JACKY: Grumpybum!

PETER:  See you later.

He leaves.  She watches him go.

She looks down towards the house and smiles to herself in delight.

She looks up at the viaduct and gleefully rubs her hands, and starts to ‘tum-te-tum’ a little tune very quietly.

She suddenly stops, embarrassed. She looks at the shelter in case someone is watching.

She becomes intrigued by the idea that EMMERSON may be there. She moves towards the shelter doorway.

JACKY:  Mr. Emmerson!    (She moves closer.)   Mr.Emmerson.  Are you there?

She moves to the doorway and begins to lift the polythene to one side.

HEDLEY TURNER appears stage left of the dry stone wall. He sees JACKY. He quietly makes his way through the mill rubbish and scrap, watching JACKY all the time.

He has on a blue boiler suit which is open down to his waist over his working shirt and jeans.

He has an ex-army lunch bag over his shoulder and he is carrying a book - Goldberg’s ‘Radio, Television and Sound System Repair’.

He stops at the wall.

JACKY glances up the steps, makes sure no-one is coming from that direction, then peers into the gloom of the shelter.

JACKY: (softly)  Mr. Emmerson!

Slight pause.

HEDLEY:  (loud, mock-menacing)            Hoi!

She jumps in surprise and whips round.

JACKY: Ooh God!    Oooh!    Hedley Turner!

HEDLEY:  (grins)   Sorry. Couldn’t resist it.

JACKY:   (recovering)    Nearly jumped out o’ me skin.

HEDLEY:  I’d ‘ave caught you.

He becomes slightly embarrassed. She looks away.

He climbs over the wall, selects a place on it, sits down and begins to unpack his tomato sandwiches.

JACKY:  I just wondered if Mr. Emmerson was....  at ‘ome.

She looks into the doorway and sees EMMERSON’s belongings.

HEDLEY: That’s ‘is first name you know, Emmerson.

JACKY: Pardon?

She picks up EMMERSON’s hammer.

HEDLEY: Mathers thi call ‘im.  Emmerson  Mathers.  I jus’ call ‘im Mathers. ‘E gets called all sorts,  but there’s nubdy calls ‘im  Mister anything.

JACKY: Oh. Emmerson  Mathers.

HEDLEY: What do you want ‘im for?

JACKY: Oh, just goin’ to say ‘ello sorta thing.

He laughs.

HEDLEY: Eh?

JACKY: We’ve come to live at that little ‘ouse down there y’see?

HEDLEY: Down yonder? Ave yer?

JACKY: Yeh, Just finished movin’ in. Viaduct Cottage.   (Moments pause.)An’ er… Mister Thingy seems to be stoppin’ ‘ere just now.  In there.

HEDLEY: Aye. ‘E does. (Pause.  He takes out a sandwich.)  Well, grand day anyway. Do you want a tomato sandwich?

He is embarrassed,

JACKY: No thanks.

HEDLEY: I’ve got plenty.

JACKY: (smiles)    No. I’ve got a lot to do thisaft. I’ll ‘ave to be off  in a sec.

He takes a bite of sandwich.

JACKY:  Are you workin’ at Victoria now then?

HEDLEY:  Aye.   (Slight pause.)   I’ve ‘ad this place all to mesen. All summer. Well, up till about four week sin’.  I don’t know what Mathers’s come ‘ere for. ‘E ‘ad a nice spot in one o’ t buildin’s back o’ Ernest Bower’s father’s farm.

JACKY: Yeh?

HEDLEY: Aye. Must ‘ave got across wi’ owd man Bower. ‘E’s a funny bugger is Mathers.   (Slight pause.)   Do you know what owd Bower calls ‘im?

JACKY:  What?

HEDLEY: Dick Dully.

JACKY:  What for?

HEDLEY: Chap who grew up in Richmond  tell’d im that were Mathers’ nickname as a kid.

JACKY: Dick Dully?

HEDLEY: Aye. Cos ‘e were so solitary. Even then like. (Slight pause.)  Nivver stays thick wi’ folk very long Mathers.  Allus on t’ move.

JACKY: Yeh. ‘E’s not a tramp though.

HEDLEY:            Eh?

JACKY:   Well, ‘e doesn’t tramp about does ‘e?  ‘E doesn’t go beggin’.  ‘E does farm work an’ stuff.

HEDLEY: Aye sometimes. When ‘e feels like it. Allus lived rough though. Nivver slept in a bed in ‘is life they reckon. Nubdy knows why.

He takes a bite of sandwich.   She moves nearer to him.

JACKY:  Do you remember flickin’ candle wax at me over t’altar rail when I were tekkin’ communion?

HEDLEY:   (quietly)            Aye, I do.

Slight pause.

JACKY: I used to fancy you then.   I was only eleven as well. Just a little lass.

HEDLEY: Aye. You’re not now.

He laughs, embarrassed.

JACKY: (hurriedly) I used to think you were really ungodly an’ blasphemous, all that stuff.

HEDLEY: Well, livened things up a bit. Morbid lot o’ buggers. I can’t stand people worshippin’  actually.

JACKY: Yerwhat? You were an altar boy.

HEDLEY: Yeh, it was good. You could watch everybody madly tryin’ to out-holy everybody else.

They chuckle.

JACKY: You didn’t stop so long after I were confirmed.

HEDLEY:  (loaded)            No. (He grins.)    Tell you why. I got a transistor for me fifteenth birthday.  Roberts caught me listenin’ to it through an earplug just as ‘e was goin’ to bless t’ wine.  So I left.   (Slight pause.)    We went through a bit of a religious phase our family. Well, me mother did.  Best to be t’ same as t’ Wesleyans. ‘Ang yer religion up wi’ yer coat at back o’t’ door on a Sunday night.  I do.  When I get back from t’ pub.   (She laughs.)     Were you there when I christened me-self?

JACKY:  No.

HEDLEY: I did. After Stott’s christening there were some water left in t’ font, so I bunged a cross on me forehead. (chuckles) Just to be on t’ safe side. Can you see it shinin’ out?

JACKY: (She laughs.)  Yeh !   Oh no  it’s muck.

HEDLEY: (wry)   Aye, it would be   (Slight pause.)  You don’t still go to church do you?

JACKY:  No. Well, nobody’s got time now ‘ave they?    (She taps with the hammer on the new work.)    Has ‘e done this? Mr. Mathers?

HEDLEY: Yep. Can’t think what for. They ‘aven’t asked ‘im to. They’ll not pay ‘im for it.

JACKY: It’s ever so neat.

HEDLEY: His grandfather were a stonemason. Worked on these viadocks.

JACKY: Viaduct.

HEDLEY: Eh?

JACKY: (cheeky) It’s Latin.

He gives her a wry look.

HEDLEY: Oh?

She is slightly embarrassed.

JACKY:  Did Mr. Mathers tell you about his grandfather?

HEDLEY:   No. Me father did. I do talk to Mathers like, but that doesn’t mean ‘e allus talks to me. ‘E pleases ‘imself.

Slight pause.

HEDLEY: (cont.) When I were a young lad, me an’ Mick Crossland an’ a couple of others were messin’ about laikin’ marbles, on that bit o’ concrete outside Walt Dickinson’s shop you know. An’ Mathers come past like, an’ watched a bit, sorta intrigued. An’ then ‘e took us in t’ shop, an’ ‘e sez to owd meanie Walt, “Give ‘em all six pennorth o’ spice apiece”.   Six pennorth you know?  So Walt did do like. But when it comes to payin’,  Mathers ‘ad buggered off.   (She laughs.)    Disappeared. Not a word. We all got a bag o’ sherbert  lemons, but Walt Dicki’son nivver got  paid for ‘em yet !   

She laughs, gets up to leave.

HEDLEY:  (quickly)   Catharine Taylor    -    Miss!

Hedley Turner   -    Miss!

Jacqueline Wainwright    -     …

He points at JACKY for the response.

JACKY:  Eh?

HEDLEY: Assembly register at t’ little school. When me cousin Maureen flitted  we were t’ last two on it.  Me an’ you.  You’re supposed to say    -    Miss!

JACKY:  (grins)  Missis!  Jacqueline Summers now.

HEDLEY:  Uh?

JACKY: Jacky Summers.

She displays her wedding ring.

HEDLEY:  Well bugger me. I’ve missed t’ boat agen!   (She laughs.)  Peter Summers ‘ave you married?

JACKY:  Yeh.

HEDLEY:  (loaded)            Oh. We shan’t be able to talk to you soon then. I thought there were something I couldn’t just place.  

(She turns away and looks at the hammer in her hand, then at the shelter doorway.)   (rueful)   Ey, it’s a only my fun.  

(She makes a move towards the doorway.)    

Me best mate drives a tipper for ‘is father.

She turns on him.

JACKY: Don’t you like Peter?

HEDLEY:  Oh aye, course. Don’t know ‘im really. ‘E went to t’ Grammar dint’ ‘e. Not same as us thickies.   

She turns away, becoming angry.

HEDLEY:  (contd.)   No, it were a cinch ‘e’d go to t’ Grammar though Jacky. You know.   You couldn’t ‘ave imagined ‘im not goin’.    (Slight pause.)  ‘Is father ‘ud ‘ave managed it some way, even if ‘e’d failed ‘is eleven plus.

She faces him.

JACKY: Yeh, well you think ‘e’s  a snob don’t you?

HEDLEY: Nay, I thought ‘e wor a Wesleyan.

He smiles, innocent, wicked.

JACKY: (angry) Well he’s not a snob.

HEDLEY: Traffic Manager now isn’t ‘e?

JACKY: Yes. What are you?

He grins.

HEDLEY: Yes alright luv, I’ll give you that.   (He turns and looks at the mill.)   More ambitious ner me luv, that’s all. There’s some folks just use their wits, ‘cos they know no better, an’ there’s some folk who pit their wits. ‘E’ll ‘ave no difficulty gettin’ on won’t Peter.

JACKY: He does work flamin’ ‘ard. you know.

HEDLEY: Flaming!!

JACKY: Pardon?

HEDLEY:  Latin that.

Slight pause.

JACKY:  (softens very slightly)   ‘Is mother’s a bit snobby p’raps, but Peter’s not.

EMMERSON appears round the arch at the top of the steps. They do not notice him. He watches.

HEDLEY: ‘Ow many lorries ‘ave they got now?

JACKY: Don’t know. A lot.

HEDLEY: Oh.

JACKY: God.  Infuriatin’ sod.  There not Peter’s you know. There ‘is dad’s.

HEDLEY:  (chuckles)   I know luv.

JACKY: You make me bloody mad you.

HEDLEY: No, no, good luck to ‘im luv.  I’m only jealous. I used to see you an’ ‘im in t’ Sycamore sometimes. Top o’ Stones Wood.

Slight pause.

JACKY: Well, Peter reckons if you’re goin’ to get anywhere, you have to be a bit nasty.

HEDLEY:  Does ‘e?

JACKY: Yea, ‘e does.

HEDLEY:  Well that’s funny.    (Turns to her, pulling a face.)  I  ‘aven’t got anywhere an’ I’m a bit nasty!

He suddenly makes a mock grab for her.

She screeches and runs up the banking.  She sees EMMERSON and stops.

EMMERSON unconcernedly takes a piece of cheese from a brown paper bag.

JACKY: Oh. Hello Mr. Math..... er..... Matherson.  (She waves the hammer.) I’m sorry. I was just…

She replaces it in the doorway.

HEDLEY giggles and sits against the wall.

She gives him a black look.   She moves down to the path in order to leave stage right.

EMMERSON watches her.   She stops and looks at him, she smiles.

EMMERSON moves towards the shelter entrance.

JACKY: Mr…  er…

HEDLEY:  Mathers.

EMMERSON looks sharply at HEDLEY, who grins back.

JACKY: Mr. Mathers.   (EMMERSON looks at her.) (She smiles uncertainly.)   We’re going to be neighbours.

Slight pause.    She leaves.

EMMERSON watches her go.

HEDLEY reaches inside his snap bag and takes out a can of Tetley’s bitter.

<  >