God's Own Country Page #2

---

round here, is there?

I'd keep a lid on it if I were you.

What's wrong with just wanting

a night out somewhere?

- Bradford or somewhere, I don't know.

- Don't talk daft.

I'm not you, you know.

Who the hell do you think you're talking to?

No one gives a flying f*** what I think.

I'm just here to slog me guts out

- cos you're f***ing f***ed.

- I'm what?

Nowt. Forget it.

Oh, no, you've clearly got

summat you wanna say.

Ow!

Jesus wept! I'm sick of this.

You, get on wi' it.

- You, come with me.

- What?

I said out!

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Got a problem or summat?

No, I don't have any problems.

Good.

Gypo.

- DEIRDRE:
You forgot your big coat.

- JOHNNY:
I'm not taking it.

Well, don't come crying to me

when you freeze your arse off.

- I won't.

- At least have these.

And don't go mental on that damn bike.

Stinks of piss.

You doing any work today, gypsy, or what?

(HE SIGHS)

It will be a runt.

Suit yourself.

Get your arse into gear, gypo.

Do not call me that.

I know what you're doing.

I will f*** with you.

Do we understand each other?

Good.

Now we can get on with the work.

Yes?

Yeah.

A vet should see this.

Do you have antiseptic?

- (STONE DROPS)

- F***! F***!

If you leave it,

it will get infected with disease.

It's just a graze.

It will sting, that's all.

(TAPPING)

(LAMB BLEATS)

(DOOR OPENS)

What?

I'm starving, me.

It's beautiful here.

When I was a kid, I thought

I would never leave my farm.

It's beautiful here, but lonely, no?

Night.

What?

Freak.

- F*ggot.

- F*** off.

F*ggot.

(DOOR OPENS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

(JOHNNY GASPS)

In my country, spring is the most beautiful.

The sun.

The flowers.

The smells.

Mam loved it when spring came.

'Winter's too long up here, ' she'd say.

Your mother?

Don't think she were very happy.

They called her Annie.

Wanted to be a hairdresser or summat

in a town down south.

Must have been hard.

I don't really remember.

She left and... We just got on with it, so...

Where are you going?

(GEESE CACKLE)

Drop your stuff off

and we can sort them hoggs out, yeah?

(CLATTER)

(HE CLEARS THROAT)

That an ulcer?

On Friday, it was 50 years to the day

since the funeral of Winston Churchill...

- What's wrong wi' you?

- Nowt.

The mill provides the wool

for ceremonial uniforms

in the Ministry of Defence...

I can do that for you, Nan.

- Are you sickening for summat?

- No.

Night.

Shouldn't we wait?

No, let's go to bed.

- Do you mean here?

- Aye.

No.

- I think we should stay in the caravan.

- We can stay here.

See you in the caravan.

(HE SIGHS)

(FOOTSTEPS)

(DOOR OPENS)

- What are you two up to?

- Muck spreading.

What about this mess?

(ENGINE STARTS)

(ENGINE STALLS)

(ENGINE RESTARTS)

(DEIRDRE HUMS)

Here I am, love. You're alright.

I'm here, love.

I'm here, love.

(PHONE RINGS)

Yeah?

Two strapping lads here for you, Mrs Saxby.

I'll go get some tea.

Nay, don't go sitting on the bed

all blathered up.

It's someone's job to wash them sheets.

(SCRAPING)

DEIRDRE:
Doctor's just been round.

Young coloured lass. Nice little thing.

Said a second stroke's quite common

after what Dad's been through.

Said it could be to do with the stress.

Have you had your teas?

I should've left you summat out.

I'm not fussed.

Nay, damn it, lad.

It's all on your shoulders now.

You can't go getting poorly an' all.

- That finished with?

- Yeah. Sorry, miss.

Sorry.

How is he?

Have you seen the doctor?

Don't you want to speak to the doctor?

John?

What if they say summat I don't wanna hear?

(MARTIN GASPS)

(FOOTSTEPS)

- I should be getting back.

- Aye.

Cows will need their teas, like.

Go on. I'll let you know.

Get out the way, you useless piece of shite.

Hey, hey, it's not her fault.

(HE GROANS)

You had a funny do, love.

(HE GROANS)

Oh, you gave us such a fright,

you daft beggar.

You'd do owt to get out

of the mucking-out, wunt you?

(PHONE RINGS)

Hello?

Alright, Nan.

Yeah.

OK.

Right.

Right.

Bye.

I was thinking, I could stay a little longer.

Until Martin is better.

Just to help out.

No?

How do you say 'farm'?

Ferma.

How do you say 'sheep'?

Oaie.

How do you say...

...cock?

Cock.

When you've finished fannying with that

I need your help to get

them ewes down before night.

- I'll be two minutes.

- Yeah. I'll wait for you.

(SHE SIGHS)

(SHE CRIES QUIETLY)

Just bobbed back to get your dad

some clean jim-jams and that.

You done the beasts?

- How is he?

- Getting on with it.

Do you wanna tell me

what that muck is in my best tea towel?

Cheese. Gheorghe made it.

He milked one of the sheep, like.

- Have you tried it?

- No, ta.

- I see you helped yourself to breakfast.

- Aye. Gheorghe did eggs and that.

Did he?

He's a good lad.

He's gonna stay on for a bit.

Just so as you're clear, he's here to work.

Yeah, I know.

- Right. Just so you're clear.

- I am.

He's gonna fill in

till our dad's back to normal.

- How do you mean?

- Till he's up and about, like.

Your dad's not gonna get any better, John.

You don't know that. He might.

We were this close to losing him.

Got to face facts, lad.

I'm off to t' pub. You coming?

Did you come here

on your own, then, to England?

Yeah.

There was someone once but...

Right.

Will you go back?

My country is dead.

You can't throw a rock in most towns

without hitting an old lady

crying for her children who have gone.

I was thinking...

I'm not sure what's gonna happen now

with our dad the way he is, but...

how would it be if you stayed on, like?

- I've told you, I can stay.

- Yeah.

I guess I just... mean for longer.

It'd be sweet, right?

And how would we work on the farm?

How do you mean?

Well, it can't go on like it has.

You must see that, no?

- What's the farm got to do with you?

- If I stayed, a lot.

I've been through this before.

On my farm. I can't go through that again.

It will not survive, believe me.

- Have you talked to Martin and Deirdre?

- They'll be fine.

- Will they?

- Yeah.

And how will you be?

How do you mean?

You. Us.

It's not like I'm asking you

to get wed or anything.

No, but you're asking me

to stay here with you.

- Do you understand me?

- Alright!

I've heard you.

We'll have two more of these

when you're ready

and a couple of Sambuca shots.

I think I've had enough.

- Want another?

- I haven't finished that one yet.

Well, sup up, then.

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

(FLY UNZIPS)

- Please don't do that.

Rate this script:4.6 / 5 votes