"Hey there, Georgy girl" "Swingin' down the street so fancy-free" "Nobody you meet could ever see the loneliness there - inside you" "Hey there, Georgy girl" "Look at all the boyfriends you don't kiss." "Never had a real one yet," "Just look at the clothes you wear." "You're always window shopping but never stopping to buy" "Just shed those dowdy feathers and fly - a little bit" "Hey there, Georgy girl" "Give yourself a treat like most girls do." "Get another hairstyle to and, oh, what a change there'd be" "The world would see a new Georgy girl." "Hey there, Georgy girl" "Dreamin' of the someone you could be" "Life is a reality, you can't always run away." "Don't be so scared of changing and rearranging yourself." "It's time for jumping down from the shelf - a little bit" "Hey there, Georgy girl" "Give yourself a chance and you'll succeed." "Confidence is all you need" "Then, oh, what a change there'd be" "The world would see a new Georgy girl a new Georgy girl, a new Georgy girl a new Georgy girl, a new Georgy girl" "One and two, and one and two." "Everybody go around." "Very good." "Faster." "One and two." "Very good." "Everybody around me." "Come on." "Quick." "Come on." "One more quickie to finish." "You're things in space." "Right." "Spin into space." "And one, two, three, on the floor!" "Quick!" "She's looking better." "She ought to be under the doctor." "Let's hope that's the end of the cat's chorus." "'Course she don't believe in doctors." "You can't call it anything else." "Certainly not music." "Bye." "I'll catch her before she goes back to the slums." " I've got a bone to pick with you." " Working, Father, dear." "What do you think this is?" "It's a dress." "For you." "A present." "From my other daddy?" "The rich one?" "That's gorgeous." "That's the height of chic." "Have you tried it on?" "You'll feel the back of my hand in a minute." "It's to wear to his birthday party on Thursday." "The one to which you were invited." "I posted the card myself." "Now, I had no education of which to speak." "I didn't get sent to a finishing school in Switzerland by my father's employer." "I went to an elementary school." "But what education I got, I got from him!" "Like knowing what "RSV" and "P" means." " I'm not coming." " You'll be there." " I shan't." " Lf I have anything to do with it." "You haven't." "Please yourself!" "It's up to you." "Go and live in that slum instead of here." "Thanks." "For his sake, you ought to try and do something about yourself." "You walk about looking like a bloody tramp." "Why don't you get your hair done?" "I have just had it done." "Run, then." "I've got the tickets." "Tickets?" "The Cup Final tickets." "Who said anything about tickets to the Cup Final?" "You did, Mr. James." "You did, really." "You said I should go with you." "Is that so?" "Well, well." " It cost me two £5 notes." " Two £5 notes." "Georgy's not gone yet." "I wanted to catch her." "The bedroom." "Georgy?" "Well." "She's nipped off." "By the look of it." "If I were you, Ted, I'd take her across my knee... pull down her knickers and give her a good tanning." " She's too big for that." " Yes." "She always was." "She's like some enormous lorry driver." "She ought to be made to feel what she owes me." "I rub that in, don't you worry, sir." "I hold the whip hand." " I've got a bone to pick with you:" " Working, Father, dear:" "What do you think this is?" "It's a dress:" "For you:" "A present:" "From my other daddy?" "The rich one?" "That's gorgeous:" "That's the height of chic:" "Have you tried it on?" " James, you got the things?" " Aye." "How are you feeling?" "You know, Ellen, when you're not feeling well... you ought to see a proper doctor." "Doctors!" "You got the yeast compound?" " Yeast compound." " The wintergreen?" " Wintergreen." " Cider vinegar?" "They hadn't got the brand that you wanted." "Hello." " Georgy, come and play with us." " Come on." "Come on, Georgy." "Everybody up." "Bye." "Hi." "Has it been raining?" "No, the baths." "I'm training to be an Olympic swimmer." "This man came up to me in the street." "He was a Scotsman..." " Shut up, Georgy." "Am I all right?" " Sensational." " Am I all right?" " Sensational." " Where are you going?" " Out." " But Jos..." "Isn't Jos coming?" " Of course." " You can't go out." " Can't I?" "Bye." " Meredith!" "Take your fiddle." " For God's sake, what for?" " You can tell Jos you're rehearsing." " Why?" "Well, you know." "What'll I tell him?" "That I'm out." "That's all." "I'll be back at 8:00." " But what'll I say?" "What'll I do?" " Keep him happy." " You naked underneath that coat?" " Stark." " Let's have a look then." " It's threepence." "Too dear, dear." "Where's that rude girl?" "Lying lasciviously in bed?" "Contemplating in the loo?" "Lounging in the bath." "You'll look a little lovelier each day" "She's gone out, Jos." "She had to." "Suddenly." "I brought some supper for the two of us." " Soggy." " I meant Meredith and me." " Obviously." " And now she's out." " Did she say any time?" " 7:30." "Get out the Scrabble, then." "Hungry?" "Starving." "It ain't no good, you bawling." " He was a good man, mister." " I made mincemeat out of him." "He always loved his mince." "Quit stalling." "I'm gonna pump you full of lead." " You're a two-timing broad." " No, not broad." "Yes." "Very long." "But you are broad, too." "Hey!" "Are you longer than you are broader, or is your broad broader than your long?" "How is your broader anyway, and your sister?" "A look at our programs later this evening:" "At 7:30, You're a Brick... a brand new radio panel game with the accent on the building trade:" "Then at 8:00: : :" "O-C-H-R-E. "Ochre." I win!" "I had "Zho." Z-H-O." " Hey, what's that when it's at home?" " A Himalayan ox." " Truly?" " Truly." "Had some good words." ""Catagmatic." "Sostenuto."" "One of the few advantages of a musical education, my dear." "You ought to leave that bank, Jos." "Go back to your proper work." "I wish I could, George." "But second-rate flautists are fourteen for tuppence." "She won't be long." "She make you jealous?" "Not much." "We've got so little in common." "She's so pretty." "Cool and detached." "There's nothing messy about her." "I feel like a brontosaurus when she's about, a freak survival." "Come off it." "Look, the truth is, you just missed being beautiful, George." "Georgina." "Kept the chips warm?" " What?" " Kept the chips warm?" "Georgy threw them away." "Well, if you've got something else." "George, what have we..." "Thanks, George, you're a dear." "You must be drunk." "I've had a few vodkas." "Does it show?" "Got you." "It's like an oven in here." "Too much on." "I'm off now." "What?" "Don't leave your own flat because of us, mate." "God, no." "Jos, come on." "Well, if it isn't Georgy Porgy visiting the old homestead." "How's life in the kitchen sink, Georgy Porgy?" "Fine, Jimsy Whimsy." " Come in and have a drink." " No, thanks." "Good God, girl, what have you got on?" "A suit of armor, is it?" "That's right." "Protects my honor." " Take it off, for God's sake." " No, I'd rather keep it on, thank you." "You've got a decent figure." "Nothing to be ashamed of." " You want to show it off." " No, I don't." "Give the boys a treat." "Just look at that thing." "You ought to get a jersey a couple of sizes smaller." "See?" "Right." "£5, £10." "You don't have to pay me." "It's on the house." "It's for a new jumper." " I like this one." " Come on." "Say thank you to Mr. James." " Thank you, James." " Good girl." " I don't know." " Dust!" "Now this." " Praying mantis." " Elephant." "Bloody marvelous." "Well, thank you, Miss..." " Parkin." " Parkin, yes." "However, just at the moment, our books seem to be full of animal imitators." "But would you be prepared to strip, my dear?" "Got one or two operation scars." "So much the better." "The customers like that." "Within reason, of course." "I'll have to ask Mommy." "Leave your name and number." "We'll be in touch." "I'll bet you will, you dirty old slob." "We going out?" " Why?" "Aren't you going with Jos or anyone?" " No." "Let's go and eat, then." "But at the first flicker of dust and all that nonsense, I'm leaving you." "Parkin's residence." "Hello?" "Oh, hi." "I might be." "Okay, I'm not doing anything." "Where?" "Then you'll have to pick me up." "At the tube in about five minutes." "See you." " Where are you going now?" " Party." "Nick's." "For God's sake, you don't expect me to have a meal with you... if I can go to a party, do you?" "Look, I didn't mean it like that." " Lf you'd been the one invited, I'd naturally..." " I never am." "Don't let's go into that again, Georgy." "Okay, if you're going to be suicidal, I'll stay!" "No." "Go." " Sure?" " Sure." "Have a lovely time." "I'll think about you when I drink my cocoa." " Hello." " Bye." "Many happy returns of the day, old boy." "Glad to see you." "Good evening." " What's this, then?" " I decided to come." "In this rig-out?" "You look like a tramp." "Why can't you behave like a lady just for once?" "A lady?" "Okay." "Come on, boys." "It's madly gay, darling." "Now, Georgy, I want you to sit quiet and listen for a moment." "I'm 49 today." "For he's a jolly good fellow" "Shut up!" "I'm 49." "Notice that, not 50 yet." "When I first met your dad, I was 27 and just got married." "Your dad was unemployed, and he couldn't afford to marry your mother." "I took him on." "She came along as housekeeper and they got married." "Ellen and I have never been blessed with children." "As a result, I've tended to look upon you as my daughter." "I've always been sorry that you weren't." "But now I'm glad." "Because of what I did out there?" "No." "I brought you in here to make you an offer." " You want to adopt me." " Georgy, please!" "No, something quite different." "I want you to be my mistress." "I've had it all drawn up properly." "I propose an agreement whereby either one of the contracting parties can opt out... at any time in six months' initial period." "I bear all the expenses... and undertake the formal adoption of any children." "Here's a copy of the draft contract for your approval." "I know it all looks pretty formal." "Will we have to have any shareholders and things?" "No, I don't think that should be necessary." "I should hate to be voted off the board." "Those annual general meetings." "I hope they'll be more frequent than that." "I turned up with the Maserati and there was this..." "Sorry." " What is it?" " Nothing, dear." "One of those vintage Bentleys all wound up." "Do you mind?" " Are you going to say yes or no?" " Yes or no." " Don't act the goat, Georgy." " Quite." "Well, I'm just getting to the small print here." "About the alleged condition of the property." "Does it have to be intact?" " Well, it is, isn't it?" " Yes." "Queen of all the fairies." "Well, then..." "Are there any special conditions about my duties?" " They're understood." " Are they?" "I haven't got to wear gymslips or suck lollipops?" "Look, if you're not prepared to discuss this thing seriously..." "And what about your wife?" "We keep it secret, naturally." "Ellen knows I've done this before." "I see." "Well, it all seems quite straightforward." "If there's no other business, I think we can wind up the meeting." "Crash." "Powdered glass all over the carpet." "My God!" "What?" "I must be mad." "You're old enough to be my managing director." "Come in." "Pardon me, sir." "Madam said three guests have arrived and she doesn't know them very well." "Yes, right." "You'll let me know about that offer as soon as you can, will you?" "Do you want to see what James offered me?" "I never pry into anything Mr. James does for you." "I only hope that you know how to show your gratitude." "See you domani?" "What about tonight?" "Thought you Eyeties are supposed to be fast workers." "The coliseum!" "But I want to be alone with you." "Get on with it." " Meredith's out." " Hell!" " But you knew she had a concert." " I forgot." " You got company?" " Yeah, come and meet him." "My date." "My amore:" "You must be hard up." "Why, I am." "Hadn't you noticed?" "22, never been kissed." "Pathetic, isn't it?" "Let's go." "Come on!" "If you're just asking me because you're sorry for me... then you don't have to bother." "Good night." "I know I don't have to bother, and I'm not sorry for you... and I am asking you." "So, come on!" "Wait for us." "Hey, come on, Georgy." "Now this is your big chance." "Don't miss it!" "Beg your pardon." " That's enough of that, Georgy." " Why?" "I like it!" "Why are you stopping?" "I know I'm not pretty like Meredith." "God, no." "You're not like Meredith." "I couldn't go to bed with you like I do with her... then grab a tomato sandwich and rush out and catch the 72 bus." "With you, it would be just one long drawn-out bloody drama." "All this whining and carrying on." "You know, the trouble with you is, you could say that you're a good girl." "So I'm sorry, lass." "Bye, love." "See you." "Have a good time?" "So-so." "Didn't lead to bed, so he can't have been up to much." "I want to talk." "Enough of that." "I'm bored." "Bored living with Georgy." "I think we ought to get married." "We don't fight, we love it in bed, and..." "Well, that's about it, really." " You must be pregnant." " Yes." "There is absolutely no point at all in us getting married... when I know nothing about you, except..." "Well, things I don't like." " You take me as me." " Who is you?" "Don't give me that rubbish." "I don't ask you what you are." "You should if we're going to marry, have a kid." "If you're going to make this a great big number... let's pretend I never spoke." " Is it the baby?" " What?" "That makes you want to marry me?" "Just feel like a change." "I can easily get rid of it." " Just like that?" " Why not?" "I have no tender feelings about it." "If that's what you wanted, you shouldn't have told me." "Don't be so stupid." "I've destroyed two of yours already." "What?" "When?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Didn't I have a right to know?" "Weren't they my sons and my daughters?" "You're not getting rid of this one anyway." " Lf I want to?" " I won't let you." " You can't stop me." " You'll marry me and have it." "Fine." "That's what I said at the start." "You're not." "Not again." "It's no use you asking me to lend you the money this time, because I won't." "I don't care if it's old hat." "I know it's just a middle-class taboo... and the law needs changing and the population of these islands... will be double by the year 2000, but I won't do it!" "I'm saving up, anyway, to go to Majorca." "Shut up, Georgy." "Nobody asked you to." "I'm having this one." "Do you mean really?" "Having?" "Jos and I are getting married." "No!" "Darling!" "Georgy, please, you're drooling." "A baby." "That's marvelous!" "Don't shout." "If I feel like this every morning, I'll probably change my mind." "You must eat, little and often." "You'll start with a biscuit before you get up." "Don't get out of bed in a hurry." "Don't worry, Meredith." "I'll look after you." "I'm going to be the bridesmaid." "And don't you throw that bouquet at me." "You give it to me carefully... 'cause I won't have my glasses on and I might drop it." "No bridesmaids, darling." "No confetti, organs, vicars, Mendelssohn or Moss Bros." "Up the registry, quick in and out, ta very much." "Next, please." "Meredith, you must do something." " I'll tell you what, Georgy." " What?" "You can be best man." " What about when you're married?" " What about it?" "You and Jos will be there." "What about me?" " You thinking of leaving?" " Not if you don't want me to." " I'm easy if you are." " You don't want me to go?" " Who'd do the cooking?" " Meredith, I love you." "Meredith's getting married." "She's pregnant." "That's nice, isn't it?" "Typical of the way we're going." "I sometimes wonder to what the country's coming to." "Don't you go getting yourself into trouble, that's all." "Doris, don't speak like that." "He'd never forgive me." "You've got to drink your orange juice, hasn't she, Jos?" "Yes, indeed." "Otherwise, this baby of mine won't have any teeth... and infant false teeth can be very expensive." "If your dialogue is this corny now, Jos Jones, God help us when we're married." "At least you take your iron pills." "You see, Mommy dear, the baby lives on your blood supply..." "Look." "I wish you'd both belt up about this bloody baby." "I'm off to work." "Don't worry." "The kid will survive." "My mother, she ate nothing but chips before I was born." " Yeah, look at you now, you wreck." " Help." "I'm a wreck." "I'm dying." "Yes, my knees are getting weaker and there's a flutter in my chest, there is." "Come here." "Yes." "Feel." "Cold." "You ain't half got nice cold hands, miss." "And you'll feel a wrong side of it in a minute, my lad." "You wouldn't hit me, miss." "You and Meredith, you're hopeless." "If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to get you lot organized." "Organized?" "And, Miss Perry, I don't want to be disturbed." "Very good, Mr. Leamington." "Come over here and make yourself comfortable." "Sit down." "Go on." " Have you come to give me your answer?" " Answer?" "No, this is serious." "You know you're always saying you'll do anything for me and all that." " Yes." " Well, I need a pram." "And a cot." "And some nappies." "And some blankets and a high chair and..." "Who is it, Georgy?" " Meredith, actually." " Meredith?" "But she's a girl." "Yeah, I noticed that, too." "That's the sort that usually has babies, isn't it?" "I could wring your neck!" "I won't, though." "None of that." "Watch the old blood pressure." "Can you give me one reason why I should buy all that stuff for Meredith?" "Meredith will never bother." "I don't know." "You've got a nerve, you have." " It's all that keeps me going, mister." " All right." "You're a lovely old thing, really." "We'll go along together, shall we?" "How about tomorrow?" " No, we can't go tomorrow." " They're getting married tomorrow." "You look beautiful." " It's ridiculous, Georgy." " It's not." "It's lovely." "Don't cry now or I'll bash you." "On your marks, get set, go." "...the solemn and binding character of the..." " Got a cigarette?" " You can't smoke now." " For God's sake." " Please." " Shut up." "You can have one when it's over." " I'm not going in till I get a cigarette." "If you don't behave, I'll take your knickers down... give you such a belting, you won't sit for a week." " You just try." " Don't argue now." "Good morning." " Jones." " Miss Montgomery and Mr. Jones." "Jones." "I never thought of that." "Mrs. Jones." " I beg your pardon." " Nothing." "Give it." "Give it to me." "It's raining." "Yes." "Well, now." "What next?" "Oh, yes." "Legally." "Mrs. Scarlet Meredith Jones." "I'd forgotten about that." "Leave some cake, George." "Now, at this stage is the heaviest strain:" "You can see the value of giving the mother: : :" "The injection of the drug called Erzontine:" "Incidentally, it may help to contract the uterus:" "Here it comes:" "It's a boy!" "Good lusty yells:" "A new life has begun:" ": : : the mother, by being awake, has had the joy of sharing her child's first moments:" "We were watching that." " Do anything to get on telly, some people." " Meredith, it was marvelous." "Funny thing is, they wouldn't have themselves taken on the lavatory." "It's all part of this trend to make out it's not an animal function at all..." " but something frightfully spiritual." " It's a miracle, Meredith." "Rot." "I can have this baby quite efficiently, thank you... without going into some enormous trance as if I was at Lourdes." " How was the concert, my dear?" " Beethoven night." "They're like animals." "You ought to stop work." "And live on what he gets at the bank?" "You must be joking." "There's what I get from my classes." "Spock says here:" " "After the third month"..." " For God's sake!" "I say, do you have the feeling that Meredith's a sort of irritating lodger?" "Look at us, missus." "Here we are, sitting by the light of the silvery telly." "We're like the old married couple." "What do you say, Fish-face?" "I'm talking to you." "Hey, Fish-face." " What?" " There are things here." " Things?" " Yes, things." "Look at it all." "It ruins everything." "Surprise!" "What's the matter?" " Meredith, it's for the baby." " I didn't think it was for the prime minister." " Where'd you get the money, George?" " James." "I went to him and..." "You went to another man?" "That dirty old man?" "What do you mean, another man?" "I'm not your wife." "How do you do?" "Come on." "Bye-bye." "There you are." "Off you go." "I've got you." "Can't stop." "In a hurry." " You always are these days." " Yes." "Sorry." "Don't mess about, mister." "I haven't seen you for months." "Can't you spare me two minutes?" " How's the pregnancy going?" " Lumping along." " Still at the flat?" " That's right." " The three of you?" " Four, soon." "That's not very fair on you." "The wife, the husband, too." "We share." " You share?" "Share what?" "Him?" " The flat." " It all seems very offbeat, if you ask me." " It is." "It's dead kinky." "We all dress up as Boy Scouts and beat each other with our woggles." " Get them out of the flat." "I'll pay your rent." " Can't be done." " Why not?" " The baby." "Look, I haven't had my answer yet." " Forgot my hat." " Come on." "Bye-bye." "Here." "You know, I won 15 and 6 myself on that race, sir." " What a winner that horse was." " And it won't be the last time, either." "I bet it won't." "The wife's laid out a buffet supper." " Get us a bottle of something." " Right you are, sir." " The Nuits-Saint-Georges, perhaps." " That sounds good enough for me." "Doris, Mrs. Leamington isn't joining me for supper, is she?" " No, sir." " Right." "Then you'll sit down with me, won't you, Ted?" "Thank you very much, sir." "Now that is the end of a perfect day." "Mr. James' horse won." "Mrs. Leamington's gone." " Gone?" " Gone." "Gone where?" "She's dead." "Doris, what a thing to say." "What am I expected to say then?" "Wait a minute." "Leave it to me, sir." "Doris, what a way in which to speak." "What happened?" "I heard this thundering great crash upstairs... and thinking it was that damned cat, up I went." "If I've shooed that cat out of that bedroom once, I've shooed him out..." "Get on with it." "There she was, lying beside the bed, Mrs. Leamington, this is... with one of her medical books on the floor where she'd dropped it." " All blue her face was..." " Doris, don't go into it." " Did you fetch the doctor?" " Yes." "He said she was dead straight away." "I helped him lift her onto the bed." "She does look awful." "Come in." "My apologies for that, sir." "Doris is not herself." "Your wife is at peace, Mr. James." "It was a quick and merciful release." " I don't suppose she knew what hit her." " Something hit her?" "Pardon?" "I see." " What do we do?" " I'll take care of everything, Mr. James." " You're too overcome with grief and shock." " Yes, that's right." "No doubt you'd like to pay your last respects?" "It was nice of you to come, Georgy." "I don't mind funerals." "That's lovely, Georgy." "Yes." "Look, feet." "What's this?" "The chamber of horrors?" " Hi." " They're the most marvelous pictures." "Look, will you two leave me alone?" "They'll help you understand the fetal development." "I don't want to understand or know anything about it." "You know, she won't even recognize labor when it starts." "Won't I just." " Now, come on, Mommy." " Shut up!" "I'll tell you what this little episode's taught me." "It's taught me what it feels like to look like the back end of a bus." "And sit around every night with nothing to do." "You bitch!" "We're not crying, are we?" "Here we go again." "Just like my mother." "She always used to cry when the announcer on the radio said goodnight." "Lucky for you you're pregnant." "Otherwise, I might smack your face." "You think you're one of the world's beauties." "At least I'm not one of its freaks." " I think I'll smack it anyway." " Let me go." "No, she's right, Jos." "I'm like the back of a bus." "My face is too fat." " My hair's like grass." "I'm just a mess." " Shut up." "You're not." " Look, she's just jealous of you." " Jealous!" " Will you look at the size of me?" " Jealous!" " Never!" " Stop it!" " You're bloody jealous." " Stop it!" " Why the hell did I marry you?" " Jos, please, go away." "Why did you marry me?" "Thunderous chords on the piano." "Scream of train going into tunnel." "Don't pass out, dear." "I love you!" "I love you, damn you!" "I love you." " I love you." " Shut up!" "Come back to the flat because I want to talk to you." " I don't want to listen." " Sorry, love, but I love you." "She was a beautiful woman." "Beautiful." "Tolerant." "Civilized." "And about as exciting as a half brick." "I'd always hoped, when Georgy was a little girl, that you'd have a son." "I don't know." "Maybe they'd get married." "I suppose that sounds silly to you, the idea of anyone wanting Georgy." "No." "I never see her these days." "Doesn't it worry you sometimes, the danger she runs?" " Danger?" " The people she mixes with." " She's not much more than a child." " She's as tough as old boots." "Do you know when she was eight, she could crack a walnut in her fist?" "She's a girl, she's immature." "Who'd want to try it on with old Georgy?" "I mean, look at her." "I love you!" "I love her." "I do." "What can I do?" "I love her." "I do." "What can I do, scuddlydoo." "Listen, missus, I'm not kidding." "I love you!" "Listen, I'm not kidding." "I'm a desperate man, missus!" "I'll stop at nothing!" "I'm going to strip stark naked if you don't come home with me right now." "You don't believe me, do you?" "She doesn't believe me." "Hey, watch this." "The fastest untying of a tie... since the first Roman tied a bit of cloth around his neck." "What did you say?" "Romans didn't invent ties?" "Well, I'm weak on history." "You're not scared yet, are you, darling?" "Watch this then." "Lovely pair of shoes here." "Socks as well." "How about that?" "Only the pants left, honey, and here they go now." "Wait for the countdown." "Five, four, three, two, one..." " Jos, please!" " Do you give in?" "Or do you want the Chinese water torture?" " Put your clothes on." " Then you'll come home?" "Hurry up, my nipples are freezing." "I love you." "I never said that to her or to anyone." "I've grown to love you in the right way." "So that's all right." "Isn't it?" " Jos, I love you." " I know." "It's because I do, it's because..." "Look, don't go on, missus." "It'll be all right." "Will it?" "We'll live happily ever after." " Who is it?" " It's Peg." "Peg?" "That's short for Margaret, isn't it?" "Yes." "I can't invite you in, dear, you see, I've just got out of bed." " Don't you want to know about Meredith?" " What?" "She's asleep." "Is she?" "I've just come back from the hospital." "She's started her pains." " What's going on?" "Why weren't you here?" " Look, I'll write you a letter, dear." " Are you alone?" " Look, belt up, Peg." "Is there anything else?" "No." "The nurses said I couldn't be much help, and you've to ring at 8:00." "There we are, then." "Ring at 8:00." "Good night, dear." "We're going to the hospital." "But Peg says we don't have to go till tomorrow." "She's having your baby!" "Yours!" "Naughty." "We don't need the gas and air till we get much stronger contractions." "Have you ever had a baby?" "No." "But I've brought hundreds into the world." "Then belt up and leave me alone with this thing." "You speak to me like that, I'll take it away altogether." "There's a visitor for you." "All right, dear." "That's right." "Try to get some bye-byes." "I'll bring you a couple of aspirin." "It's like burning and she says aspirin." "Spiritual experience." "Help." "Thank you, my dear." "What is your name and your telephone number?" "Thank you." "Goodbye." " What time is it?" " 8:30." "I'd better ring." "It's a girl. 7 pounds, 2 ounces." "Born at 6:30." "Both doing well." "You rang." "That's what they said?" "7 pounds, 2 ounces." "That's not bad for someone her size." "A girl." "That's better in a way." "A boy needs more from a father." "What name did we choose for it if it's a girl?" "Sara." "Without an "H."" "Sounds like some international combine or club or something." "Society for the Admiration of Risky Anecdotes." "Shall we drink to the baby's health?" "Throw me in a piece of fried bread, would you?" "Long life and happiness." "Yes." "Good luck, mate." "You'll need it with her for a mother." "Amazing things happen to women when they have children." "The most unexpected people suddenly turn out natural mothers." "I don't know why she didn't get rid of it like the others." " She went through hell to have it." " And she deserved to." "No one deserves to." "She was in agony, and she needed us." " We were in there, rolling about on the floor." " We didn't know." "Give me another." "Bad luck, your first time." "It's the absolute story of my life." "No matter what I try..." "God's always got a custard pie up his sleeve." "Very good." "I'm afraid most of the pathetic clowns are cast this season." "Give it a rest, Jos." "Are you interested in small parts?" "I know most girls aren't these days... but you know, you seem to have such bad luck in this direction." "I love you." "I love you." "God, isn't it marvelous without her?" " Don't say that." " Sorry." "Say the first thing that comes into your head." "Yes, it is." "Time I got dressed." "Blimey." " Do you think you could make the bedroom?" " No." "Well, I'll try." "Put me down." "Jos, please put me down." " How long?" " Doctor said eight weeks." " Hi." " Where the hell have you been?" " How are you feeling?" " Lousy." "Well?" "Aren't you going to look at it?" "This is your marvelous child you couldn't bear being destroyed, remember?" "It's hideous." "I hate it." "It gave me hell." "All new babies look like that." "You'll like it when it's a bit older." "No." "I want it adopted." "Now." "I've got a rotten headache." "Have you got any aspirin or dope?" "Not that I couldn't use it myself." "How do you set about adoption, anyway?" "If I ask the nurses here, they'll plague me with sermons." " You're a bitch." " You're a bastard." " How is she?" " Fine." " Want to go up and see her?" " No." "Can't." "Come on then." " Is she proud of the baby?" " Yes." "Drooling over it all the time." "There, I told you so." "It's a bit strange, really, because she's dead ugly." "Sara?" " Cauliflower ear, a terrible squint." " That poor baby." "Part of a wig join that you can see from one end of the ward to the other." " Hey, look!" " That's not funny." "Catch me." "That's why adoption is so tricky to arrange." "You can't be sure the mother knows her own mind." "Don't worry." "You can be sure in this case." "In fact, I think it's probably the only way." "You see, the home situation is a bit offbeat." "Offbeat?" "How do you mean?" "Excuse me." " Sister, shall I take her to the nursery?" " No." "Just hold on a minute." " I was just discussing her with..." " Hey, George." "Jos!" "How are you?" "Congratulations." "I thought you said you weren't coming." "I changed my mind." "I'm so thrilled about the baby." "Are you visiting Mrs. Jones?" "Yes." "I'm her sister, Georgina Jones." "I've been out of the country." "I couldn't get in sooner." "But surely Jones is her married name." "Yes." "Well, I mean her sister-in-law." "I'm Jos' sister." "That's my baby." "Can I hold her?" "Sure." "Have a hold." "Be my guest." "Meredith, you're looking marvelous." "Where have you been?" " I've just seen her." " Who?" " Sara." " Oh, that." "Honestly, she's going to be a real knockout, just like her mother." "Georgy, please." "None of the hearts and flowers mother-love bit." "Honestly, she's beautiful." "She's just like you." "Shut up, Georgy, will you?" "Come on, Meredith, you're just feeling down in the dumps." "Don't you tell me what I'm feeling." "As far as I'm concerned, when I leave this hospital, I leave alone." " All very sad, but..." " Don't talk like that, Meredith." "I'm not having my life cluttered up with some screeching baby." "The flat's all ready, and I'm leaving." "It won't be fair to have me hanging around the three of you." " What have you been telling her?" " What?" "Whatever it is, just get this straight, Georgy." "I'm having this baby adopted, and that's that!" "You're not going to give Sara away." "Not now you've seen her and touched her." "I don't touch her." "I leave it to this crew." " Now, just a minute, young lady." " You stay out of it, you old bag." "You can't." "How can you not want to hold her and take care of her?" "God." "The embarrassment." "Okay." "If you're so keen on this bloody thing, then you have it." "Free." "Gratis and for nothing." "With none of the attendant pain or discomfort." "Instant families!" "Yes, all right." "I will." "Of course I will." "I wouldn't wish a mother like you on her." "You're a cow, Meredith." "It's all right, everybody." "Keep calm." "It's nothing whatever to do with you." "Yes." "Well..." " Get rid of all this junk, Ted." " Yes." "Dispose of all the sad reminders, sir?" "Of course." " Come on, Jos." " I'm coming." "Come on, quick." "I'm not used to this." " You're holding her all wrong." " What do you mean?" "Come on, that's better." "Now you make the tea." "Poor baby." "There's a baby." "Darling!" "They can start reading at 18 months if the letters are big enough." "She'll start before that." " Bank sensation!" " You're late!" "The books were out five pence." "It was every man for himself." "You two trying to get your weight down?" "It's like a pressure cooker." "The nappies have got to be done somewhere and we don't want nappy rash." "No, we don't." " How's the basket?" " Getting on." "I meant this one." "So much for fatherhood." "What's this one for?" "Catching heads?" " Jos!" " Did you get paid?" "Wealth, beyond the dreams of avarice." " Let's go to pictures, Georgy." " We can't, 'cause we can't leave Sara." "Peg will look after her, won't you, my old beauty?" " She can't, Jos." " Sorry, my pottery class." "Damn!" " You go by yourself." " That's fun." "Well, I've got masses to do." "I don't mind, honestly." " Are you sure?" " Absolutely." "Whoopee." "I'll have to get me skates on." " Do you get it?" " Yes, I see." " Do you really?" " What I mean is lace, soft and white... like lace." "You know, lots of..." " Lace." " Right." "All over." "All over." "Yes, well, if you're quite sure..." "Tony, the flock material." "What do you think?" " That's the stuff." " You see how it drapes?" "It's going to be like some Bessarabian brothel up there." "Her room?" "And that bed." "It's all lace and cupids." "Is he gonna get some fancy woman in?" "A couple of nancy boys dancing about there." "God!" "He is going to get a fancy woman in." " Okay." "Bye-bye." " So long." " Come to make an honest woman of me?" " Something like that." "That's not good enough." "I told you those pills wouldn't work, mister." "Well!" "Good God, you're not going to take that thing up all those stairs?" "Aye, can't afford to lose it." "It's Sara's status symbol." " You're mad, Georgy." " Think so?" "Never been better." " Your dad told me about all this." " Left holding the baby as usual." "Can we talk?" "Haven't got time, old love." "She's due for her bath." "Well?" "You can't go on like this, Georgy." "Poor old James." "Bye-bye." "Peg says we ought to think more about Sara." " More?" " Yes, her future." "Look." "For one moment, just let us think... of nothing but the present." "She thinks Sara's going to suffer if we're not married." "Nuts." "Look, it'll be years before that becomes a problem." "We can't go on like this for years." "Don't you want to marry me?" "You used to." "What?" "Want to marry me." "You've changed." "I've changed?" "No, ma'am." "I don't change." " You've changed." " I'm making a home for you." "A home?" "A clinic!" " Look, do you honestly like all this?" " Yes!" "George, I..." "No, Jos." "I'm going to sleep." "I've got to feed Sara in a couple of hours." "Mrs. Jones?" "Yes." "Well, no." "Actually, my name is Parkin." "Mrs. Jones does live here, though?" "Not exactly, no." "Mr. Jones does." "And the baby?" "Yes, the baby's here, yes." "I was just changing her." "I see." "Well, perhaps you could spare me a moment." "I'm your health visitor." " Yes, well, come in." "It's awfully wet." " Thank you." " Isn't she sweet?" " Gorgeous." "But the husband has custody of the child?" "Yes, it's a bit vague, really." " But he lives here?" " Yes." "And you." "Do you live here?" "Well, I sort of live in." "I'm employed to look after the baby while Mr. Jones is at work." "I sleep on the divan in the sitting room." "So he has a steady job." "There's no problem about providing for the child or anything?" "No." "He has this terribly good job at the bank." "He's very responsible." "Aware of his responsibilities." "George, where are you?" "You great sexy beast!" "I'm free!" "I've chucked in that God-awful job at the bank and I'm free." "Now we can spend all day in bed together." "Where are you?" "Where are you hiding that great seraphic body of yours?" "Come out!" "Mr. Jones?" "You don't sound as if you've got much heartache." "I have." "It really hurts." "As we run by the end of the jetty, on our right-hand side: : :" "If you look on the shore: : :" "You will see a small gray-colored house with a red street door:" "In that house, Sir Christopher Wren lived... while Saint Paul's Cathedral was being constructed." "And as you can see: : : :" ""In that house, Sir Christopher Wren lived..." ""while Saint Paul's Cathedral was being constructed."" "He could see it from his bedroom window." "One morning, he woke up and he saw that they were nearly done... and he said, "My God, it's there." "I'm famous." "I've built Saint Paul's."" "It's true." "Shall I tell you a little story?" "One wintry afternoon, not unlike this, nip in the air..." " I watched a fellow drown himself." " We've got to talk." "I was walking along the embankment and he was swimming in the dirty water... with his trousers on, and a see-through nylon shirt." "First of all, I thought he was one of these health perverts." "Then I noticed he was keeping himself away from the shore." "Tiring himself out, you see, getting weaker and weaker." "Then the river police came in a launch." "But by the time, he'd gone under." "They cruised around for a bit, then they went away." "To get a net, I suppose." "I've never felt suicidal, Georgy, till the last few weeks." "Didn't you try to save him?" "I don't want to save anybody." "That's where you're a freak, Georgy." "Not being big and ugly, and all that." "It's this wanting to save people." ": : : where we will have a five-minute stay:" "I would like to point out that the commentaries on these vessels: : :" "Are entirely voluntary:" "Therefore, should any of you care to appreciate it: : :" "You may do so when I pass among you with a hat:" "For which, I should like to thank you very much:" "Thank you very much:" "I love her." "I do." "What can I do, scuddlydoo." "Hey, I am a desperate man, missus." "I'll stop at nothing." "I'm going to strip stark naked if you don't come home with me." "Go away, Jos." "Go away, or I'll cry." "Really?" "How very peculiar." "You mean, salt tears will actually fall down your cheeks?" "Shall I cry?" "I'm told it's quite easy." "It's no good, nothing happens." "Can you teach me?" "Hey, fat-face, I'm talking to you." "I haven't cried since I fell off the seat of my bicycle... onto the crossbar when I was eight." "You're not laughing, are you?" "No, you're not." "Other people might think you were, but not me." "I can see through what other people might think was a laugh, just like that." "That was meant to be my fingers clicking." "Only, because I can't click my fingers, I use my tongue instead." "I'm like Peter Pan." "He couldn't click his, you know..." "It's very embarrassing." "Georgy, could I talk to you for a minute?" "Come inside." " Where are we going?" " Nowhere." "I just want to be sure of your undivided attention." "I see." "It's abduction now." "He's gone, hasn't he?" "Jos?" "Yes." "What are you going to do now?" "Don't know." "I've been thinking." "What?" "I've been thinking that the terms of my proposed contract... could be amended to cover this." "Don't you start all that again." "I've had nothing else for the last six months." "Just contracts!" "They're still going to take the baby away." " No, not necessarily..." " Stop the car." "I don't care about you." "Well, say it properly then." "Oh, my God!" "Mother!"