Another Year Page #2

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I mean, I've got a little bit of money.

Not a lot, but enough.

But I'll have to cut back on, you know,

shoes, clothes, jewellery,

my knick-knacky things.

But that's OK because I've got loads of

clothes. My wardrobe isn't big enough.

In fact, I'm not doing anything this

weekend, so I'll get up really early,

sort my winter clothes into plastic bags

and shove them under the bed.

- Can I top you up?

- No, I'm going now, Mary.

- Won't you help me finish it?

- No, really.

- Oh, all right. Well, I think I'm going to

stay for a little while.

How's Joe?

Have you heard from him this week?

- No, but I'm sure he's fine.

- Still no girlfriend?

I've no idea.

He must have something on the go,

a good-looking boy like him.

- See you on Thursday.

- Oh!

You're coming for supper on Saturday.

Oh, lovely. Thank you, Gerri.

Give my love to that lovely Tom.

- I will. You take care.

- Yeah.

Sorry I'm late. I'm sorry.

What's for supper?

Arrabbiata. Are you hungry?

I'm starving.

Hello.

Have a taste.

I hope it's not too hot.

You can never tell with chillies.

- No.

- No?

Oh, it's coming out my ears.

Good. Glass of wine?

No, I've had a couple.

Oh, go on, just a smidgeon.

That's the spirit.

- How was your day?

- Good.

I was out and about, getting my hands dirty.

- How about you?

- Disappointing.

Pass me the parsley.

No breakthroughs?

I had my alcoholic tutor in again.

Yeah?

- He was pissed as a fart.

- Really?

It was very upsetting, actually.

How did you handle it?

I bought him a double Scotch.

No, I had to challenge him.

I told him it was up to him.

How did he take that?

Well, I don't know. We'll have to see.

- Well, at least he came.

- Hmm.

- Have we heard from Joe?

- No.

But I haven't checked my e-mails.

I'll ring him later. I'd love to see him.

He's all right.

Mr Gupta?

Joe Hepple, nice to meet you.

- I just came with him.

- Ah, good.

Just follow me this way, please.

This way.

Excuse the mess.

You sit there, Mr Gupta,

and... l'll pop you there.

OK, now we've opened all these letters,

and I've seen all I need to see

for the time being.

Obviously, it's a sizeable correspondence

and, understandably, Mr Gupta hasn't

exactly been in a position to open them,

seeing as he's been in hospital

for the past ten weeks.

But, you're looking fit and raring to go,

Mr Gupta.

Huh?

(mouths)

WOMAN:
Excuse me.

- Hm?

- How long will this take?

JOE:
Not too long.

It's just I have to get back to work.

What do you do?

Er, I'm... Restaurant family business.

Oh, tasty.

OK.

Erm... it's important for Mr Gupta

to understand that at this point

he's in no danger of being evicted.

(speaks Hindustani)

Acha?

(continues in Hindustani)

OK?

I'll take you briefly through

what is going to happen in court.

Erm... l'll be representing Mr Gupta

on the day.

We'll put the case to the judge...

- (phone rings)

...and...

he will agree to adjourn which will then

give us time to sort things out, OK?

So, I'll... Excuse me.

Hello?

(knocks on door)

- I'll get it!

TOM:
All right.

- Hello, Mary.

- Hi, Gerri.

- It's stopped raining, thank goodness.

- I know.

- Welcome.

- Oh, thank you.

I bought you a little present, some thyme.

- That's lovely. Thank you.

- It's nothing much.

- Oh, there he is.

- Hello, love.

Hello, Tom.

Oh! I'm sorry, I just had to have a cigarette

- and I know you don't like the smell.

- Don't be daft.

- I'm trying to give up, aren't I, Gerri?

- Oh, are you?

Only I've just had a bad experience

on the tube.

- What happened?

- There was this man.

- What did he do?

- Well, he was looking at me.

I mean, every time I looked up,

he was looking at me.

- Oh, dear.

- It was a bit unsettling, to be honest.

Well, you're here now.

Exactly, and I'm very happy

to be here with both of you.

This is for you, Tom.

- Ah!

- It's nothing special.

Buenos Aires.

Yeah, because I thought you went there,

didn't you, the two of you, Argentina?

- No, we didn't, no.

- No.

- Didn't you?

- No.

Tom's been to Brazil, digging his holes.

- Yeah.

- Oh, I'm so stupid sometimes.

- That's all right.

- Oh, honestly,

Pow! What are you going to do with me,

eh?

I'm just going to run upstairs.

Is that all right? I won't be a minute.

- I haven't seen you since Christmas.

- Really?

- Oh, it's just the three of us tonight?

- Yes.

- I did tell you.

- Did you?

- Mm.

- We wanted you all to ourselves, Mary.

Oh, thank you, Tom.

That's what all the boys say.

No, I wasn't sure what to wear.

I didn't know if it was going to be

one of your big dinner parties,

- or just us, you know, casual.

- I think you got it just about right, Mary.

- You look lovely.

- Oh, thank you, Gerri.

- (yawns) Oh... sorry.

- Did you have a late night?

Oh! I stayed up watching the film.

I couldn't wake up this morning.

No, but it was lovely having a lie-in

on my day off.

- We stayed in.

- Did you?

- We listened to some music.

- Amongst other things.

- I thought Joe might be coming.

- I don't think so.

- He's coming tomorrow.

- Oh, that's a shame. I won't see him.

Did Gerri tell you about me getting a car, Tom?

Yes.

- What do you think?

- Exciting. What are you going to get?

Oh, well, I don't know.

Something small and... red.

Small and red?

Well, that narrows it down.

- Yeah.

- I hope you're hungry.

- I'm starving, Gerri, you know me.

- We'll have to fatten you up.

Oh, it's lovely having your dinner cooked

for you.

You don't really bother

when you're by yourself.

- You look well.

- Oh, thank you, Tom.

You're nice and slim.

Am I?

Well, I've always been slim, haven't I?

- Unlike me. Middle-aged spread.

- Shut up.

You're perfect. Gorgeous in every way.

And you know it.

Sit yourself down, Mary.

Help yourself to another drink.

How is that dressing coming along?

As well as can be expected.

I hear you're going to the Emerald Isle again,

Tom.

That's correct. Rent a cottage, take the car.

- Put the tent in the back.

- And the sleeping bags.

- If it's nice we might do a bit of camping.

- Oh, no.

I wouldn't fancy sleeping in a tent,

thank you very much.

No, I never had you down

as one of nature's Girl Guides, Mary.

No, Tom.

But I am always prepared.

- Yes, but what for?

- For anything, Gerri.

- You know me.

- Yes, I do.

(laughter)

I'm not going to get a holiday this year.

But then I never do, do I, Gerri?

Because I haven't got anyone to go with.

It's all right for you two,

you've got each other.

We're going to the Ring of Kerry.

The what?

- The Ring of Kerry. It's an area.

GERRI:
Tralee,

- Dingle Bay.

- Oh, lovely.

You've been there before, haven't you?

- That was Donegal.

- Oh.

The geologist stands on the beach

with his back to the sea and looks at the cliffs

whilst the geologist's wife stands on the beach

with her back to the cliffs

looking at the sea.

You see, I can't afford to buy my car

and have a holiday.

But, if I had more money,

then I could do both.

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