The Mercy Page #6

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and I fear that you will.

'You see,

it's not Rodney or Stanley that...

'...I worry about you disappointing.'

Or even me.

It's you.

Nobody else matters to me.

Good morning.

Buenos dias.

(Car doors close)

(Dog barks)

I am Petty Officer Santiago Franchessi

of the Coastguard of Argentina.

The Teignmouth Electron is your boat?

I'm surprised you haven't heard

about the race.

I started here in a town

called Teignmouth.

Then the clipper route

round the tip of Africa.

The plan was to go round the world without

stopping. Hence no need for a passport.

How do we know you

are telling the truth?

Well, I have a film camera as well.

If we could develop the negative,

I could show you the images.

Africa, the Roaring Forties,

New Zealand.

If you will stay here for a moment.

(Speaks Spanish)

(Clears throat)

(Crowhurst) 'I'm so sorry.'

I'm sure they told you everything.

May I call my wife?

- Let's go.

- Where are you talking me?

To your boat.

I had to check

that you are not a, er... smuggler.

(Speaks Spanish)

(Franchessi) We will get you

what you need for your boat.

(James) 'He's out! He's out!'

He was almost back and now he's out!

He's going round again.

- What are you talking about? Who?

- The Frenchman!

- He's withdrawn from the race.

- What?

'Father only has

Tetley and Knox-Johnston to beat.

'It's in the paper. Moitessier's out!

Simon, Rachel, the Frenchman's out!'

(Clare) '"I am continuing non-stop

back to the Pacific Islands.'

"I am happy at sea,

and I want to save my soul."

'What does the salt water do

to these men's brains?'

(Creaking)

(Crowhurst) 'Tetley has to take the prize.

Too much noise.

'No one will look at the logbooks

of the last man home.

'I have to be last.

'Too many questions.

It's my only way back.'

'But where is back?'

(TV News) 'For Robin Knox-Johnston,

an impressive voyage of 312 days

'without setting foot on dry land.

'He remains 86 days shy

of Chichester's speed record,

'but wins the Golden Globe

as the first man

'to circumnavigate the world

without stopping.'

Didn't see him covering 200 miles in a day

like Captain Crowhurst.

(Hallworth) Exactly!

(TV) 'Nigel Tetley and Donald Crowhurst

are the two competitors still at sea.

'The coveted title of fastest

is still in the offing.'

And no one is faster than Donald.

(TV) 'Look at his smile!

He really is enjoying being home!'

To Robin Knox-Johnston!

Bless the man.

(Benefits officer) 'And when was

the family's last income?'

Well, he's been gone

for, er, almost six months now,

but, erm, even before he left,

he wasn't really earning

a significant amount of money.

- Gone? lllness?

- No, no. Nothing like that.

But he's expected back?

- Yes, definitely.

- 'Any idea when?'

I've actually brought some, er...

bank statements to show you.

So, if I understand correctly, I think

we're eligible for a clothing allowance

and free school dinners.

We have three children at home.

'Of course all of this will change

once my husband returns.'

Do you know where your husband is,

Mrs Crowhurst?

(Crowhurst)

Mike, Zulu, Uniform, Whisky.

Mike, Zulu, Uniform, Whisky.

Teignmouth, Electron. Over.

(Argentine operator)

'Q-T-H, por favor. Q-P-R? Over.'

Who is this? Over.

'This is General Pacheco Radio

of Buenos Aires.

'Sir, what is your latitude

and longitude?'

Heading Digger Ramirez.

Repeat, heading Digger Ramirez.

Excuse me.

We've heard from Portishead.

He's alive!

- What?

- Yeah.

- He's rounded the Horn.

- Are you serious?

Yeah, he's just passed

the Diego Ramirez islands!

God!

Where does that put him now then?

I knew he could do it!

Take that, Tetley!

Could he place a call to us? Yes.

Of course. No, of course I understand.

Oh, well, thank you so much, Portishead.

I believe this is the best phone call

I have... ever received in my life.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Oh, my goodness. Your father is... off

the coast of Argentina and heading north.

And with any luck he should be home...

before the end of June!

Oh, my goodness! Come here! Oh!

Show me the islands. Where are they?

He's the fastest around Cape Horn.

Remarkable.

Mr Hallworth must be over the moon.

Hmm. If he keeps it up, he'll log

the fastest circumnavigation ever.

And he's just a hobbyist.

What a story.

The triumph of the underdog.

Must have old Chichester

scratching his head.

Give me 1,000 words on Crowhurst.

'I imagine "Heading Digger Ramirez"

will certainly be three of 'em.'

(Morse code machine beeps)

(Crowhurst)

'Only two weeks behind Tetley.

'Photo finish will make great news.

'Fill your sails.'

(Rachel) 'I think you're going to win.'

(Crowhurst) 'No. No, can't do that.

'They'll be too much noise.

Too many questions.

'Tetley has got to win.

I have to be the last man home.'

(Indistinct radio)

Godspeed, Nigel Tetley!

(Clanking and creaking)

(Whining and creaking)

(Rachel) 'Are there horses

in the Horse Latitudes?'

(Crowhurst) 'No, sweetheart.'

'Story has it that many years ago

when the Spanish sailed to the West Indies

'they brought their horses with them

to the New World,

'and sometimes they ran out of wind,

then they ran out of fresh water as well.'

Which gave them

a very difficult choice to make.

Men or horses?

Are you taking a horse?

No, but I'm taking

plenty of fresh water with me.

(Tape recorder clicks)

(Best) 'He's out.

(Clare) 'Who?'

Tetley. Tetley's out!

- He is?

- Yes!

How did that happen?

Well, listen, the story is,

he heard Donald was gaining on him,

he's overplayed his hand, he's pushed

his own boat too hard, and he's capsized!

- Does Donald know?

- (Hallworth) Yes, of course he knows!

So do the BBC, so do "The Times",

and soon, if it's got owt to do with me,

soon so will most of England.

Clare, listen, listen.

He's the only one left now!

Now, not to celebrate

Mr Tetley's misfortune,

but now that we know

that he's safe and sound,

I think we'd like to pause

and reflect for a moment.

- (Clare) Reflect...

- (Cork pops)

Oh, my goodness me!

The family of a hero

doesn't reside on the dole.

(Hallworth) Indeed. So...

To Donald Crowhurst, soon to become

the world's fastest circumnavigator.

Hmm. To Donald.

- To Donald!

- To Donald.

(Hallworth chuckles)

(Crowhurst) Yes, Buenos Aires,

I would like to make the call directly

to the United Kingdom, Teignmouth.

Higher Brimley Road. Clare Crowhurst.

- From her husband. Over.

- (Operator) 'Trying through New York.'

No, not through New York.

I would like privacy if possible. Over.

'We are unable to reach Portishead.'

No, not through Portishead.

No, Teignmouth directly.

When I asked yesterday...

'Not sure we copy.'

A direct link, please.

That is what I requested. Over.

'We cannot establish a landline

connection from Buenos Aires.

'We will try again through New York.'

Thank you. Listening out.

So what do I do now?

'I needed Tetley to come home!'

I'm out here alone now!

I have to talk to you!

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