We Dive at Dawn Page #2

on your last leave.

He made the most of that, I'm sure.

I see he calls it "the deadly sin".

Anyway, If I were you,

I'd try and get home sober this time.

Your wife will probably...

I'm not going to join the Band of Hope

to please any hymn-singing fish-fryer.

If my wife wants a separation,

she can have it.

Is that what you really want me to say?

Yes, sir.

- Anything else, sir?

- No. That's all, Hobson.

- # Speak to me, Thora!

- That's Mike, isn't it?

# Speak to me, Thora!

# Speak from your heaven...

Oh, well, it only goes to show.

Yes, they always say the happiest day of a

man's life is the day before he gets married.

Yeah, that's right.

What do you mean, the day before?

Marriage is the finest thing in the world

for a steady fellow like Mike.

Especially when he's going to marry

a steady girl like our Ethel.

Then why haven't you tried it yourself?

Well, that's different.

Here... Here, Mike. Mike!

Mike, your name's down on this duty list

to stay behind.

- No!

- It is, I tell you.

Here, Williams. You were fixed

to do this duty. Well, you're going to do it.

- My name is not on that list, is it?

- That's beside the point.

Well, that's good enough for me.

- There must be a mistake.

- See for yourself. It's there all right.

But I can't believe it. Everybody knows

I was going to get married tomorrow.

- I've got enemies in this ship.

- Something's got to be done about it.

Ah, what's the use? An order's an order.

Every time we try to fix something up,

something happens to spoil it.

We're powerless, Dicky.

Playthings in the hands of an unseen fate,

that's what we are.

Yeah, well, playthings, my foot!

Don't you worry, I'll fix it. I'll see to that.

But, Dicky, I...

(Coughing)

That's pretty wicked tobacco, Sid.

What is it, carpet slippers?

Well, Jock, you were right about the leave.

48 hours.

- Aye, it's not worth going ashore for.

- I knew you wouldn't mind staying behind.

- No, but... Staying behind?

- I put you down in Arnold's place.

- I knew you wouldn't mind.

- Nothing of the sort. I'm entitled to my leave.

Now, Jock, Jock, I wouldn't ask you

to do something for nothing.

Mike, I've fixed it.

Jock's volunteered to take your place.

- Come on, there's a boat just leaving.

- I can't go like this. I... I haven't got my kit.

That's all right. Tug's looking after it.

Come on, hurry.

Have a good time, Mr Coxswain.

But keep off the beer!

Lucky for you he didn't take that bet, Spud.

- What bet?

- About the leave being 48 hours.

Lucky? It's the only bet I'd have won

on the whole trip. Don't be barmy.

Barmy?

- Hey, Tug, how long is this leave?

- Seven days.

Seven? Seven...

That'll be enough for that boat.

(Silent)

- Well, I'll be...

- Wotcher, me old Gladys!

Oh...

Excuse me, have you any ciga...

Oh. No, thank you.

- Hello, Ethel.

- Dicky!

Look what I've brought you.

- Hello, Mike.

- Hello, Ethel.

(Man) Put that light out!

- Good morning, Mrs Metcalfe.

- Good morning.

- Fish and chips for dinner?

- That's right, Mr Hobson.

It's no use knocking. She's gone.

- Gone?

- Aye.

- To the shop?

- Aye, over a week ago.

- Here's a present for you.

- For me?

- Hello, Mr Hobson.

- Here you are, son. A football for you.

Well, sir, Sunday morning

is the only time we have free now.

Except for a slight gap after tea

on Wednesday.

Well, we must remedy that,

mustn't we, Drake?

(Gasps) Are you trying to pick a fight, Rudolph?

Listen, Drake, this is important.

When Miss Lake calls... Yeah, Miss Lake...

...have her put through here right away,

will you? Right.

I wish I could get the same kick out of life

that some of you fellows get.

- Seven days' leave, sir.

- Just started, eh?

- I have.

- Army?

- Navy.

- Ah.

(Telephone rings)

Hello, my darling. How are you?

Wonderful to hear from you again.

Is it, Freddie? Oh, that's very sweet of you.

This is Browning, depot ship, here.

Bad news, I'm afraid, old man.

Order from Captain S, report back at once.

Of course I'm not joking.

There's a recall list, the Sea Tiger.

Get busy on it.

Yes, sir.

How do I know, old man? Probably

wants you to make up a four at bridge.

Now, listen. There's a train leaving London

at 2:
15 that makes the connection at...

All right, all right,

you can look it up yourself, then.

You've got to be back here

by nine o'clock at the latest.

Right.

- Finished, sir?

- Yes, I'm finished.

Very first day of my leave.

- First I've had for months.

- What's the trouble?

Leave cancelled, just like that.

After all the trouble I've gone to,

all those dates I've fixed.

Everything blown sky-high!

Trouble's at the top.

Silly old dossers who couldn't run a regatta,

giving orders one day

for the sake of cancelling them the next.

Quite right, my boy. I've had to fight

against that sort of thing all my life. Goodbye.

Look here, Dusty, my boy,

this slate ain't elastic, you know.

Ah, but it will stretch till next Saturday,

won't it, guv?

I've got a treble coming up then,

and it's a stone certainty.

You're telling me.

Here comes old Slim. He's always good

for a dollar. You watch me tap him.

Hello, me old Slim. You're just in time. I'm in

the chair and here's a pint of the very best.

Oh, thanks, Dusty.

I'm glad I found you here. Flunkey.

Well, all the best.

- Er... Slim, old man, we was just saying...

- I've got some bad news for you.

- Report to the ship immediately.

- (Laughs)

- And you. Both of you.

- (Laughs)

- What is this? A joke?

- It's no joke, it's an order.

- You're sailing tonight, so get a move on.

- But, Slim...

Always good for a dollar, eh?

Hello, customers.

Hello, you old grease spot.

- Still frying the same old dogfish?

- (Laughter)

What have you come for?

- I've come for my wife.

- She doesn't want to see you.

- That's for her to say.

- She's out.

All right, all right, I can wait.

In the meantime,

I have a few chosen words for you, my lad.

Look here, Hobson, don't make a scene.

Can't you see I'm busy?

- OK, Sid, OK, I'll give you a hand.

- Don't bother.

It's no bother at all. What's yours?

A sixpenny and two penn'orth.

I brought my paper.

That's the stuff.

Service, that's what I like. Service.

- Here!

- Fish is good for the brain.

- Aye.

- Looks as if you could do with an extra bit.

(Laughter)

- Here you are, tuppence the lot.

- Eee!

Service and civility, that's my motto.

Service and civility.

- Now look here, Hobson...

- There you are, love. A penny back for you.

Now, who's next?

What about you, young lady?

- Have you got all you want?

- (Woman) Here, come on, sailor. Serve me.

Hello, Daddy.

Hello, son.

I've come to take you home, Pete.

What do you think of that?

- Have you been in your submarine?

- Have I been in my submarine?

- (Man) Hey, three sixpennies, mister!

- Better than that. I brought it home for you.

- Here. What do you think of that?

- Ooh, Daddy!

Go back in the kitchen, Peter,

there's a good lad.

Alice, just a minute.

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