." "How are you?" "Oh, Henry, Henry, are you going to be at home tonight?" "Yes, we're having a meeting." " Can I come around and see you?" " Well, do you have to?" " Can I help you?" " I'm looking for Ann Halpern." " You've come to visit her, have you?" " Yes." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm afraid you can't see her now." " Well, look, I must see her." " Sorry, it's way past visiting hours." "What's the matter, sister?" "Oh, Mr Halpern, this gentleman wants to see Ann." "Oh, surely it'll be alright." "Well, it's really late." "It's rather late." " Yes, I know, but..." " Thank you." "Carry on." "Hello." "How are you?" " Father's just been here, has he?" " Mmm." "Mmm, I saw him." "What did he want?" "Nothing." "Well, he must have." "Didn't he say anything?" "He brought those flowers." "Lovely." "He had a go at me, I suppose, did he?" "Just a little quick dig in the ribs, was it?" "No." "I don't know why you had to go and see him." "I mean, why didn't you come and see me?" "Why didn't you come and tell me?" "Be quiet." "But it has to do with me, isn't it, Ann?" "Well, don't be so bloody stupid." "I mean, you go running off and you tell him the moment something happens." "Look, I didn't want the baby." "Can you understand that?" " How was she?" " Fine, fine." "She's gonna be fine." "Yes, I think so, too." "Uh..." "We're going to get married." "You knew, didn't you?" "Oh." "Ann didn't tell me." "Oh, well, we were always going to." " Let me drop you somewhere." " No, I've got the car, thank you." "Oh, yes." "Bye-bye, Peter." " Hello, Peter." "Tea?" " Hi." "Thank you." " You all right?" " Fine, yeah." " You look a bit down." " No, not really." "Hey, I've just been talking to Roger." "He's very pleased about that campaign." " Good." " Yeah, he thinks you handled that really well, really professional." "That's lovely." " Do you know what?" " Hmm?" "I reckon you can look forward to better things." " What, like another telephone?" " Yeah, red one." " Wouldn't be bad." " Yeah." "Okay, well, you stick at it." "Oughtn't you to be in bed?" "I brought you some flowers." " I'm sorry, darling." " What for?" "I shouldn't have done it." "Oh, that doesn't matter." "I mean, it was right for you to do it." "We just weren't ready for it, love." "Why did you tell him we were getting married?" "Why didn't you?" "I mean, we are, aren't we?" "I didn't want them to know." "I'm really sick of this place." "L mean, if you rest for a couple of days at home, you'll be fine." "I don't want to go home." " Aren't you eating?" " No, thank you." "Oh, really?" "What's happened, darling?" "You loved it!" " Mother." " She always can be so..." "It's one of the things that happens when you have a new member of the family on the way." "We were going to call him Horatio, weren't we, darling?" "No, darling." "That's a terrible name." "It isn't a terrible name." "It's a lovely name." "Why don't you call it Jean?" "Well, we might have a girl, darling." "How's the writing going?" " Very well, thank you." " Peter, what's happened about your novel?" "Nothing at all, really." "I've been so busy." " I haven't had time to do anything." " Oh, what a pity." "You know, Erica was very impressed by it." "Was she?" "Tell me, did Brooksford have a word with you?" "Yes, he did." "I thought him a very pleasant man, indeed." " You know him, do you?" " Slightly." "I suppose what you really want to do is to make a lot of money and then go off and live on a desert island and write?" "I'm working on it." "In ten years' time you might be able to appear on Desert Island Discs." "L don't think Ann will be much use to you on the desert island, would she?" "She won't at all." "She's not at all domesticated and takes hours in the bathroom, and is bad-tempered at breakfast." "Oh, there's a diamond, dear." "She's the most incredible bad partner to have on the tennis court." "I don't expect they'll play tennis either." " She never gets up before 12:00." " No, hardly ever." "Don't take any notice, Ann." "Good night." "Oh, awful, the draught." "Ann, you'll catch a cold." "Go on in." "Well, good night, Peter." "I'll see you tomorrow." " Right-Bye-bye." " Bye-bye." "Nice boy, Peter, he really is." "Now, pretty one, what do you want for your wedding present?" " I don't know." " Well, you've got it." "A house." "Oh." "Christ!" "Needleman's back, is he?" "Well, that's a bloody welcome." "Where have you been then?" "Huddersfield." "Yeah." "Huddersfield?" "What for?" "Sort meself out." "I've come back to see you." " I was a bit worried about you." " Hmm, were you?" "Yeah, I saw what you were doing with Ann and your prospective child." "Oh, yeah." "Hmm?" "Not much to say about that." " Still on the junk, are you?" " No." " What do you mean, no?" " I gave it up." "What?" "Just like that?" "Uh, not just like that, but..." " I gave it up." " Oh, I see." " Uh, should we go through?" " Help yourself, yeah." "Have you got any gear?" "Don't know." "I got a bit of old shit in there, but it's not much use." "Well, let's try it." " Hmm, if you like." " Let's get really smashed, eh?" " Really stoked." "Need sugar?" " Uh, yeah." "Three." "She wore her underclothes it And when she caressed me it She damn near undressed me, gor blimey" "I went to the doctor, He said where did you cop her" "Down the Old Kent Road it The pimple and the twinkle" "On your winkie will be pinker than the red, red rose ♪" "That's really cheered me up." "Where's Ann?" " Where is she then?" " She's at home." "What for?" "She hasn't been very well." "She went home to get better." " Why?" "What's the matter?" " You got any skins?" "Yeah, I have a pipe." "Nothing, nothing wrong with her." "She's getting better." " What was wrong with her?" " Nothing." "It must have been something for her to go home." "She had an abortion, Stephen." "Well, you stupid bastards." "Well, it had nothing to do with me, I..." "Who was it to do with then?" "She went down and saw her father..." " Did you make her have it?" " No." " Well, who made her have it?" " I don't know." "Have you split UP?" "No." "We're gonna get married." "Oh, dear." "We're gonna get married." "She's having abortions you don't know about and going down there and living with those creatures." "And you're gonna get married?" "What do you think that's gonna solve?" "Eh?" " Ain't got much in this gear." " Shocking, innit?" " Yeah." " Bloody Spader." "Shall we go and see if Henry's got any?" "Henry?" "Oh no, I think I'd rather smoke this stuff." "Have you seen him recently?" " Yeah." " He's got so bloody miserable." "He's goes around inventing enemies for himself and wanting to give them all final solutions." " And his chick..." " What?" "Lverna?" " Jesus Christ." " Freaky nerd." " She really doesn't dig me." " No." "I wish I'd brought my stuff down with me." "I left it with my mum." " Your mum turn on?" "Christ." " Yeah." "Did you have that conversation with him about problems and solutions?" "Not half." "I said I'd rather be part of a problem than the solution." "You're a bloody problem, aren't you?" "At least he's got a future in it." "No future making bloody posters." "That's all he does." "He sits there all bloody day at work doing that." " Are you there?" " Yeah." " You're working there?" " Copywriting." "A copywriter?" "What's happened to your..." "What do you call it?" "Your art?" " Eh?" "It's a big joke now, is it?" " My art?" "No." "I thought you were gonna make a lot of money out of it." "That's what I thought, but it didn't work out." "So we've just given up, have we?" " No, we haven't." " What do we do then?" " We'll, we're writing at night." " Are we?" " We are." " Bloody stupid, innit?" "I'm doing a lot of bloody stupid things recently." " Yeah, you are, aren't you?" " Yes, I am." "You think you can't do it before you've got all your money scrimped and scraped?" "Look, I'm just trying to make a living, all right?" "No, you're not." "That'd be all right if you were just trying to make a living." "Everybody's got to earn their living." "How's promotion, all right?" " All right." " You're going up in the world, are you?" " I mean, I'm going up the ladder." " Yes." "If you were only trying to make a living, that'd be fine." "But you're not, you're getting your money in and building it all around you like a little castle..." " Am I?" " Protecting yourself from the gremlins." "Oh, yes." "But I've got Ann to think of, haven't I?" " Have you considered that?" " Blaming Ann?" "I'm not blaming anybody." " Well, you just blamed Ann." " No, I didn't blame her." " I've got to look after her." " You've got to protect her?" "It's Ann who needs protecting?" "I thought that was her old man's scene." "You've got to look after her like a little toy, like the rest of them?" "Bloody stuff you've got cluttered up around this place now." "Yeah, you make me insane." " Anyway, sod it." " I'm off to Spain." "I'm off to sleep." "All right." "Don't hang me up all night farting or whatever to get up to." "You're right, anyway." " Wait." "What?" " I know you're right." "Well, don't get uptight." " What are you doing?" " Shh." "Go back to sleep." " What time is it?" " 8:30." " You're up early, ain't you?" " Got to go to work." " Have you?" " Yeah." "Um, can you hang on a sec?" "I'll come with you." " Make it snappy 'cause I'm late." " All right." "Come on, Stephen, there's the bloody bus." "I've just got to go in here." "Just a second." " Is Mr Robinson in yet?" " No." "They're all early starters." " Mr Robinson there?" " No." "He's in here." " What do you want?" " Are you Mr Robinson's secretary?" "No." "Why's my door open?" "Yes?" "May I help you?" "No." "You can go away if you like." "What do you want with my typewriter?" "Put it down!" "This is a stick up!" "Stick 'em up!" "Well?" "Is that what you want?" " Yeah." " Well, take it then." "Let's see if it works." "If it doesn't, we'll take it back and get another." " It's a bargain." " It's a present for you." "Thanks." "Right." "Breakfast time." "Anything else you want?" "Yes."