The Final Test Page #6

- Hurry up, Alex.

Yes, well, this moment I must

get back to work now.

It was most kind of you to call.

We must meet some time.

Oh, Id love to, Mr Whitehead.

Yes. Yes, I could come down to Henley any time.

Um how about Wednesday morning?

Your plane doesnt leave ...

... until 4pm does it?

This juvenile delinquent seems to

know more about my movements ...

... than I do myself. I think

I shall engage him as my secretary.

Well, Im afraid Wednesday wont be any good.

It will have to be tomorrow.

Alex what are you doing?

I must see him now. If I dont

hell start a ...

... Down with Alexander Whitehead

club or something.

I shall be coshed coming out of the Atheneum.

Im afraid the evening wont be any good.

Better make it the morning about 11:00.

Hes rung off.

I think this must be the most

awful thing thats ever happened.

Well, you cant go dear, and thats flat.

But if I dont, hell think Im terribly rude.

Ring him up again. Tell him

you made a mistake and youve ...

... got another engagement.

To go to a cricket match.

He would think I was mad.

Dont you realise, Auntie, this man

is the greatest poet since Shakespeare?

I cant insult him, just like that.

I dont care who he is, dear, or what he is.

But Auntie, I ...

- Hello Sam.

- Hello.

- You alright, dear?

- Yes, why?

I dont know. You look a bit worried.

Oh, Im alright.

Well, Im off to bed,

and youd better do likewise.

A lot depends on tomorrow.

- Goodnight, love.

- Goodnight, Ethel

- Goodnight, Reg.

- Goodnight, Auntie.

Reg, you know Cora dont you?

At the Stag, I mean.

Oh yes, you had her to tea one day.

What do you think of her?

Oh, I dont know, Dad. She seemed

a bit ... sort of ... well ... ordinary

Hm, which is another way of saying

common, I suppose.

- Well, I ...

- Alright alright.

Bed.

Thanks Dad.

- Dad.

- Yes, Reg?

I ... um ... rang up

Alexander Whitehead tonight.

- Did you?

- Yes.

Yes, he was awfully kind. He asked

me to go over to Henley and see him.

Did he really? When.

Oh, some time.

- Dad.

- Yes, Reg?

Oh, doesnt matter.

By the way, I want you to come up

To the dressing room ...

... in the luncheon interval, tomorrow.

Theyll let you through with a note from me.

Oh, why Dad?

Mr Hutton wants to meet you.

Mr Hutton?

Oh yes, the English captain.

Thats a thrill for you, isnt it?

Yes Dad. Quite a thrill.

- Reg.

- Yes.

What would you say if I was to tell you that ...

What Dad?

Mmm. It doesnt matter.

Itll keep.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight, Dad.

- Morning Reg.

- Morning Auntie.

Oh, I glad youve got some blue on.

Makes you look almost human.

- You telephoned that Mr Whitehead yet?

- No.

Well it is a bit early.

You can do it after breakfast.

- Morning Ethel.

- Morning love.

Oh.

You didnt sleep well did you?

What makes you think that?

Well you dont look as if you did.

Well, I did anyway.

You should have taken one of those pills.

How do you expect to make runs

if you dont get to sleep?

Stop it Ethel, do you mind.

- Well, I was only saying.

- I know what you were saying ...

... but I said stop it, if you dont mind.

I dont want to be reminded of

what Ive got to do today.

Im sorry dear, Im sure.

Well, Im glad youve got the new suit on.

This is what youve got to hand

in at the door, Reg.

- The door?

- Yes, at the pavilion to send up to the dressing room.

- Oh yes, thank you.

- Dad. Ive got to tell you something.

- Yes Reg?

Last night, you said I wasnt to tell

you any more stories.

You said, I wasnt to be scared of you.

Didnt you Dad?

- Yes.

- Well then, its this.

Im not going to the Oval this morning, Dad.

Ive got to go to Henley.

Dont listen to him, Sam. Hes talking nonsense.

It isnt true.

Did you know about this?

Well, I knew it was in his mind,

but I never thought ...

How can you go upsetting your Dad like that.

This morning of all mornings.

I shouldnt have let you do something

you know is out of the question.

Im not asking him to let me do something, Auntie.

Im telling him Im going to do something.

- Oh you wicked boy. How dare ...

- Let me handle this, Ethel, if you dont mind.

Lets get this straight.

Why have you got to go to Henley?

To see Alexander Whitehead.

Oh. Do you remember promising me

youd come to the Oval today?

I didnt promise Dad.

I only said I would.

You only said you would.

You happen to remember why you said

you would, or ...

... have you forgotten me telling you

it was important to me ...

... that you should be there?

Today of all days.

No Dad, I havent forgotten.

Alright, then. Well theres no more

to be said then, is there.

- Have you got your fare?

- Yes.

- Do you know how much it is?

- Yes, Ive got enough to get there, anyway.

And how are you proposing to get back?

Well, you know, I thought I might

hitchhike, or perhaps Mr Whitehead might ...

You can give me the change this evening.

Thanks Dad.

I think its the most disgraceful wicked

cruel thing Ive ever heard.

- Yesterday was bad enough, but this ...

- Alright Ethel.

Off you go, Reg.

Go on catch your train.

Dad, I ... Ive got to try and explain.

I know you think its terrible of me

not to put off Mr Whitehead ...

... and come and see you bat.

But crickets been your life and

of course you see theres something ...

... awfully important.

Thats perfectly natural.

But ones got to keep some sort

of sense of values, Dad.

After all, it is only a game, and

you cant compare it to ...

... well to the more serious

things of life, like ...

... like the things Mr Whitehead stands for.

Oh gosh. Im making it worse, I suppose.

What I mean is, Dad, whatever you

think about this game, it ...

... it just resolves itself into

banging a bit of red leather ...

... about a field with a piece of wood.

You do it well and I do it badly and Im sorry.

But I dont see why I have to give

up the chance of my life ...

... just to go and watch you doing it.

Oh, Im sorry. Ive said a lot of

things I didnt mean to say.

Someday, when my mind is ...

Ill get back from Henley as

quick as I can ...

... and Ill go straight to the Oval.

I hope Ill be in time to see you bat.

Thanks for the pound.

Ill pay you back.

Well, Sam Palmer. How you could just

sit there and let him say that I ...

Answer that, will you Ethel.

Itll be Syd Thompson.

Im giving him a lift up to the ground.

- Morning Ethel.

- Morning Syd.

What was your Reggie doing,

running out of the house like that?

He nearly knocked me down.

Dreadful things happened.

Im that upset, Syd, really I am.

Do you know what that wicked boys

gone and done now?

- Hes ...

- Ethel, if youre coming with us ...

... youd better go up and get ready.

Alright dear.

Is it going to rain, Syd?

- About tea time, Id say.

- Better get my mac Syd.

Trouble?

Yes, our Reggie just gave us a

piece of his mind. Thats all.

- What about?

- Cricket.

Said it was just banging a bit of red

leather round a field with a piece of wood.

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