GBH (1991) s01e01 Episode Script

Out, out, out - Let me come, sir! - Stay with Miss Hutchinson! Don't follow! I'll get you! Oh, yes, I'll get you! I know where you live! You're gonna die, Nelson! It's only an anxiety attack, man.
What can I do? Stop being anxious! Officer, this is reality! My school is under siege.
I've lost my staff, I could be losing my mind.
- I'll carry that for you, Miss! - Thank you, Robby.
Robby Burns! Me and my family are being threatened.
What's going on? Just what is going on? This is for you, Jim.
But it's it's not for Christmas.
Oh, look, Good Friday.
- It's your fault, you're the cause of this! - Take it easy! I know where you live! Scab! Madman found somewhere strange.
Yet again.
This is ibble dibble number one, with no ibbles and no dibbles calling.
Oh, dear.
God.
If only you existed, you'd help me.
Ahh! Ahh! - What? - Nothing.
Nothing really.
- Just me.
- Why are you wearing a tie and a bow tie? Oh, the ties, yeah yeah.
- And you've got a beach hat in your hand.
- Yeah, so I have.
Have you been in your wardrobe again? Who me? Wha In, did you say? In my Whatever gave you that idea? Cos you're always in there.
Laura, there's no need to be so matter-of-fact about it.
I'm a grown man.
Grown men should Not now, Jim love, please.
It's late or early or Why don't you take the dog for its walk? I'm beginning to get frightened of this wardrobe.
In another life, I think it might've been a Venus flytrap.
If there was such a thing as reincarnation, I guarantee you now, there would be a committee.
There would.
Which means you are doomed.
Even if you had a choice and even if it was definitely your turn for a better life and even if you'd filled in the forms correctly and in triplicate, you'd apply in good faith to be a West Indian fast bowler next time around and you'd come back as a sodding snowdrop.
You would.
You're quite right.
I'll take the dog for a walk.
Come on, boy.
Come on, Spike, come on.
Just you remember, Spike, I never wanted you, you know.
Not at all.
I was outvoted four to one.
I wanted the Complete Works of Duke Ellington and a better car radio.
Let's face facts, boy, I've never been an animal lover, not unless they're served with sauté potatoes, and you are no exception.
Where are they now, I ask, those who held me back when you ate my coaching certificate and shat in my chair? They're all sodding well fast asleep in sodding bed, that's where they are now.
Hang on.
Who's this now? Put 'em back, put 'em back.
Look, one way or another, I'm putting meat on the table this Christmas.
- What happens if it's the farmer? - He won't taste as nice.
Can't do any worse.
We've been up all night, thanks to your cack-handed attempts at robbery.
Turkey farm in Blackburn and t'slaughterhouse in Wigan.
Dead easy! Turkeys chased us and the security guards nearly caught us.
- If he is the farmer and he clocks us - Then we'll apply the law of the land.
Oh, yeah, and what's that? There's more of us than there is of him.
We'll kick his head off.
That's the law of this land.
Hang on a minute I know him.
- He's no farmer.
- It's that scab! Scab! Scab merchant! Oh, yeah? Not now, not now! Spike, get out of the way! Spike.
Here, boy, here, boy, here, boy.
Oh, bad men, boy.
Bad men! No, not bad men, just stupid, misguided, insensitive products of I must stop reading the Guardian.
Come on, boy.
Right, that'll do, come on.
What's the difference between a sheep and a lamb? This is no time for trick questions.
But it's not a trick question.
All right? Come on.
Spike, Spike, Spike, you wait! Spike! Spike! Stay away! Stay away! Spike, go on, get away! Go on, get away, get away! Get away! Robby! Robby! Sir Please, sir OK, Rob, OK, Rob.
I'm here.
Someone's here, Robby.
Gonna get you home, we'll get you home.
Stay with me, Rob.
Stay with me.
That's it.
I'll get you home, Robby.
Then when I got there, I saw who it was and I saw that it was him.
That simple, but decent and honest and generous - I loved him, Laura - Sorry, Rob.
He was one of mine was Robby Burns.
When I was a kid, my grandmother, she she told me that I, like everyone else in God's world, was only here on a message.
"Make your message good news and glad tidings "and your life will have been worth living and worthwhile in the eyes of God.
" And I believed her, Laura.
Then, of course, I found out, when he was dead and his parents arrived Robby had been on one last message to his own grandmother this morning.
Oh, yes, good news, too.
Glad tidings.
The axe in his hand had been to chop wood for her fire in her cottage! Oh, shit.
Sorry.
It's all right.
It's Christmas and I'm feeling generous.
Breaking my own windows.
Roads are quiet, aren't they? But then they always are on Boxing Day.
You notice these things over the years, you know.
Shame you can't stay longer, but I've got urgent meetings Oh, I understand, Michael.
Sure, you're father was just the same.
But you mustn't do too much, you know.
Be warned.
He gave me six wonderful years, your father did, but I was still only 23 when he went.
- I know.
- That was the Irish in him.
Marry late, less time to repent.
I'm sorry, son.
I didn't mean to, but it was very nice of you to bring me to see him.
It's not easy for me now, you know, where I live, with the buses and that.
I've told you, Franky or one of the others will take you.
Oh, yes, but I don't like to be a burden, Michael.
It wouldn't be right and I can manage.
Anyway, I never was one for New Year celebrations.
Mother, you can always come to ours for New Year, honest.
Oh, God, I couldn't, Franky.
Wouldn't be fair.
Sure, you're struggling enough, son, without me.
Another mouth to feed? Oh, no, no, it wouldn't be right.
God knows I miss you.
I miss you so much, Michael.
Not a single day goes by when I don't miss you.
I miss you so much sometimes, you seem to be there.
Help me up, Franky, will you? That's it, love.
Oh, God.
Why, in God's name, did you have to die over Christmas? - Wouldn't hurt you to look, Michael.
- It would.
Good to see you again, Jim, Mrs Nelson, despite the circumstances.
Glad you could make it.
Well, I wouldn't have done if I'd known he was gonna be here.
Who let him in? He let himself in.
I know, I know, but he is the civic leader.
- And he did donate handsomely.
- I bet he did.
Out of your pocket and mine.
Come on, there's no point in spoiling things with a scene, now, is there? I mean, after we've put on a buffet for the family and a collection for the headstone.
- Silly to upset anyone.
- Course it is, Frank.
So, if you don't mind, I'll just go over there, go "hello", then go "goodbye" so - Of course.
- Hey up! And then there was one.
All alone now, aren't yer? At school, that is, you know.
All the other teachers having left, as it were.
You should know.
Can anyone smell something? Foul and nasty.
No? Oh.
Well, anything else you want to say? You know, appropriate.
- To a funeral reception.
- I keep telling you, Jim.
It doesn't have to be like this between us.
Nothing you or yours can do to me, Murray, is going to stop me.
There's still enough kids to teach and I'm going to keep teaching them.
I'm going to miss him in school.
He was a good lad.
I know.
I've always known.
Aye, well, you'd be surprised how many parents don't.
What is it? What's the matter? I don't know.
Got scared.
- An anxiety attack? - No, I only have them when I'm not anxious.
Will you drive? Please.
- Not so fast.
- I'm barely moving.
Too fast.
Stay in the middle.
You have to go back to your doctor's.
Jim, I mean it.
You have to go back to your doctor.
He shouts at me and I'm not sure if it's for my own good.
Do you want me to shout at you? You don't shout at me.
You only ignore me.
For my own good.
He tells me to eff off.
- Tell him you want to see someone else.
- I don't want to see someone else.
- If I'm going mad - You're not going mad.
If I'm going mad, I don't want an audience.
Madness is not a spectator sport.
But hiding away.
Hiding it away doesn't help you.
I see what's happening to you.
So do the children.
We're the ones who live with you, who love you.
And you're falling apart here, where it counts.
Being big and strong out there isn't enough.
It's not good enough.
Go out there and phone the doctor's.
1985, you self-diagnosed a heart murmur and palpitations.
Very good.
Same in '86.
The year you also thought you had meningitis.
Preceded by suspected kidney failure.
Followed in '87 by gallstones and a duodenal ulcer, which no one could find.
A belief, for some reason, that you were going blind in '88.
Fear of glaucoma and pains in your hips in '89.
That's a fascinating combination.
Brain tumour, stomach cramps, trouble passing water, the inevitable bowel complaint.
And now this inability to breathe.
Falling down, dizziness, becoming hysterical.
Yet you're still here, Mr Nelson.
You're still in the land of the living.
People like you live to a ripe old age, you know.
Do we? Creaking doors, Mr Nelson.
While apparently healthy people are popping their clogs right, left and centre.
- It's a funny business.
- Yes.
Well, it's not funny at all.
No no.
In fact, it's the absolute opposite of funny, popping one's clogs.
I know.
Oh, so we agree about something, then, after all these years.
Popping one's clogs.
Do you know, I've often wondered how I would Yes? - I wasn't talking to you! - Sorry, Doctor.
There is someone I know who might be able to help you, Mr Nelson.
Treatment wouldn't be on the National Health Service but so little is these days.
It's a psychotherapist.
Dr Goldup.
Very patient with patients, I understand.
As indeed I am, Mr Nelson, when I occasionally recognise genuine sickness.
However, Dr Goldup does appear to have something resembling a success rate with people such as yourself.
Creaking doors.
And minds.
Now you tell me.
Now's the only time I could tell you because before I didn't know.
And if I didn't know, I couldn't tell you or anyone.
So you're saying we can't build those houses? - It's not our fault.
- We made promises.
- Only political ones.
- And those on the housing list? Those living in damp and despair and hostels? - Yeah, what do we tell them? - The truth.
Bit dangerous, isn't it? The truth is the Conservative government's taken the money away from us, Michael.
The truth is that the Urban Regeneration Grant has been halved by the government.
Not by us, but by them.
And then there's the poll tax and its consequent loss of council revenue.
Although, of course, we won't remind the people that some of us actively encouraged them not to register for poll taxing so that nearly 30,000 people have suddenly disappeared off the face of this city! Taking with them their potential revenue! Which might've gone towards building bloody houses! - That more or less sums it up, yeah.
- I've got another meeting to go to.
But before I get back, you find a way cos I want those houses back in line! And what would you like for your other two wishes? There was a time when you impressed me, Billy.
- I hope this is important.
- It is to us.
How important? Is it gonna make any difference? - We think so.
- Here? Especially here, Michael.
Oh, good, you can help me out, then, cos I've just lost 116 houses in there! - Must be a big room.
- Oh, very funny! Particularly coming from a professional agitator! Destroy instead of build, eh? Easy, dead easy.
Forgive him, Michael.
He's from Liverpool.
What do you want, eh? What do you really want? Anyone would think that suddenly you didn't trust us, Michael.
- Anyone might be right.
- Meaning? Meaning there's things going on here behind my back.
You two have been coming up here without telling me.
- I didn't know you were our social secretary.
- I expect to be told! Well, of course we've been up here, Michael, we've been to lots of places.
We've got a leader.
Now we need to make certain there's enough followers.
To play follow the leader.
- So what's happening? - Nothing.
Yet.
It's not the right time of the year, Michael.
One lesson Hitler and Napoleon should have remembered.
- Never go to war in the dead of winter.
- They were only trying to conquer Russia.
I'm running a city.
I don't need you, you know.
- Of course you don't.
- As long as you know that.
Or course you don't need us.
You could stay here in your little spotlight and run your city for Well, at least until the money runs out.
And then you could Well, what could you do next? A power base is a power base, gentlemen, so don't knock it.
Particularly if you haven't got one of your own! - You will get rid of that school teacher? - Jim Nelson, the pride of the parish.
Carrying a dying kid for miles.
He's a real hero this time.
Hero or not, he's got his coming.
His attitude's all wrong.
- He doesn't respond to threats.
- He hasn't got to you, has he? No, he has not.
He's He's stubborn, that's all.
He just won't go.
- Wanna bet? - There's plenty of time to persuade him.
You can do anything you want with him now.
He's yesterday's news.
So do it, Michael.
I don't take orders! I just deliver! Do it, Michael, do it.
Yes? - Dr Goldup? - Yes.
I'm I've been sent by my doctor.
Well, come in, then.
I'm better now.
You've been very helpful to me.
Hey, you, bollocks.
That's my bin.
I've seen it before.
Last October when I had the misfortune to be up here for that one-day strike.
We took pictures in the hope that he'd fall over, but he never.
Mind you, we took other pictures, as well.
The kind his wife wouldn't want to see.
Nothing happened.
They want him this time.
We want him this time.
Oh.
We could've had him last time on all number of counts.
Sexual, financial, land deals with property developers, never mind fiddling council expenses and jobs for the boys.
The problem is the peasants up here think he's some kind of folk hero doing what they want to do - waving two fingers at Whitehall.
Most of them wouldn't even know where Whitehall was to wave anything at.
Maybe not Whitehall, Parliament perhaps.
They'll all have seen Parliament.
It's at the start of News At Ten every night.
- You're quite an authority on the North.
- Well I was born in Scarborough.
My father wanted me to play cricket for Yorkshire.
Seriously.
Sent my mother up there for the birth.
I was told she was furious.
I was three weeks overdue.
Take me to the station, would you, Bubbles? - Do you have to call me Bubbles? - Company rules, Bubbles.
So, if sex and corruption aren't gonna nail him to the wall - what is? - Ah, the sins of childhood.
Someone I don't know who, I'm afraid - it's one of those need-to-know categories and, apparently, I don't need to know so obviously neither do you.
But someone in the department knew Michael Murray when he was a child.
Oh? Yes.
Up here.
Makes sense.
No doubt his father wanted him to play cricket for Lancashire.
No.
Lancashire don't care where they get their cricketers from.
But it seems that our Mr Murray was a very naughty boy.
Very naughty indeed.
Smack him! Pull yourself together, Bubbles.
This is important.
Junior school in the mid-50s.
The kind of thing, if it was revealed in your good newspaper - Exclusively? - Oh, yes.
But naturally followed up the next day by all the other ragbag tabloids.
would mean the complete downfall, disgrace and end of public life of one Michael Murray.
- That good? - Those who need to know say so.
So what is required from you is the proof, the hard facts.
Not conjecture and recollections.
Oh, and er there'll be someone up here shortly.
Someone to look after you.
And who's he eligible to play for? Wanker.
Can I ask you something, Michael? I'm a Virgo, but I found out too late.
You know your day of action last October when nobody did nothing and only Nelson misbehaved and had to be punished? Well, now the sun's in the sky and God's in his heaven Oh, very poetical.
you're still parading round his school and picking on him.
Yeah, go ahead, Franky.
Yeah, I think you're getting there.
Take your time if you want to.
I don't understand how you get away with this for so long.
- What? - Picketing.
- I thought there was a law against it.
- There is, but we're not breaking it.
You see, Franky, this isn't part of a trade dispute so the control of the crowds isn't governed by the laws about secondary picketing, only by public order laws.
So the regular crew, all six of them, are just passing by.
Five times a week, four times a day and every Friday when we arrive, mob-handed, I just let the Chief Constable know.
- You let the Chief Constable know? - My secretary phones his secretary.
Then sometimes, he just puts a few extra police on the gates to satisfy himself that Jim Nelson's person, as they say, isn't in danger.
And everybody's happy.
Everybody's happy, apart that is from Jim Nelson, who apparently doesn't know what a favour I'm doing him.
Talking of whom - You don't need me tonight, do you? - Course I do.
Think of the overtime.
I'll think of the family.
I'll think about what they used to look like.
And maybe, when I see them next time, I'll find out how much they've changed.
Don't complain, as a complaint often offends, Franky boy.
Is there any lower kind of life form, Terry, than being a younger brother's chauffeur? A worm? Ah, you can cut worms up.
Cut them up and cut them up and they still stay alive.
How about a leech? - Scab, scab, scab, scab - Scab, scab! I'm more of a socialist than you'll ever be, pal! Scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab Scab, scab Scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab! - I'm arranging a very special party for you.
- Yes! Always have a party on the last day of term.
Wouldn't want you to miss out on that, would we? Wouldn't be fair.
See you there, Jim boy! Scab, scab, scab Scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab Scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab, scab You do understand, Mr Nelson, I only pass the time at your expense, that's all.
- I've noticed.
- There is no point you coming here - if you are not going to - I know.
- Is it because I am a woman, Mr Nelson? - Not at all.
- Are you sure? Some men - I don't mind talking to a woman.
All right, but You probably know better than me how rare it is for a man of my age and lack of background to feel relaxed with women.
At first.
But I like women, Doctor.
I prefer women.
Unless they play in goal.
So you prefer women.
I am a woman.
Talk to me for I only talk until you are ready to talk.
I don't like talking.
Duke Ellington said all there is to say about talking.
Duke Ellington said that too much talking stinks up the room, Doctor.
So he knew as little about life as he did about music.
He has a problem, you know.
- Pardon? - A problem.
Duke Ellington's dead.
That's the only problem he's got.
No, no, I meant your friend Michael Murray.
He has a problem.
Er loose, slack and limp.
Come on, do as you're told.
Loose, slack and limp.
At least lie down again.
How How did you know? How do you know about Murray and me? The answer to your first question, I will leave you to discover for yourself because his problem will amuse you greatly when you do.
As for the second, well I I read the newspapers, I watch the television.
Reluctantly at times, but I do.
Oh how time flies.
But I mean, all the er the trouble, it's hardly been mentioned in the news for some months.
There are people who memorise the football scores or the Latin names of the stars in the sky.
I keep a record of victims, Mr Nelson, of man's inhumanity to man.
It is a long-playing record, but not Duke Ellington.
I will see you next Friday.
And in the meantime loose, slack and limp.
And in times of real stress, remember, calm calm calm.
And your right hand over your left wrist as an anchor.
Mr Nelson.
Jim.
It's looking good, Norman.
You know nice.
Handsome.
Wanted summat a bit glorious.
Yeah, that's the word.
Glorious.
Will they come back each summer? No but I will.
Come on, Father.
There's another thing an' all.
I've been wanting to mention it for a while.
And? Well we've suffered.
Goes without saying, but it's as plain as day that tha's suffering an' all.
- In a different way, like.
- Ah, don't you worry about me.
Aye, well, they're out to get thee, tha knows.
Tha must do.
Every other bugger does.
Tha wants to watch out.
Oh, I do, Norman.
Well, if tha wants an 'and, tha knows, I've telled thee.
You see, we're in t'majority round here, tha knows, but nobody counts us.
That's er true enough.
We'll knock seven shades out of them, any time tha wants.
I see.
But is that the answer, though, Norman? Depends on the question.
- I come from a big family, tha knows.
- I do indeed.
Very big.
Always voted Labour, we have.
Always, Mr Nelson.
But them young snots, they're not Labour.
If they come for you, you come for us.
It'd be an honour.
Just like the Magnificent Seven.
Aye, just like the Magnificent Seven.
Only there's nine of us and the rest.
We live in the country.
Why should we go on holiday there? - Your father needs - A beach! Lots of surf and sand And a disco! And a tennis court with a tennis coach with blond hair - Listen - The sun, the wind and the sea and rippling muscles! - What? - Your father needs lots of peace and quiet.
- He can have mine.
- You've got a short memory all of a sudden.
- Your father's - Cracking up! Don't smile like that.
It isn't funny.
Calm calm calm calm calm calm It's no laughing matt I'll wash the dog and then I've got to - What is the matter? - Nothing.
Anyway, I've got a lunchtime appointment.
You know, the usual.
So I'll take the car.
Then I'll go and see Martin after school.
What is the matter? Do you er Do you want me to drive you there? No, no, I'm going to try to I've found a way Oh, all right.
Spike come on.
Calm, calm, calm.
"Do you love me?" "I, beyond all limit of what else I' the world "Do love "prize "honour - "you.
" - Phone rings - Yes? - Martin? - Jim! - You're not busy, are you? No, no, it's all right.
Where are you? Er well, I don't know.
It's a pub somewhere beside the - Beside the river.
- Well, you're halfway here.
Yes, I've got I'm having trouble getting over.
- With the car? - No, with me.
Listen I'll er I'll talk to you about it next week before we go on the holiday.
I want er There's things I have to I'd better go now.
There's a big queue.
You can stay a lot longer, Beth, if you want to.
"I am a fool to weep at what I am glad of.
" Still there.
There they go.
Big ones, little ones.
Motorbikes and vans.
Coaches and juggernauts.
Up and over.
None have fallen into the river.
None will.
I won't.
It's certain.
I know I will not fall from the bridge into the river.
Cos I'm not going over the bridge.
The stuff with Jim Nelson only happened cos well, cos of me.
I messed it up.
There were no pickets at the school that morning.
I know, Joey, but this Jim Nelson's only a recent obsession.
Does anyone else spring to mind that he might've had a grudge against? No.
- This is only background, innit, you said? - Don't worry, your name will not be seen.
But anyone else in particular? Well, yeah.
I would've done a good job, you know.
Education Chairman.
I was keen.
My problem is I like my pop too much.
So? Go on.
Anyone in particular? There was another headmaster.
A Mr Weller.
You could say he was pathological about him.
- This Mr Weller taught Michael Murray? - Yeah, but I shudder to think what it was.
Mr Weller! Mr Weller! - Mr Weller, look, I only want to talk to you! - Will you go away! Go away! - I don't want to talk to you! - After all that Michael Murray's done Michael Murray sent you, I know he did! What trick is this? I'm calling the police! - Oh, the police! This is your chance - You're trespassing, invading my privacy! - Would you go away? - Listen to me Be gone! Out, out, out, damned spot! - I'm calling the police! I'm going to! - Leave the police out of it.
- I can protect myself! - I can understand how you feel, but I can Ahhhh! You've cut my bloody face open! You old tosspot! Michael Murray! Michael's a very obliging boy, Mr Weller.
You can't put him away for being obliging.
It wouldn't be right.
No, no, it it wouldn't be.
Um I have to tell you, Mrs Murray, that such has been the hoo-ha over the event with Eileen Critchley Michael was only trying to help her, Mr Weller.
U- Unfortunately, it didn't look as though he was trying to help her.
T- To the contrary, in fact, and the girl's parents are professional people and they've written a very stiff letter to me and to other people.
Inevitably, I've had to write a report.
I know! I've had a visit from the Medical Board.
I was very upset.
I do understand.
My My heart goes out to you.
I sent Michael to this heathen school, Mr Weller, because I was told you were the best.
That your school was the best and that he would be properly educated.
And now you're telling me he's going to be mentally educated.
You mustn't let Michael be taken away, Mr Weller.
He's a good boy, I know he is.
- He means well.
- I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I'm I'm sure he does.
He sadly has a rather contrary way of showing it a- at times.
However, I asked you to come and see me this morning, Mrs Murray, because Well, partly because of Michael, b- but also because because I have something There is something I wanted to tell you, something that may come as a You and I have sp spent a lot of time together of late due to the misfortune with Eileen Critchley and I I find myself I I so much want to tell you I am J Alfred Prufrock Mrs Murray.
"I shall wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled.
" Is that so? What if I should dare? What if I should dare and she should say no? No, that is not what I meant at all.
- Who did you say you were again? - J Alfred Prufrock.
You were very wise to change your name, Mr Weller.
Parents can be very silly when it comes to names.
- I cannot do it.
- But you could try.
You could tell them again, Mr er Weller.
You could explain about what happened.
Michael told me.
She asked him to do it to her as a special favour, as a treat.
Oh, I will do my best for you.
Thank you.
Love you.
I love you.
Allow me, um It wasn't me! It wasn't me! Ahhhhhhh! - I didn't do it! - You did do it, Murray! - You killed those hamsters! - I never killed the hamsters! I wouldn't! I wouldn't, I wouldn't, I didn't, it wasn't me! - Cos Harry was there! - Harry? Did you have an accomplice? Harry's my friend.
He's the only friend I've got.
What's your friend Harry's surname, hm? - Tell me, Murray, for your own good! - I don't know, sir.
Describe your friend Harry to me! What does he look like? Furry with sharp teeth and now he's dead and burnt.
Don't you try to make a fool out of me, Murray! Please, sir, you're hurting me, sir! Please don't hit me any more, sir! Sir, I didn't do it, sir! Please, you're hurting me! Ahhh! Don't hit me! Don't hit me, sir, please! Please don't hit me any more, sir! Michael this er this has to remain a secret, Michael.
I wish I had a dad.
Yes, I'm sure you do, and so do I.
But my dad died before I was born.
I bet your dad didn't.
No, no, I have a da I have a father and I wish I wish you had a father.
I wish this had never happened, as I'm sure you wish you hadn't killed those hamsters.
I never killed the hamsters, sir.
Michael, listen to me and I will help you, I will.
I promise.
You won't know that I've helped you and nobody will really know except those that need to know.
But, if I am to help you, there are two events to forget this morning.
But there is one thing to remember and it is this.
That it really is best to forget.
Do you understand me? Good.
Now, tell me again, what is it that we have to forget, the two of us? That you hurt me, sir.
Yes, yes.
And? That I killed the hamsters, sir.
Good.
Good.
But I never killed the hamsters, sir! Michael, I know you want me to help you and I will, but only if you promise me that I will remember that I've forgotten I'll er I'll start again.
No, don't, sir! I give in.
I forget, honest.
There, there, there.
Come along.
Oh, Geoff, Geoff, come here, come here, look at this.
Oh, look at that.
There's happiness there.
Imagine coming home to that, eh? I'd never go out.
Well she's brought fresh life to the old porters.
Haven't seen that Solomon Wright for a fortnight.
Sorry.
Get her to fill in that form, Geoff.
The one with purpose of visit and occupation.
Hey, and put her in room 69.
- No, no, don't do that.
I couldn't bear that.
- No, no.
Thank you, Mr Barnes, you're in room 404.
Here's your key card.
Go on.
Franky, come here.
Look at that, Franky.
You know what's coming off that, don't you? Money.
The odour of money.
Like a rich and powerful perfume.
Proper money.
It's not my kind of money, you know, the kind you kick arses and fight for, but class money.
Oh, and someone'll come to her tonight with flowers and fine champagne and they'll laugh and hide when room service comes in.
Someone just like her.
Someone smelling of proper money.
You know what I mean, don't you? Yeah.
You'd like to give her one.
So much for savoir faire, lady, you've got your coat over yer head.
- Your key card, madam.
- Thank you.
You know, tonight? You don't really need me, do you? - An anthropologist? - What? You know what an anthropologist is, don't you? Sort of.
Well, go on, then.
They look at life or something.
In the jungle and that, don't they? Yeah, that's it, that's it.
They come back to civilisation, describe the dog's dinners they've had and how the natives of North Borneo can't get Match Of The Day.
I thought you were educated.
At catering college, yeah, but you don't eat anthropologists, not unless you live in er North Borneo, yeah, yeah.
Franky, take me Franky? Franky! Mr Murray, whatever else may be said about you, there's no disputing the excellence of your relationship with, for want of a better phrase, black people in your city since you came to power.
Why? Why? Because I was one myself.
You were Frank Bruno? No.
But I know I knew what it was like to be hated victimised reviled made to feel like dirt because that's what being black or Asian must be like.
- And I knew it.
- When was that, Mr Murray? When I tried to get in the Royal Box at Ascot! One Achilles heel and now another one.
Precisely.
And, finally, unusual in mankind, Michael Murray's third Achilles heel.
His biggest Achilles heel of all.
If Mr Franky Murray is in the hotel, will he kindly go to reception? If a Mr Franky Murray is in the hotel, will he kindly go to reception? We're going to be late.
For our meeting.
When's the next Labour Party meeting in his ward? I don't know.
- He never goes, anyway.
- Convene a meeting in his ward.
Put forward a resolution that Mr Nelson be removed from the Labour Party.
It's simple.
He's got more support than you think.
In that ward, at least.
- It's full of peasants and professionals.
- Oh, come on! Pack the meeting.
Sudden influx of new members.
It can be arranged? - It's already been arranged.
- And in the meantime, you could perhaps do a Judas on this Jim Nelson.
- What's a Judas? - 30 pieces of silver.
And now on to more vital matters.
Oh! Oh, no, oh, no.
It's me, Spike.
It's me.
Jim? Jim? - It's me, Laura, it's me.
- The door's locked.
I know.
It's all right.
Come on, Spike.
This city - My - Uh-huh.
What What do you mean exactly by blown up? I would've thought that was self-explanatory.
No? - How are you going to blow things up? - We'll use the ethnic minorities.
- What?! - They don't have to know.
Oh.
And how will they know what to do if nobody tells them? Black people don't always do what you want them to do, even if they know what that is.
Sometimes quite the opposite.
Rightly so, the way they're treated.
Sure, blacks don't like being pushed around and the Asians are more militant than they've ever been.
It's understandable, Michael.
I mean, I would hate to be dark-skinned and live in our racist society.
Then why pick on them? Particularly if they won't follow you.
They don't have to follow us.
We just make sure that things happen.
Peter arranges that things happen that make black and Asian communities feel that they are being picked on.
It happens every day, you know that.
The police, racist attacks, few job opportunities, their lack of position in society, all these problems provoke them already.
All we do is just provoke them that tiny little bit more.
And when our black brethren start the fire, well, we keep it goin', make sure it spreads.
No.
No.
Not here.
Go somewhere else.
Go to Cardiff, I never liked Cardiff, but not here.
- You won't be able to stop it once it starts.
- It isn't going to start! - Michael - What does the name Eileen Critchley mean to you? How - How did you know? - I don't know.
I was just told that the mention of her name would stop you dead in your tracks.
And it did.
Who told you? Someone at the very top of the Labour Party.
Now, I want you to sit down while I explain some political facts of life to you.
You might not You won't like it.
But I think you ought to listen for your own sake.
If you're thinking of having any kind of future.
You've applied for three safe Labour seats in Parliament in the last two years.
Haven't you? Have you ever wondered why you weren't selected? - Of course.
- Because you were investigated, naturally.
They weren't too enamoured of the present, although they couldn't prove the whispers of corruption, but it was when they went back into your childhood, Michael, and they didn't like what they found.
Eileen Critchley.
Oh, Christ.
Mother what was Yes, Michael? Everyone keeping well? Are you keeping well? Things are um hectic, Mother.
I've got There's a lot to be done.
You know, a lot of problems.
And, er events are getting out of hand.
Sometimes I I just need to be here and sometimes I can't b- but I want to be.
Don't worry about me, son.
I hear you on the radio when you're on the radio.
And on television when I remember.
I know you're busy.
Oh, Dadda, please help me.
- What was he like? - Don't keep asking me that.
- But what was he like? - You're always asking me that.
What was he like! What was he like? Why isn't he here? - Now, now.
- No.
What would he have done? What was he like? Your father? Your father was good to me.
Not like most of the men around here or there.
When I lived there.
Before you brought me here.
Not that I'm complaining.
Mother what was my dadda like? He was kind to me, Michael, very kind.
He didn't lay a finger on me, not once, not even when I trod on his glasses.
- Once I threw away a big speech of his - Oh, Mother! - Mother, Mother! - Right.
Now Oh, I've I've given you four sugars and it's weak like you like it.
Please! Please tell me! Don't ask me like that.
If I'd known he was going to die, I'd have given it more thought.
What? What? These days people have videos and all kinds of things to remember those who've gone.
I'm not saying they do it on purpose because you never know the day, but Mrs Burroughs, when her husband died, she had videos of them on holiday when he was alive.
Oh, Mother I've seen them.
She brought me in and showed them to me.
They're very nice and he looked very healthy.
That's it, now.
That's better.
Get it out of your system.
I wish I could cry.
- What would I do without you, eh? - Huh.
Who else would I go to when I need when I've got worries? - I won't be here forever.
- Well, I couldn't go to anyone else, Mother.
- They might understand me.
- They might indeed.
- God knows, there are times when I don't.
- Yeah, that's why I Nah, doesn't matter.
No, it's a good idea, that, the video.
I might arrange that.
With the family, that'd be nice.
I'm glad they're all keeping well.
Maureen? Hm? Yeah, fine.
She's um She's fine.
Wouldn't have to be a wedding or anything.
You could be just playing with the family.
You and Maureen and the children.
No, Mother, I meant a video of you.
Just you.
I'd get it done professionally.
They've got the facilities at the Unemployed Centre.
Get someone up here.
It'd be great, that.
You in all your glory.
Do you mind if I have this? I forgot to say, everyone sends their love.
I'll see you soon, Mother.
Come on.
Come on, darling, there's a good boy.
Come on, sweetheart.
There you are.
Good boy.
Come on, darling, up you go.
There.
Sit down like a good boy and wait for Mummy.
Double whisky.
- Yes, madam? - No, serve the gentleman first.
You're Michael Murray, aren't you?