Trainspotting Page #5

RENTON:

Exactly.

SPUD:

Nightmare.

RENTON:

It's a tightrope, Spud, a f***ing

tightrope.

SPUD:

My problem is that I tend to clam

up. I go dumb and I can't answer

any questions at all. Nerves on

the big occasion, like a footballer.

RENTON:

Try this.

Renton unfolds silver foil to reveal some amphetamine.

Spud dips in a finger and takes a dab. He nods in

appreciation as he tastes it. Renton leaves the packet in

Spud's hand.

SPUD:

A little dab of speed is just the

ticket.

INT. INTERVIEW OFFICE - DAY

A Woman and Two Men (1 and 2) are interviewing Renton. His

job application form is on the desk in front of them.

MAN 1

Well, Mr. Renton, I see that you

attended the Royal Edinburgh

College.

RENTON:

Indeed, yes, those halcyon days.

MAN 1

One of Edinburgh's finest schools.

RENTON:

Oh, yes, indeed. I look back on my

time there with great fondness and

affection. The debating society,

the first eleven, the soft know of

willow on leather --

MAN 1

I'm an old boy myself, you know?

RENTON:

Oh, really?

MAN 1

Do you recall the school motto?

RENTON:

Of course, the motto, the motto --

MAN 1

Strive, hope, believe and conquer.

RENTON:

Exactly. Those very words have

been my guiding light in what is,

after all, a dark and often hostile

world.

Renton looks pious under scrutiny.

MAN 2

Mr. Renton --

RENTON:

Yes.

MAN 2

You seem eminently suited to this

post but I wonder if you could

explain the gaps in your employment

record?

RENTON:

Yes, I can. The truth -- well, the

truth is that I've had a long-

standing problem with heroin

addiction. I've been know to sniff

it, smoke it, swallow it, stick it

up my arse and inject it into my

veins. I've been trying to combat

this addiction, but unless you

count social security scams and

shoplifting, I haven't had a regular

job in years. I feel it's important

to mention this.

There is silence.

A paper clip crashes to the floor.

INT. OFFICE - DAY

The same office. The same team are interviewing Spud.

SPUD:

No, actually I went to Craignewton

but I was worried that you wouldn't

have heard of it so I put the Royal

Edinburgh College instead, because

they're both schools, right, and

we're all in this together, and I

wanted to put across the general

idea rather than the details, yeah?

People get all hung up on details,

but what's the point? Like which

school? Does it matter? Why? When?

Where? Or how many O grades did I

get? Could be six, could be one,

but that's not important. What's

important is that I am, right?

That I am.

MAN 1

Mr. Murphy, do you mean that you

lied on your application?

SPUD:

Only to get my foot in the door.

Showing initiative, right?

MAN 1

You were referred here by the

Department of Employment. There's

no need for you to get you "foot

in the door", as you put it.

SPUD:

Hey. Right. No problem. Whatever

you say, man. You're the man, the

governor, the dude in the chair,

like. I'm merely here. But obviously

I am. Here, that is. I hope I'm

not talking too much. I don't

usually. I think it's all important

though, isn't it?

MAN 2

Mr. Murphy, what attracts you to

the leisure industry?

SPUD:

In a word, pleasure. My pleasure

in other people's leisure.

WOMAN:

What do you see as your main

strengths?

SPUD:

I love people. All people. Even

people that no one else loves, I

think they're OK, you know. Like

Beggars.

WOMAN:

Homeless people?

SPUD:

No, not homeless people. Beggars,

Francis Begbie -- one of my mates.

I wouldn't say my best mate, I

mean, sometimes the boy goes over

the score, like one time when we --

me and him -- were having a laugh

and all of a sudden he's f***ing

gubbed me in the face, right --

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes