Master Harold ... And the Boys Page #5

and suspense, I need

facts, Sam.

(Willy)

Give him facts,

Boet Sam. Facts!

What you called

the climax... how

many finalists?

(Sam)

Six couples.

Go on. Give

me the picture.

(Sam)

The six finalists go

onto the dance floor

and take up

their positions.

The Master of Ceremonies

goes to the microphone.

[Feedback squeals]

[Excited chatter]

(emcee)

Ja... sh... we know how

to make a noise, hey?

[Loud cheering]

But that's okay, it

means we know how to

enjoy ourselves.

And isn't that

what we're here for!

Ladles and gentlemen.

My, my, my.

Aren't they looking

absolutely beautiful?

(several voices)

Yes! Yes!

No, I'm not talking

about our judges

I'm talking

about our finalists.

[Short drum roll]

[Laughter]

That's a good

touch... a joke.

Creating a relaxed

atmosphere which

will soon change

to one of tension and

drama as the climax

is approached.

[Clears throat]

Ladles and gentlemen

we've now come

to the great moment

that we've been

waiting for this evening.

The finals of the 1950

Eastern Province Open

Ballroom Dancing Championships.

[Wild cheering]

Let me introduce

the finalists!

M r. And M rs.

Welcome Tchabalala

from King William's town!

[Burst of music]

Mr. Mulligan Nkikelane

and Miss Nomhie Nkonyeni

of Grahamstown.

[Burst of music]

M r. Fats Bokolane

and M iss Dina Plaatjies

from East London.

[Burst of music]

[Whistling

and wild cheering]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Down, boys. Down, boys.

[Cheering]

[Whistling

and wild cheering]

M r. Willie Maiopo

and M iss H ilda Samuels!

Me?

[Laughs]

H ilda!

[Crowd chatter]

Relaxed and

ready to romance.

Okay, here we go.

Take It away, boys.

[Soft music]

[Music continues]

(Willie)

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Good, that's good.

Keep it up, Willie!

Okay, now how are

the points scored?

(Sam)

A maximum

of 10 points each

for Individual style,

deportment, rhythm

and general appearance.

And penalties?

Penalties?

Ja. For doing

something wrong.

Say you stumble

or bump Into somebody.

Hally...

What?

Willie.

What?

He wants to know

what happens

if me and Myriam

bump into you

and H ilda.

[Laughter]

Why? What did I say?

Hally, there are no

collisions out there.

That's what that

moment is all about.

To be one of the

finalists out there on

that dance floor is like...

like being in a dream

about a world in which

accidents don't happen.

Jesus, Sam!

That's beautiful.

Ja, it is, Master Hally.

It's beautiful because

that's what we want

life to be.

But instead,

like you, Hally

we're bumping

into each other

all the time.

None of us

know the steps

and there's no

music playing.

And it doesn't

just stop with us.

America is bumping

into Russia

England is bumping

into India

rich man

into poor man.

Those are

big collisions.

People get hurt

and we're sick and

tired of it now.

Are we never going

to get it right, Hally?

Learn to dance

life like champions

instead of always

being just a bunch

of beginners at it.

You've got a vision, Sam.

Not just me.

Everybody's got it.

[Soft plano music]

That's why there's only

standing room left at

the Centenary Hall.

For as long

as the music lasts

we are going to see

six couples get

it right

the way we want

life to be.

Is this the best

we can do, Sam?

Dream about the way

it should be?

Without the dream

we won't know what

we're going for.

Oh, when you come

to think of it

that's what the United Nations

boils down to...

a dancing school

for politicians!

H mmm. Let's hope

they learn, Hally.

All right. This is a lot

bigger than I thought.

So what have we got?

Our title. "A World

Without Collisions."

"A World Without

Collisions. " Beautiful.

Subtitle, "Global Politics

on the Dance Floor."

Eh.

Nah, a bit heavy, hey?

How about " Ballroom

Dancing as a Political Vision"?

[Phone ringing]

[No sounds except phone]

Saint George's

Park Tea Room.

Yes, Madam.

Hally, it's your mom.

[Sighing]

(Sam)

Hally, she's waiting.

[Distant clock

chiming softly]

Hello, Mom.

I've brought

Daddy home, Hally.

Hally.

Hally, are you there?

Well, I just hope you

know what you've let

us in for.

Give him

a chance.

Please?

Okay, Mom I

But just remember to start

hiding your bag away again

because he'll be at your

purse before long, for

money, for booze.

I don't want to

hear you talking

like this.

Then don't complain to me

when he starts his

old tricks.

When do I ever

complain to you?

Yes, I get it from you one side

and him on the other

and it makes

life hell for me.

I'm warning you now

when the two of you

start fighting again

I'm leaving home.

Oh, Hally,

how can you...

Mom, if you start crying,

I'm going to put down

the receiver.

That's enough now.

We're all going to try

to do our very best.

Okay, Mom.

Aren't we, Hally?

Okay, Mom.

I heard you.

Do you want

to say hello?

No! I'll see him

when I get home!

He wants to

talk to you.

Mom! I don't

want to!

No, Mom. No, Mom,

I don't want tol

Nol Mom I

Hello?

Welcome home, chum!

Sorry to spring

this on you, chum.

I bet the last thing

you need right now

is your old man

back home fouling

everything up.

Don't be silly, Dad.

You being home is just

about the best news

in the world.

Hell, man, I'm

happy to be out

of that place.

I bet you are.

Bloody depressing there

with everybody going on

about their aliments, hey.

like a bunch

of old women.

So how you feeling?

Fighting fit, chum.

Good.

How're things

with you, pal?

Everything's just

hunky-dory on my

side, Dad.

Good. So... what's up?

Oh, well... well,

to start with

there's a nice pile

of comics for you

on the counter.

Batman and Robin,

Submariner... just

your cup of tea.

Ahhh I

I'll bring them home.

Good. I've got some

great new jokes to

tell you, chum.

Ja, sure, we'll spin

a few yarns tonight.

Ja.

[Fly buzzing]

That's for sure.

All right then, chum,

I'll see you in a

little while.

You won't be late?

No, I promise. I'll

come straight home.

Okay, I'm handling you back

to the commanding officer.

[Inhales and exhales deeply]

Hally, now don't

forget to bring home

Daddy's brandy.

Yes, I'll put it

in my bag now, for

God's sake. Bye.

[Slam]

That sounded like

quite a bump, Hally.

[Sniffing]

M ind your

own business, Sam.

I'm sorry. I didn't

mean to Interfere.

Shall we

carry on? Hally?

Boet Sam, tell him

about when they're

giving out the cups.

Jal That's

another big moment.

The presentation of the

cups after the winner

has been announced.

The presentation

of the cups.

You've got to put

that In there,

Master Hally.

[Growl]

[Grunt]

So much for a bloody

world without collisions.

We did say it

was only a dream.

Life's a fick-up and

it's never going

to change.

Maybe that's true.

There's no maybe about it.

All we've done this

afternoon is waste

our time.

Not if we get

your homework done.

I don't give a sh*t

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