|  | Scene One
Tommy Wray's manning the pumps at the Bully. The Geordie Girls from Number 3 Quincey Row approach the bar. KIRSTY: We want to speak to whoever's in charge.
TOMMY: That'll be me, love.
EMMA: But you're the bus driver. I've been on your bus. Where's the landlady?
TOMMY: She's at the hospital, love, at Harry's bedside. He's had a heart attack, you know.
LISA-MARIE: We know that. That's why we're here. We were supposed to have a gig.
TOMMY: A what?
KIRSTY: Christmas Eve? The big bash? We were the band.
EMMA: We'd splashed out on sounds.
KIRSTY: And new frocks.
LISA-MARIE: We turned up nice and early and there was nobody here but some bossy cow with bright red hair.
TOMMY: That'd be Rita, love. My missus.
EMMA: Look, we don't mean no offence, but you can see how we're fixed.
TOMMY: And I'm sure you can see there's nothing I can do about it. You'll have to take it up with Trish, when things have calmed down a bit. Tell you what, I'm sure Trish won't mind if I offer you all a drink on the house. What'll it be, girls? Three halves of cider?
KIRSTY: Vodka slammers. Doubles.
LISA-MARIE: Bit dead in here for New Year, isn't it?
EMMA: Lise!! Scene Two
Round at Number 6 Quincey Gardens, Keef Holloway is at a loose end.
RACHE: This is supposed to be a celebration. So why don't you clear off out and let me and the kids get on with it?
KEEF: I can't, Rache. Where can I go? I always go to the Bully on New Year. Have a crack with Harry and a grapple with Trish under the mistletoe.
RACHE: The Bully's still open.
RENEE: You can have a grapple with Tommy Wray.
ROCCO: You can gi' me a 10 spot and let me go clubbin' with my crew.
KEEF: It could have been me, Rache. That's what I can't get out of me head. Me and Harry, we're not so different in age. One minute he's fine, the next
What if it had been me, Rache?
RACHE: You could've got back on benefit. Always supposing you survived.
RENEE: And if you didn't, mam could have Widow's Benefit.
RACHE: See? It's a win-win situation. Scene Three
Next door at Number 8, the Dickenses are having a slightly happier New Year's Eve. SANDRA: Just think, Gordon. This time next year we could have a baby in the house.
GORDON: Yes, that would be something. But don't get your hopes up too much, Sandra. It's still early days.
SANDRA: No - this time we'll go all the way. I've got no doubts about that.
GORDON: It's nine o'clock. Is that too early for a scotch?
SANDRA: You help yourself, love. I'll just have a lemonade. No alcohol for me for the next nine months.
GORDON: September seems such a long way away. So much can happen in that time.
SANDRA: But nothing will, Gordon. Nothing untoward, anyway. You've got to keep telling yourself that, love.
GORDON: Yes
Scene Four And at Number 1 The Row
MIKE: I think I might just slip out for one. You know, see in the New Year properly.
JASMINDER: You can do that just as well from home, Michael. Your nocturnal activities have caused enough trouble as it is.
MIKE: You're not harping on about Kelly's peeper again? I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times. I was in Nottingham. On business.
JASMINDER: Puh! What kind of business keeps you drinking so late you can't drive home?
LEON: Leave it, mum - please! Dad didn't do it. Everyone in the Gardens is saying it was that Smith bloke.
JASMINDER: Nonsense. Mr Smith is a perfectly nice man. A little quiet, a little solitary perhaps, but---
MIKE: They do say it's always the quiet ones.
JASMINDER: He's a university lecturer, for goodness sake! Who knows, this time next year he might be your lecturer, Leon.
LEON: Come off it, mum. I might not get the grades. And even if I do, what makes you think I want to go to the DMU?
MIKE: What makes either of you think we can afford to send him?
JASMINDER: Of course we can afford it. You're a businessman, Michael. You own a factory.
MIKE: I own a rundown, outdated factory in an industry that's dying on its feet.
JASMINDER: So work harder. Get more orders.
MIKE: That means more meetings. More overnighters. Is that suddenly OK with you, Jasminder? Is it?
LEON: And a Happy New Year to one and all
Scene Five
And in the flat above the Q Centre, Rita Wray is seeing in the New Year with Kelly and Brandon. KELLY: It's good of you to have us, Reet.
RITA: It's good of you to come. I didn't feel much like celebrating, what with Harry in the hospital and Tommy covering for Trish. It's nice to have some young faces round me for once.
BRANDON: Where's Ronnie?
RITA: Oh, I put him outside for the night, love. Tomcats have their own way of celebrating.
KELLY: There's no news about Harry then?
RITA: No, I phoned the hospital, spoke to Jade. He's what they call stable, but apparently that doesn't really mean anything
You all right over there, Brandon love?
BRANDON: I could do with something decent on the telly. You should get satellite, Rita. They'll be showing the football highlights. They're bound to have City thrashing Leeds.
RITA: Tommy's got that on tape somewhere. It can't be far away. He watched it four times straight to cheer himself up after the Wolves game.
Rita finds the tape and slips it in the VCR. With Brandon happily engrossed, she returns to Kelly and darker matters. RITA: Still no progress with the police, love?
KELLY: No, they said they'd keep in touch, but---
RITA: I expect they've had to switch resources on to that rape the other week. An especially nasty business that, by all accounts, and just the other side of the underpass
You know Mollie Wallwalk's telling everyone it was Phil Smith.
KELLY: Yeah, but I don't believe it. He says he saw someone legging down Canal Street towards the underpass and shouted at them to stop. I think he's telling the truth. I mean, I don't know him or anything but I get the impression he's not much interested in women. Scene Six
But outside, on the doorstep of Number 7, Phil is doing his best to prove Kelly wrong. JAY: Phil? What are you doing out about at this time of night?
PHIL: First-footing.
JAY: What?
PHIL: It's traditional. The first tall, dark person to step over your threshold after midnight on New Year's Eve with a lump of coal gets a drink and if he's very lucky a kiss to go with it. Now I'm not very tall and not at all dark. I didn't have any coal because I'm all electric next door. And it's not even midnight yet. But, on the plus side, I did bring my own drink.
JAY: You know I'm here on my own tonight?
PHIL: Yes - not that I've been spying or anything, but I did happen to notice the others going out. I wish we could try and go out again, Jay. The theatre thing didn't come off, and Christmas Eve at the Bully turned into a disaster, but---
JAY: You know that Mrs Wallwalk is telling everyone you're a pervert?
PHIL: I guess we'll never know till we try.
Jay laughs and lets him in. Scene Seven
And across the Gardens at Number 12, there's a knock on Pam Walsh's door. PAM: Who on earth
? Craig? What are you doing here?
CRAIG: I've come for me New Year's kiss.
PAM: God, you've been drinking!
CRAIG: That's what I do on New Year. 'S traditional.
MICKEY: Who is it, mum?
PAM: No one, love! Leastways, no one who's stopping.
CRAIG: Pammie, Pammie, Pammie. Gi's a kiss.
PAM: Get off, you dopey devil. What will Mickey think?
CRAIG: Not Mickey's strong suit, thinking.
PAM: Craig!
CRAIG: Just saying, that's all. That's what me and him have in common. We're creatures of instinct. Wanna feel my instinct?
Inside, on the TV, Big Ben starts to chime midnight. MICKEY: Mum! Big Ben!
PAM: Go away, Craig. I'm not interested.
CRAIG: Ah, you're just saying that. That's what they always say.
PAM: Craig! I'm warning you---
MICKEY: Mum! You'll miss it!
CRAIG: Been leading me on, you have. Winking, grinning, waggling your---
MICKEY: Mum!!
CRAIG: Got your house, didn't you? Time to pay up. Come here---
He grabs her. Pam screams - Mickey yells - but no one hears them.
Because Big Ben is booming out the very last second of 2003. |
