Just Henry Page #4

I forgot you've remarried.

No, no, it's not that.

I just have to...

I have to get Henry home.

Thank you.

Both of you.

That photo of yours...

The man in the background,

by the poster...

It's Dad, isn't it?

No. No, Henry.

It looks like him.

And it gave me a turn,

I don't mind saying...

but it's just a silly fancy.

It's not. It can't be.

How can it be him?

He's dead and lying in the cemetery.

You know that, don't you?

I don't know.

I don't know what I know.

(GULLS CRY)

Henry?

I've found us somewhere to live.

Not easy these days, but some rooms

have... become available.

Wouldn't be Priory Road, would it?

They're such nice rooms. Really cosy.

Oh, I can't wait to get out of here.

You and me together, eh?

Are you all right, Henry?

What's going on, Dad?

Hello, son.

Dad?

How many times have I thought about

hearing my Henry say that word?

It can't be!

Is it really you?

Who else do you think it is?

Come on... shake my hand...

like the man you are.

Hey!

Hey. Let me have a look at you.

You're a good-looking boy! You must

have got it off your old man, eh?

That's what Gran says. I can't...

Was it you that sent the medal?

It's yours. You go together.

You're the two best things

that ever happened to me.

I don't... I don't understand.

It's a long story, Henry.

It's a strange story.

I can't wait to sit down and tell it

to you. But listen, I'm famished.

Has your mam got owt in her pantry

to feed a chap up?

I'll get you something.

Don't... don't go away.

Henry?

What happened, Dad? Where'd you go?

It's not easy talking about it.

Painful memories, you know.

Mam used to cry herself to sleep,

she was that unhappy.

Nine years, Dad! Where'd you go?

I don't know the answer

to that myself.

I lost my memory, you see.

After the raid.

Didn't know who I was, where I was.

Can you imagine? I was lost inside

my own head. Completely alone.

That's really bad.

I'm sorry. I was scared.

Them machine guns,

I wasn't scared then, but that...

It's all over now.

What I want now is a fresh start.

The three of us together.

Yeah, I'd like that too. Yeah?

I'll have to speak to your mam.

Maybe you could do that first.

See how the land lies.

Would you do that, son?

Night-night, love.

Sleep well, eh?

Good night, Henry. Hm.

(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

What's wrong, Henry? Why'd you keep

looking at me like that?

It's...

It's about Dad. The picture.

What about it?

It was him, Mam. He's alive.

Don't be silly. Don't tell lies.

It really is!

I've seen him, talked to him.

He really is alive!

Oh, Mam.

Mam! Mam!

(MOANS)

Fetch Bill. Hurry!

(CONDUCTOR'S WHISTLE)

(STEAM WHISTLE)

Bill! Bill!

It's Mam!

(KNOCKING)

Henry?

There's something

I want you to know, Henry.

I love your mum very much

and nothing's going to change that.

She wants to see you.

(KNOCKING)

Sorry.

I must have given you a turn.

You had a shock.

I did when I saw him.

It's not just that, Henry.

If your dad...

if he's still alive...

it means our marriage,

me and Bill, it's not legal.

It means I'm married to two men

at the same time.

That's a crime.

It's called bigamy.

I could go to prison.

That... that can't be right.

That's not all.

It means the baby,

your brother maybe...

he'd be illegitimate.

Do you know what that means?

Is that what they call a bastard?

These are all bad things, Henry.

Well, I won't let them happen.

I have to see him.

I know that.

Will you tell him?

But not a word to anyone.

Especially Bill.

When I saw him...

the part of me that was always

missing was suddenly there.

I felt whole.

I thought you'd stood me up.

Isn't Jeffries coming?

No, his mum's ill.

Oh. Well, that's a shame.

Come on.

Come on, you two.

It's just starting.

What kind of a spy

do you think you are, satchel foot?

What are you tailing me for?

Third Man Theme

Good night.

Enjoy that, Henry?

A belter, in't it?

Bye-bye.

Take care.

He had a devilish smile, didn't he?

That's why the girl loved him

even after he betrayed her.

He was a villain.

But sometimes they're right tasty,

aren't they?

Fancy faking your own death like

that!

Maybe he was good.

His friends thought so.

(GIGGLES)

Penny for them.

Good, wasn't it?

I could go straight back

and watch it again.

Henry...

why did you reach out for my hand

when Harry Lime appeared?

WOMAN:
Closing up now!

Just... what they were saying.

It was exciting,

a man coming back from the dead.

I know it must have hurt,

after what happened to your dad.

I know, but...

that's exactly what's happened.

Come on, lovebirds!

Haven't you got homes to go to, hm?

Or a nice, dark, back lane, eh?

You're not saying much...

for a change.

Who's there? Are you following us?

Hello, son.

Who's your friend? This is Grace.

Sweet name.

Sweethearts too, Henry?

We're just friends.

Well, don't let the grass grow

under your feet. She's a looker.

But I hope she can keep a secret.

She can if Henry asks her nicely.

Straight out the knife box and all.

It's OK, Grace.

Like they say in the cowboy films,

I come in peace.

You speak to your mam, then, son?

Good lad!

She wants to see you. Bill,

that's her husband...

We'll see about that.

..he's on night shift.

If you come round after he goes to

work, Gran goes to bed about nine.

After nine, then.

See you.

Where've you been all these years?

That your business, Grace?

It's Henry's.

And he wants to know, don't you?

I told him.

I lost my memory after the raid.

When I woke up in hospital,

I didn't know who I was

or what had happened but...

I had papers on me belonging to

a Walter Briggs,

with an address in London.

And how did they get there?

I have no idea. Maybe Walter Briggs

took mine while I was out cold.

Why would he do that?

I don't know, do I?

It doesn't make any kind of sense!

You're a regular Sherlock Holmes,

aren't you?

Let me tell you, lots of things,

they don't make sense in a war.

If you've seen what I've seen...

Enough, Grace!

Go on, Dad.

I had headaches...

blackouts.

I got a job as a lorry driver

and that's been my life since.

And when I come up here on a job,

it seemed like I knew it.

I went to the library and I saw

that picture in the paper

and recognised your mam

straight off.

Then I saw you.

It started coming back to me,

my family.

It hasn't been easy, son.

But all that's about to change.

Tell your mam

I can't wait to see her.

I never stopped loving her or you.

Nice meeting you, Grace.

What a liar! You what?

See how he fiddled with his cigarette

when he was telling his story?

Hardly even looked at you once.

Don't you call my dad a liar!

I might be no good at reading books,

but I can read a face.

What do you know, eh? All right

then, well, answer me this.

If your dad's alive, who's buried

in his grave at the cemetery, eh?

And who put him there?

Don't talk about him like that!

You just can't see the good in him.

I was only trying to help you,

Henry. Don't.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes