All About 'Abigail's Party' Page #5

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What a lovely table!

This is what I'd really love.

- What's that, Ange?

- The candelabra? It's brilliant, isn't it?

- Is it real silver?

- Yeah. Silver plate, yeah.

Oh, it looks so lovely.

And with the light.

- Sue.

- Thank you.

- Are you all right, Sue?

- Fine, thank you.

Yes.

Sue, you must think I'm dreadful.

I'm sorry, I do apologise.

I haven't offered you anything to eat.

Have some nuts.

Thank you.

Take some crisps as well.

- That's it. Lovely.

- Thank you.

Now then, Sue, let's see.

A little cheesy pineapple one?

Thank you.

- Tone, a little cheesy pineapple one?

- Ta.

- Take another, Sue. Save me coming back.

- Thank you.

That's it. Lovely.

Now then, Sue.

Would you like a little cigarette, Sue?

- No, thank you. Not at the moment.

- Sorry, Sue. This is what I'll do.

I'll pop it on here for you. You can

light that when you've finished those, OK?

- Tony, come and see this beautiful kitchen.

- It's lovely, isn't it?

Oh, these tiles are gorgeous.

- Were they here when you came?

- Yeah, we were lucky.

You were, 'cause our kitchen's nothing like this.

- Tony, come and have a look.

- Have a look, Tone. They're beautiful.

Tony!

- He's nice, isn't he?

- Yes.

He's fantastic.

- Actually, they're a very nice couple.

- Yes.

Oh, and you've got one of these!

What's that, Ange?

- Oh, the rotisserie. Yeah.

- Do you do chickens and things on it?

Well, you can do. To be honest, I'm not much

of a cook, so I haven't used it yet. But you can.

- Laurence, where have you been?

- To the off-licence!

- Hello, Sue. All right?

- Fine, thank you.

Those want to go in the fridge, Laurence, to chill.

- All right, Ange?

- Yes.

Come through, Tone.

- Like to sit down, Tone?

- Ta.

Now, then, Sue. How about a little cigarette?

- There we are, Sue. OK?

- Thank you.

Lovely.

- Now, everybody OK?

- (ALL) Yes, thank you.

- Now, who's for a drink? Tony, light ale?

- Not just yet, thank you.

Go on, Tone. He got them specially for you.

If he doesn't want one, Beverly,

he doesn't have to have one.

- Sue?

- No, thank you.

- Angela?

- No, I'm all right, thanks.

- Beverly?

- I'm fine, thanks.

Laurence? ...Yes, please!

Thanks very much.

- Well, the party's hotting up at your place, Sue.

- So Beverly said.

Yes, Laurence,

we were saying it might be a good idea

if a bit later on you and Tony popped down.

- What for?

- To check everything's all right for Sue.

Put Sue's mind at rest,

because she's a bit worried.

- It'll be all right.

- There won't be any problems.

Laurence, I'm not saying there'll be problems,

I'm saying would you check for Sue.

I've just been past and everything seems OK.

- Did you see what was happening in the garden?

- Well, yes.

The couple snogging through the window.

- Through the window?

- With the dirty vest.

No, no. I saw a couple

down the side of the house.

And there were a few in the porch.

But I didn't see anybody in the window.

- Want to sit here, Laurence?

- No, stay where you are.

- Sit here. There's plenty of room.

- Thank you.

- Anyway, Sue, these things happen at parties.

- Yes, of course.

- I'm sure it's nothing to worry about.

- No.

Actually, Laurence,

you're being very unfair to Sue.

- Not at all.

- No, don't make excuses for him.

Apart from anything else,

Tony has already agreed to go.

- Have you?

- Yeah.

Yes, well, I didn't say I wouldn't go. If Sue

wants us to go, of course we'll go down there.

- I don't know that I do.

- Fine.

- Tony doesn't mind going on his own.

- No, I don't.

- I didn't say I wouldn't go.

- Fine, Laurence, are you going?

- Yes.

- Thank you.

That's quite all right.

I'm not saying there'll be any trouble, but

teenagers have a drink and get over-excited.

Yes, well, it starts with one kiss...

This is it. Then they find their way to the bedroom.

- Sue, do you like olives?

- Yes.

Fine!

- I'll get you some.

- Thank you.

- You've got a friend for life, Sue.

- Oh?

- None of us like olives.

- Oh, I see.

I can't stand them.

Those stuffed olives,

the little red bit that sticks out.

It reminds me of a little...

I'm not saying what it reminds me of!

- But it puts me off. I can't eat them!

- Not everyone can like everything.

It's like Tony. He doesn't like curry and I love it.

- So we never go in Indian restaurants, do we?

- No.

And he won't even eat curry at home,

which is a shame, 'cause I enjoy making it.

- Have you ever tried pilchard curry?

- No...

That's a very economical dish.

You just get one of those big tins

of pilchards in tomato sauce

and mix it with onions and curry powder

and it's really tasty.

But Tony won't touch it.

- Darling, have you got heartburn?

- No.

I haven't got heartburn,

just slight indigestion, that's all.

I thought so!

This is it, Ange.

He came in late and was all upset.

He's very highly strung, Sue.

It gives him heartburn.

Ah, he must be careful,

because when I was working in intensive care,

the people who'd had a cardiac arrest,

they were nearly all businessmen

and those who were worrying about their work.

- I hope you're listening to this, Laurence.

- Yes, I'm listening.

- Cigar?

- No, thanks, I've given up.

- Sure?

- Go on, Tone, take a little cigar.

- Enjoy yourself. Go on, take one.

- Take one.

- Ta.

- Tony!

Well, that counts, doesn't it?

- If he's having a cigar...

- Come on, Ange.

- Sue, would you like one?

- No, thank you.

- Some women do like them.

- So I understand. But I've got a cigarette.

Oh.

- Light?

- Ta.

- Laurence, would you put a record on?

- Yeah, surely. What would we like to hear?

- Demis Roussos.

- Oh, no, Beverly.

We don't want that fat Greek

caterwauling all night!

- Darling, not classical.

- Light classical, just as a background.

- Sue, do you know James Galway?

- Yes, I've heard him.

He's an up-and-coming

young flautist. Do you like him?

- Yes, he's very good.

- I'll put it on for you.

Laurence, we don't want to listen

to classical music at the moment.

- Well, what DO we want to listen to, Beverly?

- Demis Roussos.

Well, if everybody else wants to listen

to Demis Roussos, we'll put him on.

- Tone? Do you like Demis Roussos?

- Yeah, he's all right.

Fantastic, isn't he? Sue?

- I don't know him, I'm afraid.

- You'll like him, he's lovely.

- Sue, he's great. Would you like to hear him?

- Yes.

Yes? Laurence, Angela likes

Demis Roussos, Tony likes Demis Roussos,

I like Demis Roussos

and Sue would like to hear Demis Roussos.

So do you think

we could have Demis Roussos on?

- Yes.

- Thank you.

How are you enjoying your cigar?

Very nice, thank you.

- How's your cigarette?

- Oh, it's lovely.

Mind you don't choke on it.

You see, he's not used to smoking a cigar.

He doesn't know what to do with it!

He'll be all right.

Tone!

- Another drink?

- Ta.

- Ange? Another drink?

- Please. Thanks.

- Sue, another drink?

- No, thank you.

Come on, Sue, I'll just give you a top-up. Lovely.

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