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Great Writing - Home > Scripts > A Matter of Relations Part 5
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Drama Scripts
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| A Matter of Relations Part 5 | |
| By BrianRobertNeal | ||||||||||||||||
| 19 September 2006 | ||||||||||||||||
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Thanks for the Arial tip. SCENE 7-THEN WINNING? NARRATOR-Nigel goes back to the Kitchen and sits down. Nigel wondered why he could never bear to remember the good bits. The bad he could endure, but the good were insufferable. Georgina and Gerald arrive at the front door, and glare at each other. One of them rings the doorbell. GEORGINA-I'm surprised to see you here. You have been happy enough to leave it to Nigel and me. So what has changed? GERALD-Well you certainly haven't. I'm here because Nigel insisted I came, so the 3 of us could agree on the final details regarding mother's money and things. NARRATOR-Nigel goes to the door and opens it and they all go into the kitchen and sit down. GEORGINA-I know exactly what's here and what its worth. GERALD-So we'll all probably know what's no longer here and where it now is, probably sold. GEORGINA- So what, I had to look after her, I was here everyday. GERALD-Using her phone, ponsing food and money and anything else you could get your hands on. GEORGINA-Yes and why not. I was sick of hearing about "poor little Gerry", and how clever Nigel was doing so well. I was sick of reminding the pair of you when it was her birthday. But did she care no. I've had no more than what is mine! Everywhere you looked there were pictures of her darling boys. There were just 2 photos of me, one in the loo with Gerry, and one in the kitchen with Nigel. After dad died, mother had more money than sense and who got it, the Animal Sanctuary. NIGEL-I got her to re-write her will, with the exception of £100 for the Animal Sanctuary it is split equally between the 3 of us. GEORGINA-Well done Nigel, big brother sorts it out once again. GERALD-Where are dad's stamps? GEORGINA- I've got them. It was my collection. GERALD- Keep the bloody things. It will give you something to do, you've nothing else, no kids, husband buggered off NIGEL- Stop it now. Gerry, how could you say that, you must know what it is like to lose a child? GEORGINA-Yes, and unlike mine, yours was born and is still alive . NIGEL-Anyway, I had the collection valued about a year ago, for Insurance purposes, It was worth at most £1200. I'll take £600 off Georgina's share of the estate and add £300 to yours and mine. All right! NARRATOR-Nigel knew that Georgina would have worked out that she had got an extra £200 and Gerry would never work out that he was £100 short. It worked like a charm. Georgina gets up, stalks out of the kitchen; and leaves via the front door. NIGEL-Right she's gone. Why did you have to say anything about children? Your divorce isn't far off. So you've nothing to shout about. I know she's a miserable grasping cow, but would you want to be her? GERALD-Would you want to be me? NIGEL-If only you'd listened to me. Your darling wife could not have prevented mother from exercising "Grannies’ rights". You, she could fight off, but not mother. GERALD-Well it's too late now, mother's dead. NIGEL-I'd briefed a solicitor, despite your feelings. Mother and I would have gone to court next month, but--. GERALD- Just keep your bloody nose out of my life, right! No wonder dad hated you. "Stuck up little prig", he used to say, "Knows it all". NIGEL-That is as may be, however read this. NARRATOR-Nigel gives Gerald a letter; Gerald throws it back unread NIGEL-I got it this morning. In principle, you can have "supervised access to your daughter", one day a month. I'm to pick her up no earlier than 9am on a Saturday morning and return her no later than 6.pm the same day. Mother or I must be in attendance throughout. You still must not go within 5 miles of their home. I am to pick her up this Saturday at 9.30. I did not want to raise the matter whilst Georgina was here. She might have told your darling wife about mother's death, and she could have pulled out of the agreement. There is no such thing as Uncle's rights. That's why I put the obituary in a paper that your wife was unlikely to see and did not put in our surname or name any of the 3 of us." NARRATOR -Gerald is confused, angry and resentful and though he is to see his daughter he can't thank Nigel. He is sick and tired of having to thank Nigel. He feels that he has spent his life thanking Nigel. GERALD-I better make sure that Georgina keeps her mouth shut. NARRATOR-Gerald gets up and storms out of the house via the front door. NIGEL-Thanks Nige: don't mention it Gerry! SCENE 8-COMINGS AND GOINGS NARRATOR-Nigel was surprised to hear the doorbell ring. It was too early for Mr.New; perhaps it was a neighbour, or the return of his brother or sister. He was astonished to find that it was Arwen at the door. NIGEL-I never thought I'd see you again. There's never been a day when you have been out of my thoughts. ARWEN-I saw your car parked outside. I'm sorry about your mother. However I thought I'd let you know that my husband wants to come back, give it another try. So please just keep away from me. NIGEL- But I gave you up. NARRATOR-This was not strictly true, but Nigel had not tried to get her back, so it came down to the same thing. ARWEN-Yes don't I know it, but I'm telling you that you can't come back. NIGEL-But I haven't asked to come back. ARWEN-But you desperately want to, don't you? He sipped no sup and he craved no crumb as he sighed for the love of a lady. NARRATOR-She mockingly dances away, then turns and looks at the house. He meanwhile has closed the door and turned his back on it. What Nigel could not see were Arwen's tears. For the 1st time in her life she had known what it was to be really loved. In her bathroom mirror, she could see her body wrecked by motherhood and age. Nigel's words haunted her. "So you've got stretch marks, and saggy breasts, and little bits of fat where you would rather not have them and are always nervous when you are about to sneeze. That's Mother Nature's way of saying thank you, for having done what she put you on this earth to do. I love you, because you are you and will always be so". And she had thrown it all away. Nigel goes back into the kitchen. He gets out a plastic refuse sack and puts the ball into it. He goes back to the bedroom and takes the clothes from the rail, then walks into the kitchen. He gets the refuse sack and starts to push the clothes in. Mother's ghost arises and Nigel imagines her looking critically at him and the mess he was making of her clothes. She snatches the clothes from Nigel. Puts them on the table and takes the ball out of the sack and gives it to Nigel. As she speaks, she folds the clothes up and puts them carefully in the sack. MOTHER-Can't you do anything properly? You are so like your father, if it was his that was one thing, but if it were anyone else's then anything would do. That was my best blouse you'd just crumpled into a ball and chucked into the bag. What would they think at the charity shop? NARRATOR- Shaking her head Mother walks off and out. Nigel puts the ball back in the sack, closes up the case and picks up the sack. Mr.and Mrs. New arrive the front door and ring the bell. For one moment Nigel thought that Arwen might have come back, but he was in for a disappointment. Nigel goes to the door taking the case and sack with him. He puts them down and opens the door. MR.NEW-Hope we're not too early. NARRATOR-They push past Nigel and wander from room to room checking an inventory. Nigel follows them and they ultimately end up by the front door. NIGEL-Here are the keys. MR.NEW-Right, MRS.NEW-The Hall's very drab Ron, I think light pastels, the carpet; that will have to go. NIGEL-I've left the items you asked me to leave. MR.NEW-Thanks, MRS.NEW-This kitchen is awful; we'll need new units, spotlights and the floor tiled. NIGEL-The phone has been transferred. MR.NEW-Oh good. MRS.NEW-Now the living room, we'll unblock the fireplace, put in one of those stone things, iron grate and tongs and bits. Oh yes and one of them electric flicker flame fires-wood effect. NIGEL-I've made one local call since I requested a final account up to last night. MR.NEW-No problem MRS.NEW-In this room, which will obviously not be a bedroom but a lounge, we'll have Regency wallpaper, contrasting carpet and a dado. NIGEL-Have the depository found your furniture yet? MR.NEW-No, You off then? Bye. MRS.NEW-New front and back doors and windows, lose the hedge, concrete the lawn for parking the cars, and a wrought iron fence and gates. NIGEL-Do you need to know about the central heating. How to open the front door? MR.NEW-No thanks, I'll work it all out, off you go then, oh yes and thanks. NARRATOR-He gives Nigel the sack and briefcase, pushes him out of the house and shuts the door. MR.NEW-I thought he'd never go. Silly sod, as though I can't open a front door! MRS.NEW-A new bathroom, en-suite in the master bedroom and maybe in time, a loft extension and a conservatory on the back. NARRATOR-Nigel walks out of the front garden. He puts down the sack and case. He looks round furtively, shyly waves and blows a kiss. He then picks up the case and sack and says, NIGEL-Bye mum, see this time I didn't forget. NARRATOR-Nigel refused to do this when Mother was alive because it was silly, but today he could understand why she had wanted him to do it. He so wished she could have waved back. Nigel walks off obviously distressed.
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