My Left Foot: The Story of Christy Brown Page #4

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There's no pints, you man.

It's good wine, tell him.

Your father never drank anything

but pints in his life. I'll take him home.

You getting a taxi?

- Eileen's giving us a lift.

- Right.

CHRISTY :
I'll see you later. Ma.

MA :
I'll see you later.

I think Mulcahy is a great painter.

In the...soul.

You see? I agree with Christy.

He's too uncontrolled for me.

Ah, Tim. Let Christy try the wine.

(LAUGHS)

Introibo ad altare Dei.

- What's he saying?

- The Latin mass.

(LAUGHS)

I thought that was James Joyce.

The wine's A1.

- Can you tell us what year it is, Christy?

- I'm not that sophisticated.

DR.COLE :
Not yet.

(SLURPING)

I love you, Eileen.

And I love you, Christy.

No. I really love you.

I love you all.

That's good.

I even love...Peter.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm glad you like Peter, Christy, because we're

going to get married in six months.

Christy, what do you think of that?

(KICKS TABLE)

(Shouts) Con...

CHRISTY :
Con...

(STAMMERS)

(SLOWLY) Congratulations...

Peter and Eileen...

on the won...

(STAMMERS)

...wonderful news.

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

I'm glad you taught me how to speak...

so I could say that, Eileen.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(Peter) Ahem.

TONY :
Well...Where were we, then?

- Discussing Mulcahy.

- Mulcahy's empty.

I thought you said Mulcahy was full of soul.

I said he was empty. Whiskey!

Take it easy, Christy.

You're not my mother.

Never forget that.

Mmm.

(LOUD SLURPING)

You know, I know what age that is.

That's ten-year-old...

same HQG 8S me.

- Don't give him any more.

- Pour!

Take that whiskey from him, Tony.

Touch it, and I'll kick you...

in the only part of your anatomy

that's animated.

- (CHRISTY SLURPS)

- DR.COLE :
Stop it.

Uhh! Uhh!

Why did you say you loved me?

DR.COLE :
Because I do love you.

Ah, you mean platonic love.

I've had nothing but platonic love all me life.

Do you know what I say?

F*** Plato!

And f*** all love

that's not 100% commitment!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Pout

- I can't let you go any further.

- Let's discuss nature.

TONY :
Keep quiet, Christy.

What are you going to do about it, Peter?

You're a nice man.

What are you going to do about it?

DR.COLE :
Peter, sit down.

- I'm going to wheel you out of this restaurant.

- CHRISTY :
Yeah?

- Uhh!

' Stop it!

- Wheel out the cripple! Wheel out the cripple!

- Stop! Just stop it.

- Where's the f***ing brake on this thing?

- Stop it!

(CHRISTY MOANING)

Stop it! Stop it, you bastard!

Stop it!

MA :
Sharon!

Sharon, come in for your tea.

Come on in for your tea, will you?

(BICYCLE BELL RINGS)

Come in now for your tea, please. Come on.

(Sharon) All right, Ma.

- Get up, Christy.

- I'm not well.

You've got a hangover, that's all.

Leave me alone.

(SIGHS)

You get more like your father every day.

All hard on the outside and putty on the inside.

It's in here...

battles are won.

Not in the pub...

pretending to be a big fella

in front of the lads.

Right. If you've given up, I haven't.

(DIGGING)

(MA GRUNTS)

What do you think you're doing, Mum?

Building a room for you.

Don't be mad.

Maybe if you have a room of your own...

you might start painting again.

Uhh!

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

You have me heartbroken, Christy Brown.

(Sighs) Sometimes,

I think you are me heart.

If I could give you my legs,

I would gladly take yours.

What's wrong with you, Christy?

I'm sorry, Mum.

(HUMS)

PADDY :
What in the name

of God is going on here?

Christy and me's building a room.

- Youse are you building a room?

- Yep.

(LAUGHING)

Will you have a look at this?

(LAUGHTER)

Ah, Christy, you may be a great painter

but you'll never be a brickie.

PADDY :
Fair play to you, missus.

Right, lads.

You bring in some more bricks.

Mix up a bit of muck.

Bring me in me level, will you?

Brown and Son Contractors are on the job.

Ha ha ha ha!

Here. You start over there. I'll start over here

and by the time you

have three courses up there

I'll be finished here and inside having me tea.

Not at all.

Water. More water.

I'm not beaten yet, bejesus.

(LAUGHTER)

CHRISTY :
My dad.

Brian, boys. Listen to me.

Let your father win.

- What?

- He needs it.

- Here.

- Eh.

Take it easy, Father, will you?

Heh heh ha ha! Take it easy?

I was never able to take it easy

and you of all people ought to know that.

- Right, lads?

- (SONS LAUGH)

That's her finished.

(CHUCKLES)

They've a long way to go to be

a better man than their father.

(SNIFFS) Ohh.

Yeah.

Well, Christy,

that's the nearest he'll ever come

to saying he loves you.

How are you?

Did you see the face on them?

To see you pushing that cart.

I'm parched now.

Do you want a cup of tea?

I'm going to make a nice cup of tea.

I'm going to have the cake here.

Oh, Christy.

- Ohh. I'll just put the kettle on.

- All right, Ma.

(TRIES DOOR)

Come on. Who's in there? These kids.

What's happening?

Come on, let me in.

What's going on?

- Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Christy!

- CHRISTY :
What?

Your father's on the floor

and I can't open the door.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Paddy!

Christy, I can't open the door.

(MA STRAINS)

Get out of the way.

Christy, you can't open the door.

Oh, Jesus. It doesn't open.

Christy, push!

(STRAINS)

Unh!

MA :
Ohh! Unh! Jesus.

Paddy?

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Paddy.

(CRYING)

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

Seven pounds, five shillings

and sixpence he owed, missus.

(MEN SINGING)

I was the best of them all

I was the best of them all

(LAUGHTER)

MAN :
Fair play to you, Christy.

Drinks for everyone.

- Take it easy.

- CHRISTY :
That's my painting money.

I'm trying to get some drinks.

Get her a cider. Shut the old b*tch up.

Fair play to you, Christy.

Your old fella will never be dead.

How's me ma going to survive?

Don't be worrying about them.

They'll be all right.

Terry, will you tell us about

when you and the old fella

carried the fireman up the ladder?

What happened there?

- Later.

- Yeah.

Give us a song, somebody.

Give us a song. Tom, give us a song.

MA :
Christy.

- (WHISPERS) Sing Daddy's favourite.

- Yeah.

As down the glen

One Easter morn

To a city fair

Rode I

There, armed lines

Of marching men

In squadrons...

Will somebody shut him up?

(OTHERS JOIN IN) No fife did hum

Nor battle drum

Did sound its dread tattoo

And the Angelus bell...

Hey. Keep it down a bit there, lads.

..rang out in the foggy dew

(SINGING STOPS)

He was singing that for his father.

His father was nothing but a mouth...

High over Dublin #

...like all the Browns.

CHRISTY :
All right, lads...take it easy.

Respect for Da.

I don't fight cripples.

- Hold on.

- (MEN SHOUTING)

Wreck the pub!

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

Somebody get the till!

Get the till! Get the money!

Get the till!

Drinks are on the house!

(CHEERING)

That's great, Christy.

No, it's not.

BENNY :
Why not?

He's not there. I've no eye.

BENNY :
What?

I'm not a painter.

I think it's brilliant.

It's the image of Da.

(LAUGHS) Poor Tom, what?

CHRISTY :
Yeah.

"All is nothing.

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