Pool of London Page #5

goes right round the world

and come back here.

Longitude 0.

That's something I never could understand,

longitudes and latitudes.

- And why should it be just here?

- I don't know why.

And I don't really understand

about longitudes either,

except they help to tell you

where you are.

You know,

when you're at the wheel of a ship at

night, far at sea and nothing else to do,

you think about a lot of things

you don't understand.

You wonder why one man is born white,

and another isn't.

And how about God himself'!

What colour's he?

And the stars seem so close,

and the world so small in comparison

with all the other worlds above you.

It doesn't seem to matter so much

how you were born.

It doesn't matter.

It does, you know.

Maybe one day it won't anymore.

Bu! it still does.

Come on,

we can't put the world right.

We'll have to hurry,

or you'll be late for your ship.

And you'll be late.

- You've got a nerve.

- I'll say I have.

I've really hit the jackpot this time.

Don't give me that stuff.

It's all wind, like my nylons

and all the other things.

Well, what do you call this?

Tissue paper?

- How much?

- Fifty quid and more to come.

- Where did you get it?

- From a Christmas cracker.

Yeah? Probably got your hand

caught in a till somewhere.

And pulled out this.

- What is it?

- Something I have to deliver in Rotterdam.

- What?

- I don't know.

I get paid not to know.

Then you can bet your boots it's worth

ten times more than you're getting for it.

You'd better open it.

- No, I...

- Come on, give it to me.

These must be worth thousands.

Yeah.

Thousands and thousands.

Rotterdam!

That's the place for diamonds.

Can't you see? It all adds up.

But it all adds up to us -

you and me, Dan,

'cause we've got them.

What we won't do -

just think of it, Dan.

Now say I talk a lot of hot air.

- Wail a minute!

- What? Aren't they big enough?

- Where did you get these?

- From a fella this morning.

What time this morning?

I don't know.

Just before the sermon.

Where were you?

Anywhere near the City?

Yes, if you must know.

In Southwark Cathedral.

What's eating you?

Did you hear the one o'clock news?

No. At one o'clock

there are better things to do.

There was a job in the City

this morning,

What they took was diamonds.

20,000 quid's worth.

20,000 quid?

20,000 quid!

And all I'm getting is fifty down

and fifty for the job.

A watchman was cracked on the head.

He died.

You don't think

I had anything to do with it?

I didn't know where they came from.

I didn't even know what they were,

No, but you've got them just the same.

I'll soon fix that.

I'll get rid of them and quick.

Are you barmy?

We've just got to be careful,

that's all.

We've just got to use our heads.

Like I said.

If we use our heads,

we can do ourselves a bit of good.

Put ourselves on velvet.

There.

That's better.

Just a tin of brilliantine.

Look, Dan.

You've got to pull yourself together.

I didn't think

they were going to kill anybody.

What if they get me'?

Who's going to believe my story?

They're not going to get you!

Can't you see? Once you get

to Rotterdam with this, we're quids in.

What you don't know is that Johnny

was gonna take them aboard.

He can't now. And neither can I

after that nylon business. It's too risky.

Listen. Every time you've come ashore,

you've brought something in you shouldn't.

How many times have they stopped you?

You never used to think a thing

about it, did you'?

Money for old rope,

that's what you used to say.

What's different now?

It's not even coming ashore,

ifs going aboard.

And with the coloured boy,

it's even better.

Ifs a cake walk.

Think what I! means.

Think what you can do for him later on.

Doesn't he want to go to school

or something?

All right. But if anything goes wrong,

it's my rap, not Johnny's.

Dan!

Dan!

It's a radio show, really,

but they stage it at the Camberwell Palace

and invite an audience.

Pity your ship has to sail.

We'd have had fun.

Sorry.

That's all right.

There won't be any trams soon.

They're scrapping them all.

My last tram ride then, too.

You never know.

You might be back again soon.

No. No, I'm not coming back.

Gonna miss the old trams.

You will write to me, won'! you,

and let me know how you're getting on?

Do you mean that?

- Do you want me to?

- Of course I do.

I wanted to go home, Pat.

Like I told you, I wanted to go home.

But now I don't.

I want to be coming back again.

Back into the Pool.

Back to London.

But because I do, I can't.

Johnny, I'm sorry.

No. No, it's not your fault.

- I should have known.

- Battlebridge Lane.

That's it, That's my stop.

Goodbye, Pat.

Johnny!

Johnny!

You left before I'd even said goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- Well...

- All the best.

- Same to you.

Goodbye.

What are you doing?

That's my scent!

Yes, I know, I want some.

I'm going out.

My dress!

You take that off!

With all those diamonds,

he can buy you another.

I've taken rather a fancy to this.

- What are you saying?

- Plenty.

Get out of that!

Come back!

Come back here.

Serve you right if I shopped him.

Where's your diamonds then?

Well, whatever it was or wasn't

you overheard,

she wasn't talking to herself.

Who was it?

I don't know, I tell you.

But your sister was in the kitchen.

You must have let him in.

- He let himself in.

- How do you know if you didn't see him?

Well, that's what he's always done.

So, he's been before'!

- What if he has?

- How often has he been?

- I don't know.

- You must have some idea.

How often? Every day?

Once a week? How often?

I don't know, I don't know.

Come on. How often?

Just when his ship's in.

- So, he's off a ship.

- Supposing he is?

What difference?

What difference does it make?

What ship is it?

What's the name of it?

Dunbar.

It's a sailor from the Dunbar.

Go in and get his name out of her.

I've got to get down to the ship

to stop her sailing.

Ask Thames Division

to meet me there.

Honest, Johnny, if I thought

there was a chance in a million...

I told you I'd do it.

Here it is.

Shove it in your pocket.

Now, look, all you have to do is walk up

the gangway, go on board and act natural.

Ifs a cake walk.

Money for old rope.

OK. I think I'll be going now.

Well, here, have a last drink

before you go.

No, thanks. I'll be going.

All right.

- I'll see you on board.

- OK.

Ethel, a double Scotch. Quick.

Chief! Chief, wake up!

Half an hour to sailing.

Chief!

Who the blazes

are you shouting at?

Half an hour to sailing.

Mercy me!

- Ready to sail, Chief.

- Tell the old fool upstairs.

- Aye, aye, Chief.

- Hey, you!

My treatment.

Don't stand there giggling, man.

Get on with it.

Of course, I can't order you

to hold your ship, Captain,

but it would help considerably

if you would.

It will mean missing the tide.

There'll be a full explanation

to your company, of course, at top level.

All right. I'll hold sailing

until the morning tide.

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