Just Henry Page #7

What do we need that for?

For after.

Sit down a minute, Henry.

I need to talk to you.

What is it, Mum?

It's starting, Henry.

It might happen quickly or it might

take hours. I don't know.

But I do know I need you Henry,

like I've never needed you before.

Do you understand?

You're going to see things...

private things.

You're going to see blood and gore

and I'll be screaming with the pain.

You've got to be calm and strong

and help me through it.

You've got to be a man, Henry.

That's what I need from you, OK?

Tell me.

I need to hear you say it.

Don't worry, Mam.

Everything's going to be all right.

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

It's all right, Mam.

I can see something.

I can see him coming.

(SCREAMS)

(BABY CRIES)

Tell me.

It's not a boy, Mam.

She's a girl, see?

Oh, isn't she beautiful?

Oh, look at the beauty.

Isn't she pretty?

What are you going to call her?

I hadn't thought of a girl's name.

I was sure

you were going to have a brother.

I always wanted a sister.

Thank you.

I'll never forget this night.

Me neither, Mam.

My son.

I'm so proud of you.

(WHISTLES)

What the bloody hell?

Where's Henry?

You killed a man!

Henry! I never!

What happened with Jeffries' dad?

I had nothing to do with it.

Tell me the truth, Dad!

I'd come across him in the raid.

He'd come across me.

(AIR-RAID SIREN)

Is anyone there?

Is that you, Dodge?

Dodge, what are you doing?

You stole money from comrades?

I did it for you.

For our future.

What happened?

(BOMB FALLS NEARBY)

(BELL RINGS)

What's that? I can't hear you.

Are you stealing?

I could report you for that.

Stay down!

Stay where you are.

(EXPLOSION)

It was an accident.

My gun went off.

That was the finish of him.

Then I had an idea, a way out.

I shot him in the face

so he couldn't be identified.

Then I took his papers off him

and replaced them with mine.

Corporal Joey Dodge was dead.

The hero.

I took the papers off a bloke under

the table:
Walter Briggs.

Walter Briggs began a new life.

Not bad, while it lasted.

You're a murderer.

Yeah.

That's why they gave me a rifle

and a uniform.

They wanted killers in a war.

The things I saw, Henry.

Best years of my life.

The best of Joey Dodge.

You sicken me.

You little... Argh!

Run, Henry! Get help!

No!

You little...

(ALARM RINGS)

Come on.

Up here!

This way!

Dad! Henry! Dad!

Help me! Pull me up! Dad!

There he is!

I've got you, son.

Get the door open!

Come on.

Come on! Dad!

What you doing? Go!

After him! In here!

(Down there.)

The coast is clear, son.

Are you ready?

(GUNSHOT)

Don't shoot! Hold your fire!

Dad! No, No, Dad!

Dad?

(GROANS)

Caught up with me at last.

Had it coming,

your mother might say.

Oww! Blimey!

Don't look at me like that.

I'm not all bad.

I just...

I just took a wrong turn,

that's all.

Why, Dad? Why?

The things I saw.

I couldn't face any more.

I couldn't go back.

You might think me a coward

for that, but I fought their war.

I did my bit, I killed Jerries,

I won my medal.

I'm sorry, son.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry too, Dad.

I only ever fought for you, Henry.

Do something, will you?

Hold me.

You know what they say?

Blood's thicker than water.

The Last Post

Hup!

One, two, to shoulder.

Fire!

Reload!

Fire!

Reload!

Fire!

PRIEST:
We commend unto thy hands,

most merciful Father,

the soul of this

our brother departed,

and we commit his body to the ground,

earth to earth, ashes to ashes,

dust to dust.

And we beseech

thine infinite goodness

to give us grace

to live in thy fear and love

and to die in thy favour.

Grant this, O merciful Father,

for the sake of Jesus Christ, our

only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate.

Well, I think that's everything.

If there's anything else,

perhaps you'd send it on.

You don't have to do this.

Give us a hand, Henry.

You don't have to move out.

I can't possibly stay...

not after what happened.

Why ever not?

Mo could do with help with the baby,

now I'm starting teacher training.

Gran... you've got to live with it.

Like we all have.

He was a criminal...

a bad man

who once had some good in him.

We got to do... we got to accept it,

help each other through it and build

something better for the future.

Don't go, Gran. We'll miss you.

(SOBS)

It's all right.

Don't take on.

May I?

She's lovely.

Go and pay off the cabby, son.

She's not going anywhere.

OK, Dad.

Come on, come on... Henry!

Sorry, I've just got back.

How'd it go?

They said my technique was wayward

and that I had something to work on.

But they've agreed to take me

from September.

No! My Grace at music school?

Yeah, but Manchester's

not that far away.

We can still see each other.

So what's your news?

Not much.

I went to this photography shop

to get some mounting

and the man looked at my pictures.

He said they were

good, he had an

apprenticeship coming

up and I should apply.

Henry, that's great!

Let's celebrate with a choc-ice.

So this film...

is it a happy film?

It's a musical.

And I bought two tickets

for the back row.

Oh, Henry.

All right, Charlie. You all right?

Come on in. On The Town. Come on.

You've got plenty of time.

Are you coming in, sir?

Right round the back...

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