The Reckoning Page #2

I'm sorry.

Oh... that's alright.

What can I do for you?

Is Doctor Carolan in? It's about

Mr Marler. Urgent.

He won't be long love.

You can go in now, love.

Dr Carolan?

Name please?

Do you not know a Marler

when you see one?

Mick? Mick, isn't it?

Is it your father?

That's right.

Could you come straight away.

Is he dead?

Yes.

Yes.

Through this Holy anointing,

and his most tender mercy.

May the Lord forgive you for whatever

sins you have committed. Amen.

In virtue of the faculty given to me

by the Apostolic See.

I grant you a plenary indulgence, with

full remission for all your sins.

In the name of the Father... and of

the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

A pity you missed him, Mick.

I had a long talk with him only yesterday.

A great loss.

Oh... you feel that?

It's not a very fashionable emotion

these days... loss.

A foretaste of Hell, you might say.

Eternal loss.

Don't provoke me Father.

He was worried about you, your father.

About your obsession with getting

on in business.

He felt you liked ideals... that you

turned into an opportunist.

I don't need a debate right now, Father.

He remarked you had no songs left in you.

Father, I never swallowed your stories

15 years ago. You don't expect me to now.

Your father tells me you believe the human

race to be a herd of dumb beings..

.. to be preyed upon.

A sort of predators-and-victims

arrangement.

He's just died Father.

I pray for you Mick.

You said all that, did you?

You cunning old sod.

I'll just do the examination.

He knew me better than anybody,

the old fellah.

I was wondering about those bruises Doctor.

Were you? And how's London?

Oh fine.

Would you say they were accidental?

I would... I'd say he fell.

People do when they have heart attacks.

In pubs especially.

He was a grand old sort, your father.

What was this "accident" Kath?

Oh, he was drinking as usual.

With Cocky Burke and one of his mates.

And was there talk of a fight?

Phillip and I will take Ma home

with us tonight.

Are you staying here?

Yes.

Can you manage?

Yes.

I think I'll just slip out for a word

with Cocky.

Go through to Ma, Mick.

I'll not be long.

Hello Cocky.

Mick... Mick, it's good to see you.

How's your dad?

So so.

Oh the poor old fellah took a knock alright.

Oh, but he is a stoater.

Here, what'll you drink?

I'll take a glass of stout.

Hey!

Two glasses of stout.

Thank you Happy. Come on, give her a proper

Liverpool hand. You can do better than that.

And now ladies and gentlemen, what

you've been waiting for. Bingo time.

Alright, get your lucky pencils out

and your lucky charms.

Because we're going for the first

number and here it is.

Forty! Four-oh. Blind forty.

God, it's a sorry sight to see these

at their pleasures.

It would not be my dad's idea of

a great night out.

Aye, that's the truth. I only come

here myself for the wrestling.

Cocky, what is this story of this

accident that happened to my dad?

You sure you're interested now Mick?

I haven't been away all that long, have I?

Well I tell you..

You see Liam Mooney and myself had come into

some money from the doggies at Pontefract.

So, we picks up your dad, and off we

goes to the Bricklayer's Arms.

There, we had a few jars.

And then that silly sod Stokes gets

on the old Joanna.

And the snug-bar crowd shouts for

a song from John-Joe.

I never heard such a voice Mick.

As fresh and as clear as mountain water

and as soft as a plover's breast.

Mind you, he hadn't the power

of the old-days.

But he was singing low and sweet.

All that soppy stuff.

"Teddy O'Neil" and God knows

what else besides..

Well now, there we all are Mick,

do you see it?

In the snug of the Bricklayer's Arms and

your dad in great voice.

And all of us in fine spirits after a

great afternoon's races.

Now then..

Your dad had just launched in

on "Kevin Barry".

When in through the door of the snug..

.. comes four or five of your pimply

English teddy-boys and their girlfriends.

Your dad had just reached the line where

the English soldiers are torturing Kevin Barry.

When these yobbos starts giving him

the slow hand-clap.

Your dad looked across at them as if they

weren't there, and carried on singing.

Liam Mooney called on them to desist,

whereupon..

One of these yobbos heaves a glass

over at your dad.

Mouthing a few imprecations against

the Irish immigrants.

Within ten seconds, it was the

"Battle Of The Boyne" all over again.

Why, your poor old dad Mick,

wasn't quite up to it.

One of these young fellahs nutted him,

and then stuck the boot in.

Before Frankie Medlin could clobber him.

It was all over then... we lifted him up.

Folded him into the back seat

of Tobin's rattle-car.

The bogeys arrived just as we were

leaving the car park.

You know who the young fellow was?

I do so! He works in the next shed to me.

Did you tell the police who it was?

I would no more collaborate with

the English bogeys..

.. than I would collaborate with

the Devil himself.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself

Mick Marler for thinking such a thing.

Well Cocky, I think you're going to

have to tell the police.

The old fellah's dead.

God rest his soul.

But listen to me, Mick.

You are not to reveal a word of what

I've said to the English police.

I don't want mixed up in this sort of thing.

That young fellah as good as murdered

my old man, Cocky.

If anything is going to be done Mick,

it won't be the English police doing it.

Remember that.

Five and six. Fifty six.

Six-oh. Blind sixty.

One and nine, nineteen!

Bingo! I can't bloody miss it!

Bingo!

One... two..,. three.

I was sorry to hear about your

father Mr Marler.

Thank you very much.

Mrs Eglington... I am now.

But I wouldn't let that bother you.

Would you like a drink?

I'm with a friend.

Hello?

My father died this afternoon.

I was too late.

Oh, I am sorry Michael.

Are you still there?... Michael?

Yup.

When will you be back?

John Hazlitt wanted to know.

I'm staying the night.

I'll... see him in the morning, and you

tomorrow evening, if you're not too busy.

The.. the funeral will be next Saturday.

Oh my God. Have I got to come up for it?

I'll see you tomorrow night.

Goodbye then.

Goodbye!

There you go, England! What a carry on.

Why don't we... go somewhere else?

Let's go.

I like being driven.

Would you like a drink?

We haven't got time.

Jack expect me home by half-past ten.

Where would you like to go?

Suit yourself.

Oh!

I've been imagining... you and me.

Quick!

Let's get outside.

What's your name, love?

Hmm?

Oh, Joyce.

Well, we've just been at it like knives.

Now we get round to the introductions!

First things first.

What time did you say your husband

was expecting you back?

I don't care really.

Yes sir?

Ten gallons please.

Do you know what I feel?

I haven't got a clue.

When I was little, when my dad was working.

On a Friday night we'd have steamed duff.

It was the white and heavy sort.

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