Trainspotting Page #19

MAN:

Can you take this call?

Renton takes the telephone and reaches for a piece of paper

from which he reads.

RENTON:

Hello, yes, certainly. It's a

beautifully converted Victorian

town house. Ideally located in a

quiet road near to local shops and

transport.

Renton checks his watch.

EXT. THE A1 IN NORTH LONDON - DAY

Renton stands waiting beside this busy London road, outside

some very unfortunate housing, as the traffic streams past.

RENTON (V.O.)

Two bedrooms and a kitchen/diner.

Fully fitted in excellent decorative

order. Lots of storage space. All

mod cons. Three hundred and twenty

pounds per week.

A couple approach. Renton unlocks the door of a flat and

holds the door open while he ushers them in.

INT. LONDON FLAT - DAY

Renton shows the Couple round a typical London flat

nightmare. A poor conversion, poor decor, everything small

and ill-fitting. The windows rattle as the traffic roars

by.

RENTON (V.O.)

I settled in not too badly and I

kept myself to myself. Sometimes,

of course, I thought about the

guys, but mainly I didn't miss

them at all. After all, this was

boom town where any fool could

make cash from chaos and plenty

did. I quite enjoyed the sound of

it all. Profit, loss, margins,

takeovers, lending, letting,

subletting, subdividing, cheating,

scamming, fragmenting, breaking

away. There was no such thing as

society and even if there was, I

most certainly had nothing to do

with it. For the first time in my

adult life I was almost content.

INT. LONDON BEDSIT - NIGHT

Renton finishes eating a pot noodle. He puts it down and

picks up a letter. He lies back and reads. Intercut with:

INT. SCHOOLROOM - DAY

A class is in progress. A teacher lectures to a mixed class,

but Diane is not listening as she is writing.

EXT. SCHOOL - DAY

Diane is leaving the school when Sick Boy catches up with

her. They stop and then she walks away.

EXT. PARK - DAY

Diane walks along a concrete path. As she does so she has

to step over Spud, who lies asleep/unconscious beside the

remains of a carry out.

DIANE (V.O.)

Dear Mark, I'm glad you've found a

job and somewhere to live. School

is fine at the moment. I'm not

pregnant but thanks for asking.

Your friend Sick Boy asked me last

week if I would like to work for

him but I told him where to go. I

met Spud, who sends his regards,

or at least I think that's what he

said. No one has seen Tommy for

ages. And finally, Francis Begbie

has been on television a lot this

week. --

INT. LONDON BEDSIT - NIGHT

Renton turns the page.

DIANE (V.O.)

as he is wanted by the police in

connection with an armed robbery

in a jeweller's in Corstorphine.

Take care. Yours with love, Diane.

There is a buzz at the door. Renton re-examines the letter.

There is another buzz.

RENTON:

Oh no.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BEDSIT - NIGHT

Renton opens the door to an unseen figure. It is Begbie.

INT. BEDSIT - NIGHT

Renton sits on the bed. Begbie stands over him, pointing a

gun at his head. He pulls the trigger. It clicks harmlessly.

BEGBIE:

Armed robbery? With a replica? How

can it be armed robbery? It's a

f***ing scandal.

He 'fires' the gun a few more times at his own head, then

chucks it to the floor.

And the haul. Look.

He digs a few rings out of his pocket and throws them to

Renton.

Solid silver, my arse. I took it to a fence -- it's trash,

pure trash. There's young couples investing all their hopes

in that stuff, and what are they getting?

RENTON:

It's a scandal, Franco.

BEGBIE:

Too right it is. Now look, have

you got anything to eat, 'cos I'm

f***ing Lee Marvin, by the way.

INT. BEDSIT - DAY

Begbie is sitting on the bed in his underwear, eating cereal

while watching television. A small carry-out is nearby.

Renton finishes dressing for work. He pauses at the open

door, looking back towards his guest.

RENTON (V.O.)

Begbie settled in in no time at

all.

Begbie opens a can of beer. Renton closes the door.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE BEDSIT - DAY

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