All the Little Animals Page #4

that you can stay.

I'm more bothered about the effect

all this has had on you.

I'm going out

for a walk.

I need time to think about

everything you just said.

You do your book

or something.

I'll be back

in a while.

Tell me, Bobby,

have you ever wondered

why I live like I live

and do what I do?

Because you love

the animals.

Yes, because I love

the animals.

And because I believe

that they are life.

Life equal to ourselves,

and not in some lesser...

less valuable form.

I also have a story.

I want you

to listen carefully.

First of all,

there was a young man.

He went straight from school

to work in a bank.

He worked very hard

and became manager of the bank.

But this took

a long, long, long time,

and because he had been

working so hard,

he hadn't really had time to think

about meeting people,

having a girlfriend.

He did eventually

meet a girl, though.

She was much younger

than him and very beautiful.

He fell in love with her.

Who could blame him?

It was wonderful.

After all these years

of nothing but work,

to meet a beautiful woman

who seemed to admire

him so much...

Like a reward.

Then the man bought a lovely house

on the edge of the town.

A big house.

A huge garden.

They married

and they moved in.

Not long after this...

well, the details

are unimportant.

He came to understand

that the woman

he had married

was false.

Deceiver.

Mr. Summers?

Yes, it was around

this time

that he became obsessed

with his new ideas about animals

and he was foolish enough to start

talking about them to people he knew.

His wife started to bother him

about the garden.

She made him do work

even though she knew

that he hated tearing out

the wild plants

and replacing them

with bought ones.

She made him kill

to protect these new plants.

Life got worse and worse

for the man.

He felt ill all the time,

started making bad mistakes at work.

Life felt like...

one long, dark,

wet afternoon.

He just wanted to die.

But I couldn't do it, Bobby.

I couldn't kill myself

because I knew if I did,

then it would be

her killing me.

And me dead

is what deep down

she really wanted.

I couldn't give her

the satisfaction.

So...

I killed her.

I suffocated her

with a pillow.

But you don't kill.

I did that time,

that one time,

because it had

to be done.

What about the police?

Do they know about it?

I don't know.

They didn't find a body,

that's for sure.

I burnt it.

And I took a great deal of money

from the bank.

I ran away.

Just like you, Bobby.

It was the most exciting

day of my life.

Then I wandered

around for a time,

all over the country.

Finally, I came here.

No, I can manage.

There's something

I want to show you.

Is that the money

you took?

Some of it.

Three more boxes like this

under the wardrobe.

More money that you or I

will ever need.

Enough so we can

live here forever.

Or some other place like it.

Well, that's brilliant.

Not quite.

There's still The Fat to be considered.

He's got to be

dealt with somehow.

Dealt with?

You mean, kill him?

Kill him?

No, we're not going

to kill him.

Now that you know that money

will never be a problem,

how do you fell about letting

The Fat have the store?

For me, all right,

I suppose.

But I feel bad

about my mother

because I know she didn't

want it that way.

But if she knew

I was living here,

and I didn't need

the store,

or even the house

or anything,

then I think she might think

it's all right to let it go.

You know, because what she wanted

was me to be happy,

and that's what I am here,

with you.

In that case,

you and I will go to London

to see this man.

I don't know about that.

I've told you

what he's like.

He really hates me.

Look, we'll see him

in his office, at the store.

The staff will be there

and his secretary.

What could he possibly do

in broad daylight

in front of employees?

I think it will work.

I can feel it.

I think it will.

You're a genius!

I haven't been in London

in over 10 years.

That's a really good drawing.

Bobby, Bobby...

I can't help it,

Mr. Summers, I feel so nervous.

I feel like

I'm going to explode.

Look, we've been over this

again and again.

I understand the state you're in,

why you're in that state.

I told you,

leave it all to me.

Gosh, it's Bobby.

Hey, Bobby.

Hello.

Bobby's back. How strange.

My dear Phillip, goodbye.

I'll see you soon.

I look forward to it.

And remember, my treat next time.

- See you again soon.

- Yes.

Well, well,

look who's back.

How very pleased I am

to see you, Bobby.

I'll just be a moment.

- Janet.

- Yes, Mr. Bernard?

Send them in now.

No phone calls, no interruptions, nothing.

I understand.

Maybe you are going to introduce

this gentleman, Bobby.

This is Mr. Summers.

Mr. Summers,

this is my stepfather.

Please forgive me,

Mr. Summers.

I have to admit

this is taking me by surprise.

I began to think

I might never see Bobby again.

Of course I am most grateful to you

for bringing him back to me.

Please do sit down.

In fact, you're mistaken.

I haven't brought

Bobby back.

He wanted

to come back.

He has some matters

that he wants to sort out with you.

I'm here to help him.

Help him?

In what capacity,

may I ask?

Nothing official.

Please regard me

as a concerned friend.

Friend?

I assume Bobby

has been telling you stories.

He has a lively imagination.

People tend not

to take him too seriously.

But he has told me

certain things, yes.

And?

I'm inclined to take him seriously.

Meaning?

Meaning I do believe

that I can solve the problem

of Bobby for you.

Exactly how do you propose

to do that, Mr. Summers?

Well, Bobby has been

living with me in Cornwall

since the beginning

if the summer.

He has told me

that he is happy

and that he would like

to stay on indefinitely.

He has been very helpful to me,

in my work.

Really?

Is this true?

Yes, it's true.

I've been working

with Mr. Summers.

He's been

very kind to me

and I haven't felt

ill at all.

Not really.

Well, quite different

from how I felt before.

Good heavens,

the boy can speak.

Congratulations, Mr. Summers,

your ministrations

have clearly

born fruit.

But why come to me

for permission?

Bobby's a grown up.

He can do as he pleases.

The fact of the matter

is that Bobby became very anxious

after he met

Mr. Whiteside on the beach.

He was worried

once his whereabouts

were known,

then you might decide

to come looking

for him.

Well, it was bothering

him so much

that I suggested to him

that he come back

on his own accord,

and tell you exactly

what his new circumstances are.

And?

Well, then he told me

that he was prepared

to consider the possibility

of transferring

the ownership of Platts...

...to you.

On certain conditions,

of course.

Is that it?

Yes.

Yes, I believe so.

You idiot.

Give me Platts?

I've got Platts.

Platts is mine.

Your running away

made that possible.

And now you're back,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes