Room At The Top Page #4

What for?

Come on. I'm late. I'll explain to you later.

All right.

Hurry up!

Thank you.

By the way do you remember that bet I made you the other day?

Which one?

At the dog races. Do you remember?

Yes.

Well you've lost, you owe me 15 Bob.

Oh, NO!

Yessss!

You know, you're the sort of girl I'd like to take out.

Why?

Well, there's you're shape and you're size and then the sheen in your hair, sort of light in your eyes.

Oh but, the most important because I think you're a dear keeper.

- A what?

- A dear keeper.

What a lovely word! What does it mean?

My mother called me that everytime I asked her for something that cost more than she could afford.

I'd like to meet your mother, she sounds fun.

She's dead.

I'm sorry.

My mother and my father were both killed in an air raid.

I don't even know if it was an air raid.

The only bombs that ever do dropped in Dufton,

probably by mistake,

Anyway they had to fall in our house.

Joe how awful for you?

I'm terribly sorry.

It's allright.

It happened a long time ago.

Good evening. Aren't you going to offer me a drink?

Jack !

I thought you were washing your hair tonight.

Waiter!

You are not a hair dresser too, are you sergeant?

No, I'm not a hair dresser and I'm not your bloody back ...

A large Scotch for me please.

Don't let us keep you ...

Not at all, it's a pleasure.

As a matter of fact, I wanted to have a chat with you for a long time, about your acting actually.

I think you have distinct comic possibilities.

Don't you agree Susan ?

If you'll excuse me...

If I live to be a hundred, Jack I never forgive you for this.

I thought you were gonna wash your hair tonight.

Well I don't know what you were thinking there but I would take that away for a start.

I want to build a new administration block not a ladies lavatory.

We make machine tools at Brown's, remember not silk stockings.

You should never let this young man get so far with it.

I only saw a sketch Mr. Brown.

It looked very handsome.

You come back tomorrow with some designs I can use or don't bother to come back at all!

Either of you, go on - get out!

- Miss Bishop! -Yes,sir! -What

happened to that London call?

It's engaged sir!

Well will you try the other number?

I must get those shares on the market before they close.

Very good, sir.

Hello, what are you two doing here?

Susan just told me she's going out tonight.

I want you to tell her not.

Ohh, why?

One thing, the number of guests will upset my table,

another it is that Joe Lampton again.

Can't you put him off for once Susan just to please your mother?

No, I can't. It isn't just tonight. Mother doesn't like him, she doesn't think he's suitable.

Do you?

I don't know about suitable but I like him. He calls me a dear keeper.

A what?

You'll explain to mother daddy, I'm sure you know.

Good bye...

Don't be cross. You know I love you both.

That doesn't get me anywhere with my dinner party.

Why didn't you stop her?

Because stopping her seeing that man isn't the way to put an end to it.

Then what is?

Don't you mind her getting mixed up with a small town nobody.

Small town nobody sometimes do well enough. You saw that wrong once with one, mother.

I happened to be Susan's mother, not yours.

Now listen, would you stop bothering your head about Joe Lampton.

And just leave it to me.

Get me the town hall.

I have a minute to do, I thought we might have a little chat.

You picked up the work very quickly.

Not quite.

You're a bright lad Lampton. And you've also lover's sense.

Sense enough I'm sure and not to resent what I'm gonna say to you.

This is a small town, Lampton.

I've lived in it all my life.

I know the people, I know the business.

Councillor Brown for instance.

I went to school with him.

You know ofcourse he's the chairman of the establishment commity.

Yes but I don't quite see...

He is a powerful man Lampton.

That engineering works of his, built it up from nothing.

Now it is the biggset of it's kind in Warnley.

Ruthless, well I suppose you've got to be ruthless in business.

He knows what he wants and he gets it.

He can drive a coach and (...) trough that commity anytime he wants.

Every councill is the same there is always one strong man, a danger man,

towns officials are concerned.

Mind you, no matter how influentual any councillor may be (...) but when it comes to promotion

there is the rump. That's a different matter.

You follow me Joe ?

I follow you.

I thought you would.

Do you mind if I give you a word of advice Joe?

It's this; find a girl, a girl of your own...

Class! Is that what you mean Mr. Hoylake?

A girl of my own class?

Well let's say background.

Plenty of nice girls in Warnley, pretty ones too.

You'll find the right kind of girl Joe.

You go a long way here in Warnley.

You wouldn't believe this!

The hell does he think he is sitting there like a phony putting the finger on me.

Oh, I got the works, the chairman of the establishment commity and the rest.

As neat a job of blackmail as you ever saw.

You follow me Joe? Yes, he even called me Joe.

If you don't leave Susan alone there will be no promoiton for you.

I told you months ago Joe, I warned you. She's not for you !

I tell you, after another couple of minutes longer, I would have taken his promotion

out of his mouth and shove it up his...waist coat.

Fares please...

Two to Warnley Theatre please.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Just mood. I have bad mood sometimes. Don't you?

Damnable moods. Take today for instance.

Here.

You need a drink.

No.

You want me to drive you home?

No, I'd like to go to Sparrow Hill.

It's cold up there.

But that's what I want. Somewhere cold and clean.

With no people, no dirty people.

Something going on there.

Well you know Alice.

Don't be catty darling. Alice is a very charming and very low suffering person.

Alice is all woman.

George is away for the weekend.

He is often away for weekends.

How did you meet him?

I'm the teacher what you call an exchange teacher.

I came over for one year in '37 and I met George.

Can't imagine you as a teacher.

I was a good teacher.

Oh, Alice...

Don't say anything. This is a very moral kind of a girl.

Good morning Charles, I don't understand this, how do you know the man?

(A JOB OFFER FOR JOE LAMPTON)

Hmmm, seems a good job. And in Dufton.

So what you gonna do about it?

I don't know. See him I suppose.

Chances are, my days at the Treasures Department are numbered anyway.

Don't be daft!

Why don't you look at it as a free trip home.

Home? My home is a bomb side.

This is my house. It's my house.

It used to be mine too. I lived here once upon a time.

A bomb fell from the sky.

I know.

Do you wanna see my garden?

Aye.

Look!

Oh, they are pretty. What are they called?

Flowers, they're called flowers.

Ethel! Ethel, come here at once.

My mother.

At once, Ethel. Come here at once.

If I told you once, I told you a dozen times.

You must be new here.

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