Friends & Crocodiles Page #8

But not everything is what it seems.

but it is not what it seems.

BOSS:
Once the full business cycle is played out,

then we will be in a much stronger position

than we ever were before.

WOMAN:
When will the whole cycle

have taken place?

Well, it is difficult to be precise.

These results cannot be taken...

It's amazing what they've done.

Completely incredible.

One of the biggest companies in Europe

has been destroyed in just under two years.

It is a train wreck, staggering in its ineptitude.

How could clever people be so stupid?

Many people will be ruined, their life savings.

I know you'll understand...

I've lost thousands and thousands.

There is a limit to what I can say at this juncture.

A lot of business to do.

In fact, I have a very important meeting

to attend, right now.

(CLAMOUR OF DISCONTENTED VOICES)

In no sense a crisis meeting,

but which is one I must travel to right away.

There will be a full statement

in due course, I promise you.

Nobody is trying to evade or run away

from anything.

(INDISTINCT)

(INDISTINCT)

This way, Ms Thomas, I must take you to the car.

(REPORTERS SHOUTING)

No, just give me a moment.

I'm here, ladies and gentlemen...

to tell you that we fully intend to face up to

what has happened...

and explain it with the utmost clarity.

We were...

We are the custodians of a great company.

A very great company.

And if mistakes have been made...

I, for one, will not shirk my responsibility.

Lizzie, what about all the people who lost money?

What about the 20,000 people

who lost their jobs?

I have nothing further to add.

(CLAMOURING VOICES)

(INAUDIBLE OVER SHOUTING)

(WHIMPERING)

(REPORTERS SHOUTING)

No more questions.

She'll not be making any more statements.

Look, she's already said everything

she's going to say to you.

Would you leave?

Lizzie!

Lizzie, it's Paul!

You're going...

You're going to say, "I told you so,"

and I can't bear that.

- I can't bear to hear that, Paul.

- Would I say that?

Yes, you f***ing would. Of course you would.

And I can't believe, I can't believe what I've done.

I could see it all happening.

The amazing stupidity of it all

and I couldn't do anything.

I couldn't stop it.

You once said I destroy everything I touch.

- You haven't destroyed anything.

- I was party to it, I agreed.

I sat there, I was with them.

I saw all those people lose their jobs.

And when everything was going wrong,

I couldn't find you, you bastard.

I couldn't get in touch.

Even when I saw about the crocodile.

I've moved, that's why you couldn't find me.

I've left the farm.

You were right. Being a hippy was far too easy.

Now, I hear you're making money again.

Your chain of bookshops is doing okay.

So you can watch all this feeling really good,

because you got it right, didn't you?

Jesus, Paul.

I don't want to have to think about you every day

for the rest of my life, saying,

"I got it right, didn't I, Lizzie?"

I can think of worse punishments.

And what is this, Paul? You and me.

I just don't understand.

You know, I love my husband.

He's sitting watching me...

talking to a man,

talking to a man he doesn't even know.

Talking like this, and I love him.

I really love him, and I don't love you.

Not in that way.

- I've never loved you in that way.

- I know.

Then why is it that

I think about you so much?

Why is it that often,

you're the first thing I think of in the morning?

When I wake, you know?

What would Paul say about this,

about what I'm about to do?

What would Paul feel about that?

What's that called, Paul?

Going bonkers, probably.

Why is it happening?

Because we were born to work together

but we couldn't manage it.

And we can't stop thinking about it.

- And that's my fault, I suppose?

- Absolutely not.

People need to work with other people

that challenge them, that threaten them,

but they'll never ever let themselves work

with such people.

It was me who didn't let that happen.

You stayed as long as you could.

Why is it that whenever I think about that

bloody garden, it seems so magical?

So special?

It hurts that we didn't do more. It really hurts me.

Because sometimes I think

that we could have done so much.

- Lizzie.

- And yet, no listen to this, it was hell at the time.

You know, that was the reality,

it was hell, wasn't it?

There were hellish moments

and not such hellish moments,

it depends what you like to remember.

What is all this tactful stuff?

This diplomatic bollocks.

I'm curled up here in a ball,

thinking my life is over

and you're giving me all this bland sh*t.

You should tell me what you really think.

You know what I think, Lizzie?

I think we should work together.

- I've thought that for ages.

- Why?

It's only ever been a disaster.

I just feel so foolish, Paul.

So incredibly foolish.

So many "if onlys"...

so many f***ing "if onlys".

I've moved into an old school. I'm doing it up.

And I'm having a party.

I think you should come.

All in the fire. There's more here.

There's a whole school full of wood

to be burnt so keep going.

Throw it all on, that's it.

I'm glad you could come.

Lizzie.

Have something to throw in the fire.

Hey, that's it.

Los hermanos Albertos.

Sweetheart, I think the Blob needs an assistant.

Come on, here we go,

the lovely assistant for the Blob.

Take you off to see your mummy.

Got them all doing some work for a change.

I was thinking...

you gave most of them a start in their careers,

and then I came along

and lost them all their money.

I don't think I'll argue with that.

Or I could say we both blew it.

The boss and the secretary.

I want to ask you one question and only one,

don't answer too quick, promise.

Hm-mm.

All those years ago...

could it have been any different, what happened?

I mean our work together?

No.

That was much too quick.

You didn't even think about it.

No, I don't have to

because we do best on the phone.

Now with e-mail, we could set up a business

and we need never ever be in the same room.

We need never ever see each other,

if we don't want.

Just think, Lizzie...

we'd be unstoppable, now.

- Now, we'd be unbeatable.

- You're incorrigible, Paul.

Is that, "Go on tell me more. I'm intrigued?"

It might be.

(INAUDIBLE)

Don't tell anyone yet...

I'm on the last page of my book.

(PEOPLE CHEERING AND APPLAUDING)

Does anybody want to ask me a question

while we are doing this?

Any question you like. I'll get it.

Okay, what was the first ever vessel to pass

through the Panama Canal?

That's too difficult. Even for me, but...

I can tell you the day of the week

they opened the Panama Canal.

It was a Tuesday.

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