Local Hero Page #7

- Did I?

How about a hatful of sand?

No, no.

That wouldn't be businesslike.

Ahh.

Danny, get the wine glasses

without the stems.

Sure. Would anyone

like more potatoes?

- No.

- Yes, please.

- Some roast, if you have them.

- Sure thing, Mr Knox.

And, uh, a couple more sprouts.

Is he going to sell?

He wants some more sprouts.

Here, let's have a look.

Want to buy a house, Andrew?

I'm trying to sell one, Edward.

Gordon, good night.

I've enjoyed myself.

Good.

Mr... Good night.

Can we have a word with you, Ben?

Let's walk him home.

400...500 people

could make a living here

if things were allowed to change.

- That wouldn't be the first time.

- What?

Local history, Gordon.

This beach used to be

a good living for 300 people.

They gathered seaweed

and extracted the chemicals.

200 years ago, this beach

was turning over 15,000 a year.

Then the trade routes opened up

again to the east,

and so, "farewell, Ferness."

The business went,

but the beach is still here.

If you got the place, it would be

good-bye beach, forever, wouldn't it?

Have an orange, Gordon.

I found a box on Tuesday

in the rocks.

I found a coconut once.

Lord knows where that came from.

What's the most amazing thing

you ever found?

Impossible to say. There's something

amazing every two or three weeks.

I'll let you know the next time.

Good night.

Sh*t, this is South African.

- Maybe we ought to stick around.

- No, he'll be all right.

Uh-oh.

They've taken the church road.

Maybe they just want to talk to him.

- Think that's all?

- Oh, sure. Just talk.

There's

an awful lot of them.

Yeah.

I'm travelling light, Macintyre.

One bag in the luggage compartment.

You didn't need

to put on this reception.

This is an informal visit.

But now that I'm here,

I'd like to organise a presentation,

something these people might need,

a church hall, a piano, anything.

I'd like to make a personal gift.

You can let me know

about it tomorrow.

How about the sky, Macintyre?

Anything new?

Well, we'll talk about it later.

Thanks for the call.

Um, I...I...I'm not Macintyre, sir.

Where the hell is he?

I've been on the move for 24 hours.

- Are you Macintyre?

- Yes, sir.

- Get me a room.

- Yes, sir.

This is Gordon Urquhart, hotel...

Yeah, hotel. This way, sir.

Get the luggage, Danny.

Good sky you've got here, Macintyre.

Well done.

One or two unfamiliar objects

to look at up there.

I like this place.

The air is good, clear.

Get me a telescope...tomorrow.

Two-inch refractor will do.

You hear that? Tomorrow.

Ben's got a telescope.

It's bigger than two inches, though.

Ben's got this whole place sewn up.

Come on, Danny. Carry that stuff.

I'll offer him the piano,

if he's the problem.

- We've tried most things.

- Did you try a piano?

No. We offered him $1.5 million.

I don't know if he plays the piano.

He owns the whole beach?

It's been in the Knox family

for 400 years.

Knox?

Ben Knox. Sorry, sir, it's his name.

Maybe I better talk to him.

What's he like?

He's kind of eccentric,

roams the beach.

Has an interest in the stars, too.

In fact,

he has a telescope about this big.

Knows the sky

like the back of his hand.

I'll talk to him.

He has this trick he does with sand.

If he offers you

anything to do with sand,

say yes, we'll get him to sign.

Sand?

Anything up to half a bucket,

say yes.

- He sells sand?

- No. You'll know if he does it.

Don't worry about it.

I've got a plan.

I'll offer him a telescope,

a big one.

Well, good luck, sir.

Ben, it's Mac again.

Ah, good morning to you, Mr Mac.

This is Mr Happer. He'd like to talk.

Delighted to meet you, sir.

Uh...Mr Happer is from America,

like me.

- America?

- Mm-hm.

- Well, then, Mr, uh...

- Happer. Happer.

Happer-Happer?

Come in if you've come that far.

Thank you, sir.

- Er...

- Oh.

- That'll be all for now, Macintyre.

- Yes, sir.

See if they're still laughing.

- What happened?

- Well, they want some whisky.

Ben wants beef sandwiches

with mustard, no salt.

Did Happer say anything?

He doesn't want any mustard,

just salt.

Nothing else?

- I asked if they wanted water...

- OK, OK.

Stay cool, Mac. It's a good sign.

I'll get the food.

Bring some brandy back with you,

Gordon. I'm dying.

Well, slinte, everybody.

Eh? What?

Slinte?

- Skl.

- Cheers.

Jesus, what's going on in there?

Sounds like they are buddies.

Any news about the money?

Not yet. Here, have another brandy.

Thanks.

Hey, look!

See you tonight.

Hello, Macintyre.

- How did it go, sir?

- Oh, fine.

This place has a lot to offer.

But the refinery site was a mistake.

Ben's been filling me in.

Ben has eight unplotted objects

in this very sky.

We're doing a scan tonight.

The acquisition's

at an advanced stage, sir.

Oh, I want this place, Macintyre.

But tell Crabbe to start rethinking

the refinery site tomorrow.

I see a kind of an institute here,

a place for research and study,

an observatory, so to speak,

with radio and optical telescopes.

And after a while, we can branch out.

The sea, sir! This is a natural place

for a marine laboratory.

We've some data in Aberdeen.

The North Atlantic Drift fetches up

things here from all over the world.

Sea and sky.

I like that.

We can do good things here.

You could call it

the Happer Institute, sir.

You might be right.

Might be just the name for it.

Says it all. Good thinking, uh...

- Oldsen, sir.

- Oldsen, you stay here with me.

Macintyre, Crabbe will need you.

Take the chopper to Aberdeen.

Get over to Houston.

Tell Crabbe to get thinking along the

lines of an offshore establishment,

but just for storage - and to put

the refinery nearer the models.

- Tonight, sir?

- The sooner the better.

And Macintyre, get yourself a shave.

What's this laboratory thing?

You didn't tell me about that.

Something I've been piecing together.

Geddes' people are on it.

Remember the girl?

Oh, yeah, the girl.

Macintyre. You'd better get moving.

I'm glad I managed to stop

your refinery caper.

Oldsen...

Get my overcoat.

Prepare some food for later.

- Ben and I will be on the telescope.

- Yes, Mr Happer.

Oldsen,

I could grow to love this place.

You don't have to pay.

I could stick it on the Knox tab.

- It's been fun having you.

- No, I'll pay, I want to.

Make it out to Stella B Urquhart.

- Stella?

- She's the boss.

This is an American account.

It might not be valid.

We can stick it on the wall

for a souvenir.

- Hope things work out with Happer.

- We can handle him.

The big boys always want

the playground to themselves.

- There'll be work and money.

- Yeah. Work and money.

It'll be OK.

Well, so long.

- You should say goodbye to Stella.

- It doesn't matter.

- Go and see her, Mac.

- Say toodle-oo for me.

And toodle-oo to you, too.

I'll see you off.

Marina!

Marina?!

Marina, it's the plans!

The lab...it's going to happen!

I told them all about it!

The marine laboratory...

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