"THE INCIDENT"
FADE IN:
scene 1
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SOUND
TRACK OF HEAVY RAIN AND FOOTSTEPS RUNNING
SOUND
TRACK OF DOOR OPENING AND FADING IN THE SOUND OF BAR ROOM
BACKGROUND CONVERSATION WITH A JUKE BOX PLAYING JARRING POP MUSIC
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CLIVE WHITE
(CHALKY):
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Aye
aye Alan on yer own this evenin?
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ALAN WOOD
(SLINGER):
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Clive
pause
still
raining then
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Clive:
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Does
it ever stop? I’m even wet under the arms!
Are
they both in the public bar?
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Alan:
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just
George on tonight service is slow
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Clive:
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(close)
George
lounge
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George:
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Evenin
Chalky White haven't seen you for some time.
What’ll
it be then?
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Clive:
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pint
of bitter please,
and
Alan?
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Alan:
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Pint
please George.
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Clive:
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You
have a short there Alan
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Alan:
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Just
the chaser will do chalky
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George:
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So
just two pints then
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Clive
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And
one for yourself thanks George
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George :
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thank
you Chalky that will be a white wine then.
Not
seen you for some time are you on the wagon?
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Clive:
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No
not on the wagon just haven't been out much lately
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George:
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Still
in the Coastguards are you, They would be lost without stanch members like You and Mr. Woods here?
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Clive:
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Course!
Why?
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George:
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Haven't
seen you boys in here since
pause
Well
for some time
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Clive:
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Did
you turn up for last nights training Alan?
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Alan:
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Forgot
(said unconvincingly)
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Clive:
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Me
too
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George:
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There you are
lads,
That
will be six fifty please chalky.
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Clive:
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There
you are.
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George:
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That’s
a twenty pounds thanks
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SOUND
OF A TILL OPENING – AND MOVEMENT OF COINS
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GEORGE:
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Sorry
Chalky no fivers, they seem to be an endangered species
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George
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You
OK Alan?
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Alan
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Course
why you askin?
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George:
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You
don't seem your normal happy self.
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Alan:
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What’s
it to do with you any way?
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George:
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Don't
snap my head off just interested in your welfare that’s all lad.
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SOUND
OF BAR STOOL BEING PULLED OUT AND PERSON SITTING DOWN
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(OFF
VOICE):
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George
any chance of service in the bar?
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George:
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OK
coming.
You
two alright for a moment?
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Clive
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For
the time being.
LAUGHTER
FROM THE BAR
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CLIVE:
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What’s
happening next door?
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Alan:
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They
seem to be baiting Burma.
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Clive:
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Burma?
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Alan:
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Yeah
Burma,
You
know the scruffy bastard that begs outside the supermarket when he
gets the chance.
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Clive:
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Still don't
know who you mean.
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Alan:
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The
old lag with the medals pinned on an old army trench coat,
With
the limp and the collie dog.
Well
sort of collie, old smelly dog, grey muzzle that sits up and begs
for coppers
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Clive:
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I
think I know the fella.
Has
the brown paper bag round his bottle of plonk?
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Alan:
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That’s
the fella.
We
stopped him walking into the sea a couple of years ago.
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Clive:
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So
what are they doing with him
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Alan:
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Trying
to get him to recite poetry,
Flanders
field!
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Clive:
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How’s
he doing?
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Alan:
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How
do you think making a pigs ear of it.
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MORE
PEELS OF LAUGHTER FROM THE BAR
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Long
pause
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Alan and
clive:
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Talking
at the same time
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Alan:
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Sorry
mate you were saying?
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Clive:
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Did
you see the match on Saturday?
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Alan:
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No
I missed it, any good? (in false enthusiasm)
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Clive:
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Don’t
know I missed it as well
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Alan:
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Not
like you Chalky, only you and the manager seem interested, and he
has to be there.
You
must be the only one that bloody pays
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SOUND
OF THE BAR DOOR OPENING AND PERSON WALKING TOWARDS THE BAR
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JOHN
SKIPTON:
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Alan,
Clive
what
you having lads
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Clive
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I’ll
get this.
George
lounge bar when you're ready
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George:
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What
can I get you gents?
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Clive:
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Another
pint for me,
Alan?
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Alan:
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whiskey please.
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Clive
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And
a whiskey for Alan.
and
john?
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John:
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Red
wine please.
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George:
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Any
particular type?
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John:
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What's
the house red?
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George:
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A
Merlot I think.
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John:
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That'll
do nicely.
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George:
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Regular
or large?
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John:
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Large
please.
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Clive:
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What
are you chuckling about George?
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George:
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Just
a joke I overheard in the public.
How
many plumbers does it take to change a light bulb?
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Clive:
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Dunno
George
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George:
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Four
one to change the bulb and three to complain about the way the
bulb was changed last time
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Alan:
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(agitated)
and how many publicans does it take?
four
one
to keep the lights out so they can short change customers.
One
to take a bribes from the candle manufactures.
one
to change the cellar to duty free drinks.
and
one to touch up the barmaids bums.
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George:
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OK
Alan, I forgot you were a plumber!
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George:
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Right
Clive that will be seven pounds ten please.
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Clive:
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Take
it out of that.
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George:
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Do
you have the ten?
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Clive
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There
you go.
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George:
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Thanks.
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SOUND
OF TILL OPENING AND RATTLE OF COINS
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(OFF
VOICE):
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George
when you're ready?
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GEORGE:
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Three
pounds change thanks Chalky
(raised
voice walking away) coming
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John:
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Cheers
Clive, Alan, good health
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SOUND
OF DRINKING AND BREATH OF SATISFACTION
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JOHN:
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Bloody
‘ell, its not bad wine this one, George is slipping.
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CLIVE:
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Looks
like Bloss’ something!
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John:
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Oh
right, same as what Janice buys
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LONG
PAUSE
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John:
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You
two OK?
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Alan :
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What
do you mean?
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John:
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You
both haven’t turned up for training since,
Pause
sentence unfinished
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Clive:
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Been
busy that’s all (unconvincingly)
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John:
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Alice
OK?
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Clive:
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What
are you getting at Skip?
(agitation)
Alice is fine why?
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John:
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Janice
saw her yesterday says she was looking a bit peaky
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Clive:
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Time
of month probably, she’s been a bit short recently. Wonder she
didn’t snap Jan’s head off.
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LONG
PAUSE WITH SHUFFLING NOISES
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John:
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Either
of you got some time off next month in the day?
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Clive:
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what
for (guarded).
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John:
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Child
safety workshops, that’s all.
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Alan:
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George,
How’s about some service?
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George:
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Keep
your bloody ‘air on
You’ve
all got drinks.
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Alan:
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I
need another Whiskey.
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George:
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You
don’t need, you want.
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Alan:
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Smart
arse, there’s more pubs than this you know.
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DEEP
BREATH SOUND OF WALKING AND GLASS ON THE OPTIC
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Alan:
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A
double while your at it.
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George:
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Five
pounds please.
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SOUND
OF COINS SLAPPING DOWN ON THE BAR
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ALAN:
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Take
it out of that.
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SOUND
OF MOVING COINS THEN THE TILL OPENING AND CHANGE BEING THROWN IN
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CLIVE:
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I'm just
going to wash my hands, won't be long.
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John:
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George
takes a lot of stick and has been good to the team in the past.
Has he upset you Alan in some way?
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Alan:
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Smug
bastard that’s all.
pause
Looks
down his nose at the likes of us.
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Clive:
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George
the towels need to be refilled.
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George:
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Ok
I’ll sort it shortly.
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John:
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Well,
any takers for working with children for the safety week. Ruth
says you have a week off?
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Alan:
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did
she now? (with raised voice)
Well
she doesn’t know bugger all.
(Long
pause)
I’m
busy, got loads on, no time for holidays, not next week or this
bloody year!
(lowered
voice)
sorry
can’t do it.
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John:
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Ok
sorry I asked.
(pause)
If
you want to talk about? (left unfinished)
Well
you know, if ? (unfinished)
(Pause)
Well
the doors always open, any time
OK
?( up beat)
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Alan:
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Yeah
,OK boss
Pause
I’m
fine honest. (unconvincingly)
Just
very bloody busy.
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Clive:
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How
is Jan taking it John?
Is
she OK?
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john:
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Not
very well.
She
says she’s OK but you just know
(pause)
So
soon after her father died! I suppose her mum was not happy being
left, she just gave up living.
(pause)
bloody
close family that one.
one
feels they all feel.
pause
well
anyway.
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SOUND
OF DRINKING, AND GLASS SLIDING ALONG THE BAR
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GEORGE:
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Another
one John?
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john:
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No
not for me George.
I
need to be going.
Put
this behind the bar for the boys please.
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SOUND
OF DOOR OPENING INCREASE IN PUBLIC BAR NOISE
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BURMA:
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A
ake up our quarrel with the foe
(slurred)
(Hiccup)
To
you from failing hands we, (quieter)we, we(Hiccup)
The
torch, (Louder) the bloody torch be yours to hold…. oh bugger
Sod
the bloody thing. Not my war anyway not a real war
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SCUFFING
SOUND
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BURMA:
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Sorry
mate, you’re my pal you are.
I
I am onward for a piss,
and
bollocks to all this.
Hey
that rhymes,
That
bloody rhymes!
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SOUND OF SLIDING FURNITURE
JOHN:
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Hold
on there old son!
Watch
where you’re going!
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Burma:
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Don’t
bloody touch me, Arse ole,
Gerrof.
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SOUND OF FURNITURE CRASHING
ALAN:
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You
bastard!
Touch
me you bastard!
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SOUND OF A STRUGGLE
CLIVE:
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(Strained
voice)
Alan
leave him, leave him,
Let
go.
Come on,
calm down.
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Alan:
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(Shouting)
Attack
me from behind you bastard?
Come
on get up, get up.
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John:
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Calm
down Alan,
Stop
it, stop it
Let
him get up.
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George:
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What’s
going on here?
Come
on break it up!
Break
it up!
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john
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Alan,Alan
Calm
down, calm down
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George:
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Right
you lot get out!
And
you Wood you’re banned! Get out!
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john:
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Steady
calm down, all of you, lets not do anything hasty
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George:
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Don’t
come the big peacemaker with me Skipton, get out.
I
don’t need you bloody Coastguards here!
Out
I said You are Banned That's you Alan Woods, Clive White and John Skipton out!
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John:
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George
hang on.
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George:
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Just
get out, take that mindless thug with you. Get out before I call
the cops.
Have
you seen the state of ya, some bloody heroes hey!
You’re
a bloody mess, all of ya!
All
bloody mad!
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Alan
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(Struggling)
Ban
me you bastard?
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John:
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Alan,
Alan,
Come
on leave them.
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George
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Go
on clear off
I don’t
need your ringside antic here, clear off!
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SOUND
OF DOOR OPENING AND STRUGGLING PEOPLE LEAVING
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GEORGE
|
Sad
bastards!
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Burma
|
Sorry
George.
I
didn’t start nuffin
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George:
|
Its
not you its them.
They
are all a bit touched since the school coach.
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Burma:
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What
coat George?
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George
|
Never
mind.
If
I were you I’d get myself home.
You’ve
had enough tonight.
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Burma:
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No
more tonight George? no more tonight?
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George
|
Best
you go out the back way.
You
don’t want to run into that lot again tonight, do you?
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Burma:
|
Not
tonight, George
Not
in planders field where poppies grow (Fading)
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Door
OPENS AND SWINGS SHUT
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FADE
SCENE 2
DOOR BELL CHIMES – DOOR OPENING
ALICE:
|
Ruth
Come
in, good to see you, its been a while.
|
Ruth:
|
I
don’t want to stop you
I
wont be long its just
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Alice:
|
Come
in come in
I’m
on my own.
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DOOR CLOSED SHUT
Alice:
|
Come
on lets go in the kitchen, coffee?
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Ruth:
|
Please,
White
(voice
sounding a bit tearful)
|
Alice:
|
Oh
Ruth
|
SOUND OF SOBBING
RUTH:
|
Sorry
|
SOUND OF SOBBING
Alice:
|
Here
have a tissue
The
mascara’s running
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Ruth:
|
Oh
Alice
I’m
at my wit’s end
|
Alice:
|
Why,
What on earth is it
|
Ruth:
|
Are
things OK with you and Clive?
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Alice:
|
I
wish
(pause)
You
and Alan?
|
Ruth:
|
Awful
Bloody
awful!
(pause)
He
is like a total stranger
Ever
since
|
Alice
|
Has
he told you what happened with the coach?
|
Ruth:
|
No
(Long
pause)
Just
that Ian died.
It’s
been over six months you’d have thought he’d have said
something by now
|
Alice:
|
That’s
all I got
“Bloody
awful Ian died, don’t ask”
well
I didn’t, and he never told me
(pause)
All
the neighbours think its wonderful being married to a hero.
I
don’t want a hero I was happy enough with Clive as he was, not
the wreck he is now.
All
those certificates medals,
What
good was that?
|
Ruth:
|
Alice
(sobbing)
oh
Alice
|
TELEPHONE RINGING, LONG TIME
RUTH
|
I’M
OK
Go
on answer the phone
|
Alice
|
798544
hello
yes
it is
speaking
I
did yes
Uhh
hhu
Really
Oh
good, that’s great
Yes
thank you oh thank you
Ok
I’ll wait for confirmation in the post.
Thank
you good bye
|
Ruth:
|
Good
news?
|
Alice:
|
Well
Pause
Things
will have to change now!
|
Ruth:
|
Something
wrong?
|
Alice:
|
On
the contrary some things are very right but others aren’t
|
Ruth:
|
I
don’t understand
|
Alice:
|
I’ll
tell you later after I have told Clive.
|
Ruth:
|
Is
it what you wanted
|
Alice:
|
Very
much but not NOW
Not
while Clive
(pause)
Right
coffee then?
What about
you and Alan?
|
SOUND
OF WATER FILLING KETTLE AND CLICKING ON KETTLE.
CUPS
RATTLING AND TEASPOON HITTING CUP.
|
|
Ruth:
|
Alan’s
a mess! We were always close now I can’t get near him
What
about your Clive
|
Alice:
|
Clive
has always been open, a bit of a loner but always open with me.
Now
he has clammed up, shut me out
|
Ruth:
|
Since
the coach?
|
Alice:
|
Yes
right back to then.
(pause)
every
time he use to get called out, I use to get a blow by blow account
of what happened.
Who
did what and why.
It
was as if he had to tell me everything, get it off his chest.
|
Ruth:
|
Now?
|
Alice
|
No
After
the coach he came home and never said a word.
When
I asked him what happened he snapped my head off. Said he didn’t
want to talk about it
(Pause)
|
Ruth:
|
Has
he hit you?
|
Alice:
|
No
he never has but I think he could if I didn’t lay off.
Why
has Alan hit you?
|
Ruth:
|
No
but I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.
He
is quick to fly off the handle now a days
|
Alice:
|
I
keep thinking about it.
I
don’t think he slept well that night
He
certainly has not slept well since
|
Ruth:
|
Does
he have nightmares?
|
Alice:
|
Oh
yes!
Every
night
Wakes
up, not screaming, just makes a sort of animal noise.
It’s
driving me mad.
Then
he goes to the kitchen and makes himself a cup of something
|
Ruth:
|
Has
he said what he dreams about
|
Alice
|
I
asked him at first but Now I just leave him to it.
Sometimes
he comes back to bed!
Mostly
he sleeps on the settee.
(Pause)
|
Alice:
|
Most
mornings I find him with his earphones still on, where he has been
listening to his CD an fallen asleep
|
SOUND OF
TINS RATTLING AND CUPS MOVING
|
|
ALICE:
|
Something
with your coffee, I would pass over the scones if I were you, they
are a bit dry
|
Ruth:
|
You
bake just for the two of you?
|
Alice:
|
Why
not, Clive likes home baked? Easiest way to a man's heart?
|
Ruth:
|
A
cleaver would be quicker
|
BOTH LAUGH
Alice:
|
That
would stop his daymares.
If
that’s what you call them, a bit like nightmares but in the day.
He goes all blank like reliving something. Starts sweating and has
palpitations.
He
says its too much coffee. That’s decaf by the way.
|
Ruth:
|
That’s
OK we are on decaf as well. Alan thinks he is getting too agitated
on real coffee, says he has caffeine poisoning
|
Alice:
|
Has
he?
|
Ruth:
|
Of
course not, but you have to humour them
|
Alice
|
You
know if they were ill we would be listing the symptoms
|
Ruth:
|
Who
says they aren’t?
|
Alice:
|
What
ever Clive is, he is not Clive, not as he use to be
|
Ruth
|
I
wouldn’t be surprised if they are all acting the same behind
closed doors
|
Alice:
|
I’ll
get a pen and paper
|
DRAWS
OPENING PENS FALLING ON A WORK TOP. RUBBING SOUND
|
|
ALICE:
|
Fifty
bloody pens and, and only this ones working
Right
Nightmares?
Yes
|
Ruth:
|
Definitely
Loads
|
Alice:
|
Daymares
or whatever?
Yes
|
Ruth:
|
Yes
quite a few
|
Alice:
|
Washing
his hands?
I
can’t count the times he goes to the bathroom, never dries his
hands properly. Now he is complaining they’re cracked!
If
that was all that was cracked!
|
Ruth:
|
No,
not washing hands, would be nice to have a plumber with clean
hands
Does
Clive smell things?
|
Alice:
|
How
do you mean?
|
Ruth:
|
You
know, sometimes he says he smells something It sets him off he
gets all moody.
He
says there is a smell in the lane that leads to mums’ place. He
wont walk with the children takes the car the long way round. The
smell of some plant or other?
|
Alice
|
Now
you mention it we use to walk round Dingle Dell, looking at the
flower borders.
We
avoid it now. He never said why and I never pushed it.
So
I think smells affect him as well?
|
Ruth
|
Day
and nightmares, smells
How
about music? Alan’s tastes have Totally
changed. He use to listen to radio 1, or 2 if I moaned. Now he
plays nothing but classic FM
|
Alice:
|
Clive
has gone the other way. He use to listen to classic FM. Now he
listens to Rap hip hop and radio 1.
If
I try to change the channel he gets angry
|
Ruth:
|
That’s
the big one, quick to anger right?
|
Alice:
|
Right,
I have to watch what I say
|
Ruth:
|
Is
Clive clumsy?
|
Alice:
|
He
says he drops things, I think he throws them.
|
Ruth:
|
Alan’s
the same; I had to buy more mugs the other day. I drop things,
but he is knocking up quite a score.
|
Alice:
|
Avoids
friends?
I
never see a soul, never see any of the team.
|
Ruth:
|
Did
you hear they all got banned from the Duke of York two weeks ago?
|
Alice:
|
He
never mentioned it.
Why
were they banned?
|
Ruth:
|
I
don’t know, I saw Ray at the Hypermarket, he said they all go to
the Kings Head after a drill.
|
Alice:
|
Ugh
not the Stinky Head?
|
Ruth:
|
Afraid
so, no wonder Clive is washing his hands
|
(pause)
|
|
Ruth:
|
I
can’t get Alan out to see any one, he use to be really sociable
now he keeps making excuses not to see people
|
Alice:
|
Clive
never goes near the Coastguard station
|
Ruth:
|
Nor
Alan, you can’t help but pass it on the way to the shops, but
Alan goes right round the town.
If
I say anything he bites my head off.
It’s
obvious what he is doing
|
Alice
|
What
is really strange, he avoids children.
And
the hand washing, 50 or 60 times a day and thinks I don’t
notice! Good job we didn’t get the water meter fitted.
|
Ruth:
|
What
about?
Pause
You
know touchy feely stuff
|
Alice:
|
Well
Clive is not what you would call romantic. No flowers on
Valentines day unless it’s a pot plant, or something he can take
to pieces for new cuttings.
As
for sex
Well
he is right off!
Only
once in three months and that was a quickie when I did every thing
|
Alice:
|
Good
job women can’t get done for rape
He
cried like a baby afterwards
|
Ruth:
|
Bloody
hell!
|
Alice:
|
Yeah
bloody bloody hell!
You?
|
Ruth:
|
Well
|
Alice:
|
Come
on I have been very honest and up front
|
Ruth:
|
Much
the same as you.
Alan
is more likely to lash out than make a pass
|
Alice:
|
Has
he
|
SOUND OF RUTH SOBBING
Alice:
|
Has he hit the children?
Ruth No
|
No not yet.
just explodes
You can’t see it
coming
|
Alice: Right! (angry)
|
This is not just
about them. It’s us as well. All of us.
I don’t even know
what happened.
The bloody queen
knows more about what our men did than I do.
She doesn’t have
to live with them
|
Ruth: Alan’s got a
scrapbook of the incident. All letters and things.
|
He has his bravery
award on the wall with the photograph of the presentation by the
Lord Lieutenant
|
Alice: Clive has
nothing, no cuttings, nothing.
|
He hid the
certificate in the loft.
Just wont talk about
anything
|
SOUND OF RUMMAGING IN A HAND BAG
Ruth: I found a piece
of paper in his jeans pocket before I put them in the wash
|
Its in here
somewhere
|
Ruth: Here we are it
is a bit crumpled
|
Alice: Its hard to read
|
Some kind of
counselling services
I’ll get a
magnifying glass
|
SOUND OF DRAWS OPENING AND CLOSING
ALICE: Is that an eight
or a three
|
Ruth: Looks like an
eight
|
Alice: No matter I’ll
try them both
|
SOUND OF A CAR OUTSIDE ON GRAVEL PATH
ALICE Clives’ car
|
SOUND OF CAR REVERSING AND DRIVING AWAY
ALICE: He’s driven
off
|
Bugger he saw your
car and buggered off
|
Alice Right that’s
it
|
If the men can’t
do anything we will
OK
|
Ruth: Yeah
|
Yeah its not us its
them
They are ill not us
God they need help
|
Alice: We all do
|
I’ll phone Claire,
Jan and Steph
We can’t be
the only ones
|
FADE
SCENE 3
SOUND OF CAR ON GRAVEL DRIVE
DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING
CLIVE: Alice
|
SOUND OF EMBRACE AND KISSING PROLONGED
Clive I love you Alice
(emotional near to tears)
|
Alice: There there
|
I love you too
|
MORE KISSING AND MURMURING
SOUND OF
CLOTHES RUSTLING COUPLE PARTING
|
Alice: OK?
|
Clive Yeah
|
OK
|
Alice: Coffee?
|
Clive: Yeah OK
|
Not now though
|
MORE KISSING AND MURMURING
SOUND OF CLOTHES RUSTLING
Alice: I should send to
counselling more often
|
How was it?
|
Clive: I’m suppose to
talk to you its good for me
|
But not before my coffee you galley slave
|
Clive Ouch! that hurt
|
I have a delicate
bum you know, needs to be shown some tenderness and respect.
Buttock abuse is not
in the counselling book
|
Alice It is in mine
|
I obviously have a
later edition
|
Clive I’ll give you
something to edit
|
MORE KISSING AND MURMURING
SOUND OF CLOTHES RUSTLING
Clive: I shall have to
subscribe for editing more often
|
MORE KISSING AND MURMURING
SOUND OF CLOTHES RUSTLING
Alice: I love you
|
Clive: I love you
|
Just never knew how
much
|
Alice: Say you love me
again
|
Clive: I love you again
|
I mean again
Really love you more
than before
|
Alice: Carry on
|
More nice things or
no coffee
|
Clive; You know
|
Alice Clive White you
are just not built romantic
|
But I love you
|
MORE KISSING AND MURMURING
SOUND OF CLOTHES RUSTLING
Alice: You are pleased
to see me
|
I can feel it
|
Clive: Should we?
|
PHONE RINGING
Clive: Bugger!
|
SOUND OF WALKING AND LIFTING THE TELEPHONE HANDSET
ALICE: yes mum
|
No mum
Uh uh
Not yet
|
Clive: I’ll make the
coffee
|
SOUND OF WALKING AWAY AND KETTLE BEING SWITCHED ON RATTLE OF CUPS AND SPOONS
ALICE: Well why not
|
Nothing to loose
(pause)
Dad’s not often
wrong (humorously)
Go on you may enjoy
it(pause)
OK (pause)
I’ll call you
later bye
bye
|
SOUND OF HANDSET BEING REPLACED AND WALKING CHINKING OF CUPS
Clive What does she
want?
|
Alice: If you are that
interested in my mum why don’t you answer the phone (jokingly)
|
Clive: She never speaks
to me on the phone.
|
Men are only for
ordering about and
|
Alice: And?
|
And what may I ask
|
Clive: Pause
|
Tickling feet
|
Alice: Laughing
|
Don’t you dare
|
Clive I told you so
|
Giving orders
|
Alice: OK
|
So what happen
today?
|
Clive: (Deep breath)
|
not too bad,
well not that bad, a
bit emotional
I had to go through
the whole incident again.
They did not know
what it was about
|
Alice Nor do I
|
Clive Do you want to
know?
|
Alice: Yes
(thoughtfully)
|
Yes I do, you are
part of me I want to know everything.
I want to help
You can talk to me
(pause)
As you say it’s us
against the world. That’s how I feel
Just us against the
world
|
Clive: Ok (pause)
|
If I get stuck and
don’t want to go on.
No pushing right?
|
Alice: OK no pressure
|
Clive: Where to start?
|
SOUND OF CUP PLACED ON TABLE
Clive: The school bus
skidded at dyke bend.
|
Went through the
hairpin bend sign and over the cliff.
It was foggy and
there was ice on the road
|
Alice Did it go right
to the bottom?
|
Clive No it went over
and landed upside down on a level about a hundred feet down
|
It was just
balancing on the ledge with the engine part over the edge
|
Alice How did you hear
about it?
|
Clive 999 call to the
police
|
they called the ops
room and we got paged
all the team
responded to the pager and went to the station
full team first time
in ages
|
Alice: You felt you
could handle anything?
|
Clive: Yes that’s it,
we were on a high
|
Alice: Go on.
|
Clive: We arrived on
scene
|
I hammered the
stakes in and looked over the edge
At first I couldn’t
see a thing
The fog was patchy I
could see the bus upside down balancing on the edge about a
hundred feet down.
It was about a
hundred feet down (quieter thoughtfully)
(pause)
I thought we needed
back up so Ray and the lads were called from the flank teams
|
Alice: You stayed on
the top?
|
Clive: Yes
|
Alan and Ian got
kitted up as the cliff rescue man
|
Alice: They haven’t
been in the team long?
|
Clive: They joined
together two years ago
|
Went to school and
brought up together.
A close pair, best
of friends
|
Alice You are the
regular cliff man.
|
Did you feel you
could have done better?
|
Clive: (Long pause)
|
safer, just safer
Ian would not be
allowed to (sentence trailed away)
|
Alice: (Change of tone
more business like)
|
So Alan and Ian went
down the cliff? You could see what happened?
|
Clive: Not really. The
fog kept on coming in and out in waves
|
There was a lot
going on at the cliff top.
We had all the lines
down and short of hold fasts and methods for bringing them all up.
Alan’s line was
attached to the winch so he was obviously the one to bring the
casualties up and Ian would get them out the bus.
(pause)
I suppose
|
Alice: Then?
|
Clive: Well Alan gave
the order to haul away and we started to bring him up.
|
I couldn’t see him
at first
Then he came out of
the fog.
Blood all over his
helmet
A bloody hand
print beginning to run like a horror movie
|
|
Alice: He rescued some
one?
|
Clive: Yes he had a
girl in the stretcher
|
(Pause)
didn’t know it was
a girl at first.
So much blood
|
Alice: You helped them
over the cliff edge?
|
Clive: I need to wash
my hands!
|
Alice: No you don’t
not now
|
Clive: I do
|
I need to wash my
hands
Let go of my
hands
please
|
Alice You don’t,
take a deep breath
|
SOUND OF HEAVY BREATHING GRADUALLY GETTING LIGHTER AND UNDER CONTROL
Alice: OK?
|
Clive OK
|
I’m fine
|
Alice: Do you want to
go on?
|
Clive: (Breathing
deeply)
|
OK
|
Alice
: Just close your
eyes
|
Take it steady
|
Clive: (Emotional)
|
I was covered in her
blood
All over my hands
|
Alice: Is that why you keep washing your hands? |
Clive: No she died on
arrival at hospital
|
Alice: Then what
happened?
|
Clive Deep breath
|
Alan was shouting to
go down again quickly.
We secured a new
stretcher to his line.
He was very
impatient.
I checked everything
was secure
(pause)
He was reckless.
Called me a bloody
old fart, and demanded to be lowered.
I checked his gear
again
The cliff line
showed signs of wear
|
Alice: You let him down
though?
|
Clive: I was the only
one concerned
|
Ray and his team
arrived by then so there were more lines and staff available, but
Alan was insistent, time was all- important.
He needed to get
down again fast
|
Alice: So Alan went
down again OK?
|
Clive: He went down
|
But the recovery
line parted and he lost his footing
He fell about
ten or so feet into the fog.
I couldn’t
see what was happening.
|
Alice: Was he alright?
|
Clive: Yes the safety
line held
|
Alice How did he come
up again?
|
Clive: Ian came off his
lines.
|
Ian's recovery line
was attached to Alan
|
Alice: How was Ian
attached
|
Clive: (Distressed)
|
he wasn’t
he wasn’t
nothing
not a bloody
thing, he already disconnected the safety line to secure the
stretchers, out side the bus.
|
Alice: So?
|
Clive: Well
|
We had to move all
the lines about for recovery.
Lines everywhere.
I was not sure what
was what.
Skip seemed to know
|
Alice: You recovered
the other casualties?
|
Clive: Three more
|
Alan went up and
down
Ian got them out of
the bus
And put them by the
cliff edge
When Alan came down
they put them in the stretcher
Alan brought them up
|
Alice: Ray’s team?
|
Clive: No
|
Alan said there was
not enough room
It would be too
difficult.
He and Ian had a
system
|
Alice How many did you
recover?
|
Clive: Just the other
three.
|
Only one lived
The others died
within twenty four hours.
|
Alice Just one?
|
Clive: Hester Wills
|
Ian’s niece
|
Alice: When did?
|
Clive: We heard it when
Alan was half way up with Hester
|
Alice: You heard it
crash?
|
Clive: No
|
We heard a loud
creak
Just a creaking
sound
|
Alice: Hester was
brought up?
|
Clive Yes
|
Alan was
desperate to get down again
|
Alice: Then what?
|
Clive: Alan was
shouting something on the radio
|
Kept saying “gone”
over and over again
|
Alice: Did you see
anything?
|
Clive The fog started
to clear
|
The ledge was gone.
No bus.
No ledge.
Just Alan and an
empty line that Ian should have been attached to.
Just the line.
And blood on the
cliff face
Red on white chalk
|
Alice: Did you see the
bus?
|
Clive No the tide was
in
|
Waves crashing
against the cliff side
|
Alice: Then what?
|
Clive We recovered
Alan.
|
And put the gear
away.
Alan was in a state
of shock.
|
Alice: Was that the end
of it?
|
Clive: No
|
We carried out a
coastal search looking for bodies.
Then the fog
cleared and the helicopter joined the search.
|
SOUND OF KISSING AND Cuddling
ALICE: oh Clive
|
oh my love
I’m sorry
so sorry
|
SOUND OF KISSING AND LOW SOBBING
ALICE: Don’t cry
|
It will be fine
We are fine
|
Clive: I love you Alice
|
Alice I know
|
I know
I love you as
well
|
Clive: Look at us
|
Like children
All weepy
|
Alice Ah
|
Taking of children
|
Clive: Yes I know
|
I have been avoiding
them recently
|
Clive (Pause)
|
I don’t mind them,
not now
I’m going to the
Child safety workshop at Monkswood school with Skip
|
Alice: So you don’t
hate them?
|
Clive: Of course not
|
Alice why are you
looking at me like that
What’s the matter?
What’s wrong?
|
Alice Nothing |
(Pause)
Daddy
|
Clive: You’re not
ehh?
|
I mean are you?
You’re not
are you?
|
Alice: I am
|
SOUND OF CUDDLING AND KISSING
Clive What a day
|
What a day
You know I feel very
optimistic at the moment
I think I can
just afford a bar lunch
|
Alice: Shall I get my
coat then?
|
Clive: Oh yes misses
White
|
I’ll treat
you to a pickled egg and a lump of coal.
|
Alice: With Mayo?
|
Clive: Mayo and
ketchup?
|
TELEPHONE RINGING
HAND SET LIFTED
ALICE Jan
|
(pause)
no
oh no
how awful
oh
I’m so sorry
No, no stay there
We will be right
over
|
TELEPHONE RECEIVER REPLACED
ALICE Get the coats
Clive
|
Clive: A meal
(inquisitively)?
|
Alice: No
|
We are going to
Jan’s
Skip hung himself in
the garage
|
FADE
