Closing the Ring Page #8

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truly, a fight over me.

I know you wouldn't believe it now,

but he was.

He were gorgeous.

I'd have had him, all right.

Jack! Jack Etty.

How did you know that?

You mean your Jack?

And my granny?

That's disgusting!

Shut your mouth, young man.

So you would have known Teddy?

Teddy Gordon?

Teddy?

You see, I had so many of them

Well, no, I mean I knew

an awful lot of them.

Very friendly people.

Oh dear.

I have photographs somewhere.

What are you doing here,

Mrs Harris?

That's a rude question!

What a question!

It was her idea

She just bought a ticket and came.

Fantastic.

Dad?

Dad?

Wake up.

She's gone.

She's gone. She's gone.

Belfast

to look for bits of him.

You're drunk.

Yeah.

I have been for some time.

Jack.

Dad never told her, did he?

That Teddy made him

promise to marry her.

Hell, no.

Why not?

It's like she had

Teddy's permission.

Why didn't you say something?

Because it was none

of her god-damn business!

You're a coward, dad.

And you're a liar.

You lied to Teddy and Chuck,

and worst of

all you lied to yourself.

You've always loved Ethel.

Go and get her!

Don't be stupid.

Oh, for God's sake, Jack,

go and get her.

She's your mother.

Go get her yourself.

No.

You know what,

I have better things

in my life to do.

Mr Quinlan

how was it that night?

Well, they say it hit

the ground somewhere here.

I think this is

where I found it.

The ring?

Yes.

And you're still

finding the pieces?

Yes.

Lots.

A buzzard.

He's here all the time, you know.

Keeps us company.

How about that.

We have them too.

Would you say Mrs Harris,

I'd like to know would you say,

on balance have

you led a happy life?

Well, I have to wait till

it's over and I'll work that out.

You're a strange man, Mr Quinlan

Do you believe in keeping

promises, Mr Quinlan?

Yes.

What about the promises you

make to the dead?

Do they count?

Even more.

I think promises are stupid.

Why?

Well I promise my granny

I'll wash the dishes.

And I mean to, but I never do.

You're never free of the promises

that you make, you know.

Even if you break them,

you're never free of them.

It's the German.

It's the bloody Germans!

It's not the Germans, granny.

We have to get out of the house!

Contact, Pound Street,

one man down.

Wait out.

Are you all right?

I'm so sorry!

It's not usually like this here.

Belfast is a great place really.

Only we have to

get out of here right now.

- Get out? Why? Another bomb?

- There'll be another bomb.

There's always a second bomb.

We have to get out! Come on!

Sh*t!

No pulse, he's a goner!

There's another f***ing bomb!

Sh*t!

Clear the street!

Get everyone out now!

Leave him!

We'll pick him up later.

Sir.

I'm so sorry.

I really am.

Come on, Mrs Harris.

Granny,

don't be bothering with that.

Granny, get out!

Come on!

Come on, Mrs Harris, quickly.

Move!

Clear the streets!

There's another bomb!

Move, move!

Come on!

Top of the street!

You stupid b*tch!

Get out the back door!

Go!

Go!

Do not return to your houses!

Right, get that cover hose on.

Get them behind the wall.

Fergus.

Fergus?

Mr Quinlan.

Haven't seen you for a while.

I have friends down here.

Anyone hurt?

Only that poor squaddie.

And they want us to go down there

and get him.

And blow more of us to pieces.

We need to clear this area.

Take her in, would you?

You're okay.

- I know her. No, sir, She's my friend.

- You can't go back. No way.

I told you before,

you can't go down there.

Clear the area immediately!

There's another bomb there!

Get out of this street

Oh my God.

Clear the area!

Oh God.

Get back here!

What the hell are you doing?

Leave me be.

There's something

I have to tell her.

Hold it!

That's as far as you're going.

This is Pound Street, sir,

but we can't get through.

Oh, this is okay.

Thanks. Back!

Move back!

Get body cover on!

Oh God.

Oh Holy God!

Mr Thomas!

Please don't do it!

Mr Thomas!

Mr Thomas!

Come on, quick as you can.

Jack?

Jack Etty?

It's Eleanor.

Eleanor Reilly.

Jesus Christ, Eleanor.

You must be looking for

Teddy's girl.

Yeah, Teddy's girl.

She's over there,

but we've all been evacuated.

There's been one bomb,

and they're saying

there will be another.

Mr Thomas please.

You bloody little eejit!

Get away from here!

Are you trying to

get yourself killed?

We knew he'd be up here somewhere.

Yes.

Thank you, Jimmy.

I'm sorry, sir, no further.

No, wait a second, please.

Mrs Harris?

Come slowly away, please.

There's another bomb here.

I know.

You move away, this is none of

your concern, Mr Quinlan.

Yes, it is.

Yes, it bloody is.

You might survive, you know that?

Just with bits of you blown off.

Arms, legs, eyes.

I've seen it.

Teddy wouldn't like that, now...

No.

Nice try, Mr Quinlan.

You're a brave man.

No.

No, I am not.

Do you think he looked like this

when he crashed?

No

He was alive.

I was there.

Help me, please.

Help me!

What?

Help.

Help me, please.

Please, kid, take it.

Take the ring.

Promise me to tell her she's free.

Teddy says make her own choice

Ethel Ann.

Give her the ring.

Promise me.

I promise.

I didn't take it.

I should have found you.

Told you what he said.

I looked for it.

All my life.

The ring.

You were free.

He wanted me to tell you that.

I'm so sorry.

Goodbye.

Ethel.

Please!

We have to go, Mrs Harris.

Have to go now.

Come on.

No, no! No!

Have you ever been in love,

Mr Quinlan?

No.

Life is hard enough.

So, is it possible to

love more than once?

I know I have.

That's for sure.

We've left it a bit late.

Well, that was my fault.

According to Marie,

it was my fault.

I don't know why I should

get all the blame.

Because you're an easy target.

You're getting too old

and too fat.

How come none of that

ever happened to you?

It happened to me.

Look.

But, if you promise to love

one person and no-one else,

for ever and ever?

You can't make promises like that.

Oh yes, you can.

You can't keep it.

Well worth making it, though.

I'd love to fly.

I'll take you up some time.

Teddy was gonna take me flying.

He promised.

Teddy, Teddy, Teddy

He was the greatest guy

in the world when he was alive.

But once dead, my God,

what a pain in the ass!

What's happening to me?

You're grieving, girl.

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