A Boy Called Dad Page #2

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That's good! You're getting there. Feeling it, yeah.

Then you've go to and get your fancy moves.

Do your high kicks. Come on, feel it.

In time to the music.

Something like that.

Get the basics right and everything else will follow.

Tell you what, mate... just stick to two and three.

How come you can dance and I can't?

Dunno. Take after me dad. Your grandad.

What was he like?

- Do you want to be buried or cremated?

- Surprise me.

- 'Bout you?

- Neither.

They reckon drowning's a good way to go, don't they?

Dunno, never tried it.

- D'you reckon he can hear us?

- Doubt it.

- He was deaf!

- HE LAUGHS

- Are you like him?

- He was the talk of the village, me dad.

Always tellin' stories. Used to sit us on his knee

- and tell us all about the old days in Killarney.

- How old were you?

29! Nah, dunno, four or five.

Used to take us there in the school holidays.

- Took us to the Blarney Stone.

- What's that?

- If you kiss it,

it's meant to give you the gift of the gab.

- So you'll have better luck chattin' up girls.

- Did it work?

- Yeah.

- Shagged this girl called Mary there.

- On the Blarney Stone?

- Yeah.

Me dad went mental. But I could tell he was thinking, "Nice one, son".

You're meant to look up to your dad.

I did. He was a hero.

Are you like him?

Come on. It's getting cold.

- Leanne!

- What do you want?

- Can I hold him?

- No!

- Please, just for a bit?

- Why are you suddenly arsed about him?

You don't even know his name.

Buy him some nappies.

That wouldn't even buy him one.

It's all I've got. Please?

- Will it mean you'll leave us alone?

- Yeah.

Like that, divvy! He's not a sack of spuds.

Hey, mate.

It's Elliott.

Hi, Elliott.

His first name's William after my granddad.

Billy Elliott?

CAR SPEEDS BY:

TYRES SCREECH:

Just stay away, Robbie, OK?

BABY CRIES:

- Who's that kid?

- Just someone from school.

HORSE-RACING COMMENTARY ON TV

HE MUTTERS:

Come on.

F***ing move!

- What are you doin' soft lad? Go after him.

- Why?

- You're going to let him get away with that?

- I'm all right.

You got to look after yourself, Rob. No-one else will.

Do you understand me? No-one.

What are you like with your fists?

Show me. No, no, no. Hit me. Come on. Hit me.

Properly, come on. Come on, hit me.

No, no, no. Properly, not like a girl.

Like a lad. Hit me. Hit me!

You little...!

Rob, I was trying to help. I'm sorry.

You all right, mate?

I'm sorry.

Come on. Forgive me, Rob.

Come on, mate. I'm sorry.

All right, eh?

- Has my dad been in?

- Who?

- Joe.

- No, lad. He's back home, over the water.

- He's back in Ireland already?

Ireland?! Liverpool.

- His home's in Ireland.

- I think you've got your wires crossed, lad.

He lives in Liverpool.

- How long's he lived there for?

- Years.

If you're his son, shouldn't you know that?

Yeah. It's just we've been apart for a bit.

- Has he been over here much?

- On and off, yeah.

- No message?

- No.

TRAIN PASSES:

DOOR SLAMS:

BABY CRIES:

F***ing shut up.

F***ing shut up!

F***ing noisy little sh*t.

CRYING CONTINUES

Touch him again and I'll f***ing kill you!

Are you f***ing kidding me?

Are you f***ing kidding me, son?

F***ing touch me...?

What the f*** are you doing? F*** off.

F*** off.

What are you f***ing doing, you little sh*t?

- F***ing let go. Oi!

- Leave him alone.

GUNSHO Aah! You f***!

SCREAMING:

BABY CRIES:

F***ing move!

Ssh!

I'm sorry. Please, ssh.

HE BREATHES HEAVILY

ENGINE SPLUTTERS

No, no. Sh*t.

Do you know how to work it?

KNOCK AT DOOR:

Afternoon. DCI Hill, DC McKenzie.

We're responding to the disappearance of Elliott

- and Robbie, is it?

- Yeah. Come in.

I didn't even know he had a kid.

Your ex-wife wondered if he dropped any hints about where he was gone.

No. I don't know, mate.

You can't think where he might have gone, then, no?

Sorry.

THUNDER ROLLS:

ELLIOTT CRIES:

ELLIOTT SCREAMS LOUDER

Ssh!

Ssh.

Go on. Go on.

Go on!

ELLIOTT RESUMES CRYING

Elliot!

Shut up!

CRYING ECHOES:

ELLIOTT GURGLES:

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

Sorry.

ELLIOTT MOANS:

Ssh!

PHONE RINGS:

We're going, Elliot. Get the ferry to Ireland.

Everything's going to be cool. We'll be safe there.

Oh - urgh!

F***ing hell, what's she feed you?

Come on.

Come on, stinky.

Ssh.

ELLIOTT GURGLES:

CREAKING:

Sh*t. I fell asleep.

I haven't done nothing, honest. Just needed somewhere to kip.

Is this your farm?

What's your name?

You Welsh?

Charlotte Church, yeah?

You understand me? Why don't you say something?

Nia!

What're you doing in there? Come on.

RESPIRATOR HISSES

DOOR OPENS:

Thanks.

Is it Nia?

This is Elliot.

Me son.

I'm looking after him for his mum for a bit.

She's not well.

You won't let on I'm here, will you?

ELLIOT COUGHS, SPLUTTERS

Rragh!

That warm?

Good boy. Ah!

Good boy, Elliot.

ELLIOT CRIES:

ROBBIE SIGHS:

NIA HUMS SOFTLY:

'Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the 14-year-old

'should contact Merseyside Police immediately.

'A housewife in Cheshire has been...'

I heard you.

Singing.

Why did you pretend you couldn't talk?

Please. Say something in Welsh.

Go on. Teach me some swear words.

Cachgi.

What's that?

Sh*t dog or...coward.

Another.

Coc oen.

Coc oen.

Lamb's cock.

What was it like?

With you and Elliot's mum?

What was what like?

You know.

The sex.

Just sex.

Put you off?

No.

Did you love her?

To be honest, not even sure I liked her.

Don't you want to do it with someone you like?

If I meet someone, yeah.

ELLIOT CRIES SOFTLY

I'll just check to see if I've heard from Nathan.

Boyfriend?

He'd like to be. He's older.

Only chance I get to talk to lads.

My dad won't let me.

Treats me like a kid.

Can't go anywhere on my own, except the farm.

Maybe he just wants to look after you?

How would you like it?

He wants to meet me.

Be careful, Nia. He could be some paedo.

- He's not.

- How do you know? Could be some old perv.

You don't want to be doing it with some old fella.

What's up?

I'm going to stay here until you tell me.

Uncle Barry.

My dad's brother.

Smelt of...

the pub and fish paste sandwiches.

He said...

He said if I ever told anyone, that my dad would die as well, so be good.

It was cos I hadn't been good that my mum died.

On my 12th birthday,

my dad caught him.

I've never seen him again and my dad won't have his name mentioned.

I got pregnant.

I didn't want it.

You need to talk to someone.

I am.

CAR ON CATTLE GRID

Sh*t. Your dad! I'll see you later.

ELLIOT WHIMPERS:

COWS LOW:

ELLIOT CRIES:

Sounds like a baby.

Ssh!

Sh*t! Ssh!

Must have been a cat.

The cat that got your tongue.

ELLIOT CRIES:

Ssh. Come on.

Ssh.

HE LAUGHS:

Young lad. The baby's only six months old.

Thought I heard a baby in the night. But it was a cat.

Keep an eye out for him. He shot someone.

I bet you haven't done behind your ears.

I got this from Dad's tin.

It's OK. I'll watch Elliot.

Thanks.

(SOFTLY) # Hush little baby, don't say a word

# Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird

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