Flashbacks Of A Fool Page #5

It's important to say goodbye.

It's a symbol. Now, come on.

I'm not ready!

You go. I'll be there in a minute!

This isn't about you, Joe.

This is about Jack and Evelyn...

...and the terrible loss

they've suffered.

Please.

Please don't let them down.

Oh, my God, it's you!

Where's Peggy?

You've been late your whole life, Joe.

I'm sure Ruth'll be touched

that you even turned up.

I just can't believe I missed it.

I can't believe you're here

at all! It was a lovely service.

And such a turnout.

They couldn't get everyone

in the church.

You should've seen the flowers.

More than Lady Di.

Poor Ruth. She saw it happen.

Dropped down dead in front of her.

One minute chatting away happily,

the next thing she knew

he was dead on the ground.

Terrible. They said it was an aneurysm.

Left four kids to bring up on her own.

They're hardly kids.

Joe must be 15 now.

Good God, is he really?

Seems like yesterday.

Luke, who's 14, Max, who's 12,

and then there's a lovely girl,

Angelica, she must be ten.

Boots was a wonderful father.

Hopeless with money, though.

In hock up to his eyeballs.

I reckon Ruth will lose the house

and the land.

She had no idea how bad things were.

Silly man hid it all from her.

She really is in serious trouble.

Thank you.

Would you like some cake, Joe?

Thanks.

So what do you think of Graceland,

Joe?

It's alright, isn't it?

Thanks to you, Joe.

I bet Elvis was never as cosy!

This is my room.

This is Peggy's.

Took me a while

to get used to sleeping in my own room,

but must say, I quite like it now.

This is yours.

I didn't like to throw anything away.

Good night, dear.

- Wakey-wakey!

- F***ing hell!

- Morning!

- Hi, Jesse.

Oy, bear's breath!

- So, what are you doing here?

- It's nice to see you, too.

Well, it's quite a surprise.

There you are.

I'm here for the funeral.

If we'd known,

we could've put him on ice.

Don't feel bad. Ruth will be glad

you came. At least, I think she will.

You think she will?

Get yourself ready.

I'll take you over to see her.

- You think she will?

- It's been a long time.

It's been a lifetime.

Welcome home, Joe.

Look, I feel really weird about this,

so why don't you go in first

and tell her that I'm here?

She might not want to see me.

She knows you're here.

I've told her already.

What did she say?

- Not very much.

- She must have said something.

What would she say?

You haven't seen her for 25 years.

Think she'll get down on her knees

and thank God you're back?

She just lost her husband,

the man she's loved all her life.

Jeez! This might come as a surprise,

but she's not thinking about you.

Christ!

She's at the cemetery.

She's collecting the sympathy cards.

When I was a child, I thought being

brave meant that you had to take action.

That to have a dream or get forward

in life, you needed courage.

But the only thing you need courage for

is for standing still.

She's over there.

Come on, then!

What are you waiting for?

- Aren't you coming?

- No, I'll be over here.

Hello, Joe.

Hello, Ruth.

I came for the funeral.

You're a bit late.

Still, it's reassuring to know

that some things never change.

I heard it was wonderful. I mean...

Yeah. It was wonderful.

It was good of you to come.

How are you?

F***ing stupid question. Sorry.

Yeah.

- I don't know what to say.

- There's nothing to say.

My ears are ringing with sympathy,

but it's not...

It's not gonna bring him back.

He had a rare gift, Joe.

He knew his place in the world.

He found wonder in simple things.

He lived in the moment like a child.

That's a rare gift in a man.

Do you know what

the strangest thing is?

I can't cry.

It's the saddest moment in my life

and I can't cry!

I mean, I wish I could cry.

There must be something

terribly wrong with me.

If there's anything I can do...

No.

I was so afraid to come back.

You were right to leave.

It allowed you to do what you wanted.

Or maybe what I thought I wanted.

- I should be getting back.

- Yeah. OK. Sure.

- Thanks for coming.

- I'm sorry I was late.

He would have laughed.

Well...

Goodbye, then.

Goodbye, Ruth.

- How was it?

- Weird.

- This is Jane's grave?

- Yup.

And this one is Evelyn's.

Evelyn died?

I hope so.

She's in trouble if she didn't.

How did? Mum didn't tell me!

Well, there's a story!

She was drawn to trouble

like a drunk to the bottle.

If she couldn't find it, she'd make it.

Jesus, you get more like

Peggy Tickell every day!

- I'm not like Peggy!

- Just tell me what happened!

Are you wearing make-up?

- F*** off!

- Alright, alright.

Well, soon after Jane died,

Jack and Evelyn split up.

He never got over Jane's death,

and the final straw was,

do you remember Kevin Hubble?

Yeah.

Jack found Evelyn in bed with him.

She married him!

Much to her regret.

He was a monster.

He made her life a living hell.

And she stuck it out for years.

It was as if she felt she deserved it.

He beat her, tormented her.

He was a real bastard.

Anyway, so she finally leaves him.

Steals his car.

I don't know why. It was a wreck.

Broke down on the motorway,

got out, and was hit by a lorry!

- Oh, God!

- Her head was chopped straight off.

And the strangest thing was,

they never found it!

Well, what happened to it?

Well, they thought a fox

might've taken it.

They don't know

and I don't suppose they ever will.

- Are you wearing make-up?

- No, I'm not wearing!

Well, it's concealer.

- You are wearing make up!

- F*** off!

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