The Ploughman's Lunch Page #15

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CARMEN:

Could you look it out for our

friend?

Pete nods again and returns to chopping wood.

JILL:

Is the tea all right? I didn't

ask you if you wanted sugar.

JAMES:

It's fine, thanks.

CARMEN:

Now first of all, tell us your

name.

JAMES:

Penfield. James Penfield.

CARMEN:

This is Jill, Carol, Betty, Mandy,

Louise, Pete over there, and I'm

Carmen.

The women smile and murmur hello as they are introduced.

Their friendliness progressively disorientates James.

CARMEN:

There's another fifteen of us out

at a meeting.

CAROL:

Would you like us to show you round

the camp.

CARMEN:

Let him drink his tea, poor man.

I don't know what's happened to

this other fellow. He said he'd

be here at three.

JILL:

Lost!

BETTY:

What do you do at the BBC, James?

JAMES:

I work in radio news, in London.

A chorus of 'Oh well then ... 'and 'Great!'

JAMES:

But I'm not an interviewer or a

correspondent.

CARMEN:

That doesn't matter. As long as

we can get our message through to

someone there. Jill, where are

those handouts?

JILL:

They're back here somewhere.

They're a bit crumpled.

Pete hands a jack to James.

JAMES:

Oh, great. Thanks.

Now James has his jack he begins to back away.

CARMEN:

Give them here. This tells you

how the Women's Peace Camp came to

be set up. All local women at

first, then we had support from

women and men all over the country.

JAMES:

Very good.

JILL:

The response has been just amazing.

JAMES:

Yes.

CARMEN:

And this sheet tells you all about

the base, the number of missiles

they're going to have, what they

think they're for and so on.

CAROL:

We've had the local radio down

here.

JAMES:

Terrific.

CARMEN:

But what we need is national

coverage. It's difficult with

this Falklands madness going on.

Do you think you might be able to

do something when you get back?

JAMES:

I'll suggest it. Remember though,

we're news, not features. It might

help if you could get yourselves

attacked by the police. Anyway,

I'll be back with this soon.

Thanks.

BETTY:

(close up, eyes

wide)

Ordinary people everywhere are

saying 'No, we don't want these

terrible weapons!' That's news!

JAMES:

I won't be a moment.

EXT. PEACE CAMP - EVENING

James drives down the road towards the airbase. He stops

his car well short of the camp. He takes the jack from

the car and walks towards the camp. There are more people

now moving in and out of the light of the fire. The sounds

of voices, laughter, mostly female. A meal is being cooked.

James sets down the jack where it can be found. He has

been observed throughout by Pete, from the shadows. He

speaks as James is turning back towards his car.

PETE:

Off then?

JAMES:

Er, yes, I put the jack by the ...

hut there. Thanks for your help

... I... I have to be getting back

... so ... see you. And thanks

... and ... all the best.

Pete watches James walk away.

INT. TELEVISION COMPANY ENTRANCE/STAIRS - AFTERNOON

London. A day later. The television company where Susan

works. James is late. The lift is out of order. He runs

up several flights of stairs with diminishing energy.

INT. SCREENING ROOM - AFTERNOON

Breathless, James bursts into the screening room. Susan

is seated. Jeremy stands near her, leaning against a desk,

smoking. By contrast, they are calm.

JEREMY:

Fortunate that I was here to keep

Susan entertained.

JAMES:

Sorry. Got held up. What are you

doing here?

JEREMY:

Delivering gossip and goodwill.

It seems we'll both be doing

Brighton.

(He starts to put

on his coat)

Perhaps you should come too.

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