Just Henry Page #2

the machine-gun fire

and took one out with a hand grenade.

And his officer said -

He'd never seen such bravery.

Your dad. My son.

But... he didn't die there, did he?

What happened to him then?

No, your mam made me swear not to.

I'm not a kid any more.

I need to know.

He was home on leave.

"At last," I thought.

"I've got him safe."

On the second night back,

the Luftwaffe came.

(AIR-RAID SIREN)

They flattened the docks,

hammered the city.

Fires raged, ships went up,

munition dumps, too.

Midnight seemed like midday.

(DISTORTED SHOUTING)

Gran?

Your dad went into that hell

to save lives.

He pulled people

from burning buildings.

A hero twice over.

Did a bomb get him, then?

He found a looter.

In the regimental club.

One of his own comrades.

Everyone knew

but nothing could be proved.

They never found that man.

The police warned me

against making accusations.

What do you mean?

What man?

The man who killed your dad.

I can't say his name,

but it were in all the papers.

The night my life ended.

June the 4th, 1941.

Excuse me, do you keep old papers

from the war?

We do. Come this way.

Sternsea Echo for 1941.

You should be able

to find what you're

looking for somewhere

towards the middle.

Thank you.

No, no, no. No, it can't be.

Jeffries! I know your dad

wasn't just a deserter.

You watch your dirty mouth.

He was a murderer. He killed my dad!

(SHOUTING)

ALL:
Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!

(SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT)

Stop it!

Stop it now!

(WHISTLE BLOWS)

(BLOWS) Henry Dodge!

You refuse to say?

What led to this disgusting melee?

I'm appalled at your behaviour.

After all this country's been

through.

Don't you realise violence achieves

nothing but misery?

You of all people, Henry Dodge.

I understand you started it.

Is that right?

It was both of us.

Are you sorry for what happened?

No.

Perhaps this will make you change

your mind.

Evidently you must be taught a lesson

in the only way you understand.

Hold out your hand, Dodge.

Now your turn.

Off you go.

Miss.

She's coming.

(CLASS QUIETENS DOWN)

Sit down.

Let's turn away from thuggery

and go back to Roman civilisation.

Page 36 in your books.

Grace, will you read to us?

Me? Mm-hm.

(SIGHS HEAVILY)

When you're ready.

In the...

lost...

list...

(LAUGHTER)

last...

year...

(LAUGHTER)

year...

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Stop it! Stop laughing!

All right, Henry. Leave this to me.

I'm sorry, miss. I can't.

It's me who's sorry.

I hadn't realised.

Grace, Grace, the family disgrace.

Don't say that. I'm here to help you.

There's no-one here so clever that he

or she can afford to laugh at others

as we're about to find out.

You can read. Me?

BOY:
Let's see what you do.

(MOUTHS)

He killed my dad.

That's what this is about.

They were in the East Yorks

together. My dad and Jeffries' dad.

And after the bombing

they found my dad.

He'd been shot in the face

and Jeffries' dad had scarpered.

Some money was missing from

the regiment's social club.

The police thought my dad had

tackled Jeffries' father about it

and... he shot him.

That's terrible.

Poor Jeffries.

What do you mean, poor Jeffries?

You don't understand, do you?

He's lost his father too.

Why didn't you tell me

Jeffries' father killed my dad?

(VOMITING)

What's wrong?

Mam?

Mam, are you ill? No.

That's one way of putting it.

Think I haven't noticed

your little secret?

How far gone are you?

Please, let me...

What is it?

She's going to have a babby.

Aye, aye.

His babby.

How could you?

I want nowt to do with it.

That's a wicked thing to say, lad.

Now I know for sure.

There's no place for me here,

is there?

I'm proud of you,

the way you stand up for your dad.

You know what? Maybe you and me

should clear off out of here.

Yeah.

You've got to tell him.

How can I? How can I?

This is no good for him or us.

Don't say that.

You know sometimes it feels like

I'm not just married to you,

but to your son and

your mother-in-law.

And your dead husband too!

Please.

Just hold me.

Ah, Red Shoes.

I really want to see that.

Moira Shearer is

supposed to be lovely...

Gazing at the stars, are you?

They look so amazing.

They've got this... this glow

about them.

They're all normal underneath,

you know.

I mean, they all grew up in places

like Sternsea.

Did they? Oh, aye.

I mean, take your Cary Grant.

He were born in Bristol.

He was expelled from school him,

you know. Get away!

He became a stilt-walker

before he tried his luck in America.

His name isn't even Cary Grant.

It's Archibald Leach.

I suppose, that glow, it was

the photographers who put it there.

Are you coming in? The Red Shoes is

about to start. It's a cracker.

No thanks, Charlie.

I've got to get back to school.

See you later.

All right, Henry.

Now, remember,

your most treasured possession.

As long as you can carry it.

Miss, can I? I don't know, Albert.

Can you carry your grandad's pig?

Oh...

Henry, in my office in five minutes,

please.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Come in.

What you doing here?

What's going on?

Sit down, Henry.

Your mother and I have had a talk,

Henry.

I told her about the fight you had

with Jeffries.

And your marks in class.

They make rather grim reading.

Yet I knew within minutes of meeting

you that you're bright.

You've got such an intelligent face.

Isn't that right, Mrs Arlott?

Despite that, you seem determined

not to capitalise

on the wonderful education

you're having at my hands.

Would you like to tell me why?

School... it's a waste of time.

Why do you think that?

Who told you that?

It wasn't me, or Bill.

Was it Gran?

You're wrong, Henry.

What do you want to do with

your life?

My husband's on the railways,

for now.

He could get him a start,

an apprenticeship.

I don't want that!

What do you want?

I want...

Well, I... I don't know.

Henry Dodge.

What shall we do with you?

Hello there.

Come on.

Let me hang onto you for a minute.

Stop.

I can't stand this any more.

I'm so worried about you, Henry.

No need.

I'll soon be out of your hair.

What do you mean?

Me and Gran are moving out.

We're getting a place of our own.

Why? Do you hate me that much?

No, No...

Tell me.

What's going on... inside?

Why did you do it? Mm? Marry him?

Cos I was lonely.

I needed him, loved him.

I was only 25. Did you want me to

be on my own the rest of my life?

I'm sorry, but there it is.

There was a war, Henry.

Your father died.

It's not fair.

I want my dad.

I couldn't carry my most treasured

possession. It's a piano.

I play it for hours every day.

Will you sing for us, Grace?

Oh, no, miss. I couldn't do that.

(LAUGHTER)

Great Expectations

by Charles Dickens.

I've read it so many times.

See, it's falling apart.

It's my favourite book.

Could you tell us why, Paul?

This is my dad. It's the only

picture of him I have.

I'd like to take pictures myself,

but I've got no camera.

Thank you, Henry.

Now, for this term's project,

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