The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner Page #5

that you have not.

I want you to win, and, in particular,

I want you to win that challenge cup

for the long distance.

For that, if for no other reason,

I've decided to let the curtain go up

on our concert tonight.

So, enjoy yourselves,

and give our friends here a good hand.

Lads, we are very lucky

to have here, tonight,

a very old friend of yours, and of mine,

Mr. Roland Benton,

with his bird imitations.

So, let's give him a really warm welcome.

Thank you.

And, I'd like you now to come with me

on a walk down an English country lane.

And, over there, what do we see sitting

on Farmer Giles' fence,

but a blackbird.

Now, lads, I want you to join with us

in singing that fine old hymn you've

heard so often in chapel,

Jerusalem.

Thank you.

Well, have you nothing to say for yourself?

I'd just like to say that it was

as much my fault as Stacey's, sir.

We can leave Stacey out of this,

he's in far more serious trouble.

Yes, sir.

We can't have you fighting

like a wild animal.

If you want to try your strength,

I'm sure Mr. Roach, here,

will be glad to take you on.

Well, anyway, now

I have some more cheerful news for you.

You've shown yourself a willing worker.

We're going to take you out of the shop,

and upgrade you to the garden.

Thank you, sir.

I want you to promise me

that you'll keep up your running.

It's my ambition to see you

take that challenge cup

from Ranley School for us.

- What do you say?

- I'll do me best, sir.

I'm sure you will.

Come on, now! Wakey, wakey!

Wakey, wakey!

Rise and shine! Come on, Robins.

Jump to it then! Let's be on your way!

All right, then, that's my boy!

Come on, what do you think

you're doing there?

Can't stay there all morning!

Come on, you've got

sleeping sickness, have you?

Hello, hello.

Housemaster's report. Come on!

Come on, then! Enough stretching.

Come on. The pair of you.

- All right, then, come along!

- All right.

Down there, lads, up!

Come on, Tyler! That's not up.

Come on then, get dressed.

What's the matter with you, Smith?

You think you're exempt or something?

Come on then! Let's get up!

Shut up.

All right, get to PT and no skiving!

Come on, now let me out of here.

Hey, who's got my pot?

One, two. One, two.

One, two. Higher up with those knees!

Left, right, left, right, left...

Knees up higher, Smith.

Much higher than that! Left, right,

left, right. Higher up still!

Keep your chin up. Left, right.

One and two, and one and two.

One and two.

Touch your toes. Stretch those legs,

and get your head lower.

One, two, three, four.

One, two, three, four.

Stretch those elbows back there.

One, two. One, two.

One, two. One, two.

Faster! One, two. One, two.

- One, two. Come on.

- Morning, Craig.

Morning, sir.

All correct, sir. 34, five hospital,

two cook, one duty cook, sir.

- Carry on, Craig.

- Very good.

Class, still!

- Roach.

- Good morning, sir.

I see from the sports report that Smith

is making good time

in these practice runs.

Better than I expected, sir.

I think you were right.

- You still don't trust him, do you?

- I wouldn't like to say, sir.

Well, we'll soon see, shall we?

- Stand them at ease.

- At ease!

Well, lads, you've all heard me say

that if you'll play ball with us,

we will play ball with you.

I've told a boy here, that I and the staff

were prepared to trust him.

- And we keep our word. Smith.

- Sir?

Unlock the gate, Mr. Craig.

Smith, off you go. The usual run.

You've done it many times

under supervision,

only this time you're going to do it alone.

Be back at the usual time, hmm?

- Off you go.

- Yes, sir.

- What are you gonna buy me, Mum?

- Where are we going first?

You know what I want, don't you?

Oh, I like this.

Oh, stop it.

Behave yourselves.

Oh, that's nice.

Where are we going now, Mum?

Cor, I'm knackered.

- That's what I want.

- Oh, come.

- Quick.

- It's my gown.

That ought to keep them quiet.

Not bad for 20 quid, eh?

Ah, marvelous.

Marvelous how cheap things are

when you can pay cash.

- Let's hope it lasts.

- Don't worry, it will.

It had better.

Now then, you two, behave.

You've both been good to me,

so don't let's have any arguments.

Here you are, Colin, that's for all your help.

No, that's all right.

It isn't all right, take it. Go on, take it.

Oh, that's the man with ale.

Smith, come on. Get your skates on.

- Here you are, love.

- Thank you.

- Here's the change, Colin.

- Ta.

- Did you get the fags?

- Yeah, I got them.

- Here you are. Smoke yourself to death.

- Ta.

- Hide that for us, love, will ya?

- Audrey.

The bloke behind the bar

wouldn't sell me at first,

said I was underage.

Good mind to go back

and slap him in the teeth.

Don't be a mug.

Makes you sick.

What'd you tell your mum and dad?

I told me mum that I was going to be

with Audrey all night.

- I said I'd be with Gladys.

- Hey, crafty pair.

- Well, skin off your lips.

- Here's to us then.

Cheers.

Four to Skegness, please.

Four to Skegness. First class.

- I heard you.

- Didn't sound like it.

You shouldn't waste your money like this.

Don't worry, there's plenty more

where that came from.

Come on, lad. I haven't got all night.

Hey, hold it, hold it!

- Colin, get your hand in.

- Wait for me.

- No sign of stopping.

- Quit pushing.

Oh, that's better.

And get these down. That's right, love.

I'll help you.

Come on, doll, give us a kiss.

Wait a minute. Enough.

Oh, we don't want that.

Hey, come on.

- You're married, are you?

- Yes.

People get married young nowadays,

you know.

Well, you can pay me now, then.

It's 1 each room.

There you are.

Come on, you two.

Sleep well.

Come on.

Come on then. Come on.

The first one in the water gets wet.

I came to Skegness with me mum and dad

when I was four.

They were happy that day,

and flush with money,

and while they were paddling in the sea,

I ran away to try and get lost.

And I did get lost.

But I couldn't stay lost for long,

because after about four hours,

they came and found me sitting

on the steps of this big building,

singing, and waving this stick

at everybody that went by.

I didn't half cry

when they took me back to the beach.

I was always trying to get lost

when I was a kid.

I soon found out

that you can't get lost, though.

- What are you going to do now?

- Get a job I suppose.

What did your old man do before he died?

He was a laborer,

sweated his guts out for 9 a week.

- He never had it so good.

- It's about the same for everybody.

There was always rows

in our house though,

mostly about money.

Mum and Dad fought like cat and dog.

Dad threatened to bash Mum's face in

because she was doing it on him

with other blokes.

Mum cursing Dad for not bringing

enough money into the house.

That's how most people live.

I'm beginning to see

that it should be altered.

- Come on, try and catch me.

- No, come back.

Col?

Col?

- Oh, Col, where are you?

- Hey.

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