Billy I bet you’re a lovely Dad.
At the door Tom hovers.
Tom It would be a travesty. If I were to leave the door unlocked accidentally and you miraculously escaped. Wouldn’t it?
Billy nods. Tom stands aside.
Tom Quick.
Billy gets up and goes to the door.
Billy Tom . . .
Tom Quick.
Billy grabs him and hugs him. Then runs out. Tom goes and sits on the bench where Tom was sitting. He has left the hankie behind. He sits looking at it. Then puts it in his pocket. After a while he stands. He walks to the door and looks out.
Tom Sarge? Sarge! Someone’s left the door open. Suspect’s done a runner! Sarge!!
He heads out. The lights fade.
Scene Four – Hospital, 1986
Mickey lies, very sick, wearing an oxygen mask. Around his bed sit Russell, Tom and the Nurse. As Russell speaks, so Mickey gets more and more agitated. By the time Russell finishes Mickey is trying to take his oxygen mask off. Russell, Tom and the Nurse are wearing regulation yellow plastic aprons. Mickey is wrapped in a red Russian flag.
Russell Mickey? I’m going to speak to you now. And then after I’ve spoken we’re gonna take your mask off and you can tell us what you think. Okay? Mickey, you’ve not got very long left. And what the doctors wanted us to ask you was. Do you want us to stop the drugs that are treating you and just keep going with the drugs that stop everything hurting? Or do you want us to keep going with the drugs that are treating you too? They’re not doing much good at the moment but we can keep on with them if that’s what you want. Mickey, the Nurse is going to take this off now so you can speak. It’s okay Mickey. Just . . . have a think and tell us what you want to do.
The Nurse takes the mask off.
Nurse Here we go.
Mickey (indicating the flag) What is this?
Mickey puts the mask back on.
Tom Your friend the miner sent it. And his wife. They heard you were ill and . . . the red flag?
Mickey thinks and then nods. He taps the mask. The Nurse removes it.
Mickey I have something very important to tell you.
They all wait with baited breath.
Mickey I am not the son of Eva Peron.
He gasps for air. The Nurse replaces the mask. His eyes shut. Tom, Russell and the Nurse freeze, unsure if he has died.
Russell I don’t want his last words to be gibberish.
Tom I think we’ll carry on with the treatment.
Nurse It’s too late.
Russell stands.
Russell I promise. I’ll change. I’ll be out, proud. I’ll do it. Don’t go yet.
Tom Russell, don’t upset yourself.
Russell I’ll make you proud Mickey. Fuck ’em. I’ll change the system, not me. You watch Mickey. You watch. I’ll be the most famous gay actor in the world!
Tom stands and hugs Russell. They cling onto each other for support as Russell cries.
An orchestral version of ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ plays and Ellie comes in in her fur coat and watches. She approaches the bed and pokes Mickey. She removes the mask.
Ellie Your Father’s gay.
Mickey I’m dead. You can’t have everything.
Ellie What’s it like?
Mickey Slow.
Ellie Like Handel. I had to prop my eyes open with matchsticks every time I played him.
Mickey Dad’s . . . really?
Ellie nods.
Mickey But he was always such a bad dresser.
Ellie Mr Crimplene. I know.
Mickey Why did you turn your back on me?
Ellie Guilt. I felt we’d made you that way. That he’d made you that way. And by confronting you I’d’ve had to confront him. And then when you were ill. It was like we’d made you that way too. And instead of apologising. I ran away. I’m good at that. I have lots of practice. Was I awful?
Mickey Yes. But you weren’t unusual.
Ellie I’m very normal. It’s one of the things I hate about me.
Mickey You’re not normal. You can play the organ.
Ellie Not any more. Doesn’t make me happy the way it used to.
Mickey Why are you here?
Ellie To make it up to you.
Mickey How?
Ellie How d’you think?
Mickey Eh?
Ellie Shh!
Mickey What?
Ellie Hold on tight.
Mickey Why?
She sits up on the bed, keeping her legs up off the floor.
Ellie I don’t want you falling out.
She lifts up the bar at the side of the bed.
Ellie Where d’you want to go? You can go anywhere in the world. Where shall we go?
Mickey I’d love to see the Winter Palace. Can you do that? Leningrad?
Ellie (nods) They call it St Petersburg now.
Mickey Why?
Ellie I’ll tell you on the way.
The stage darkens and the bed hovers in mid air. Wind blows and the bed moves. The music grows louder. Ellie and Mickey are on a magic carpet ride, bobbing up and down. Mickey becomes agitated.
Mickey No.
Ellie What?
Mickey This isn’t right.
Ellie It’s what you always wanted. The carpet, in church.
Mickey I know you can’t go on magic carpet rides.
Ellie You can!
Mickey I was just trying to get your attention!
Ellie But we’re going now.
Mickey I don’t want you with me. Ever.
Ellie I can’t hear you. We’re up in the clouds.
Mickey You never could Mum. Even when I was screaming.
And they fly off. The music soars.
Blackout.
Scene Five – Hotel room, 2009
Russell in a hotel room, dabbing coke round his gums as he speaks on his Iphone.
Russell Your Name In Lights is going to be fabulous. I’d bet my life on it. It’s going to put musical theatre centre stage on prime time television and make the public into stars. I’m so excited. You must come to one of the recordings James. It’s gonna be so camp, I can’t wait. And some of the girls they’ve found are so fucking talented. I’m really looking forward to working with them. All of them. It’s my dream job. I think the ratings are gonna go through the roof. It’s what Saturday night’s crying out for. Good old fashioned entertainment that means something, you know? Yeah you too, oh it’s so good talking to you again James. Yeah you too and thanks for all your support, means a lot. Yeah you too James. Don’t go changing!
He hangs up just as Toby, a younger guy, walks in. He is dressed in a top and his undies. He looks very like Mickey. It shocks Russell.
Russell Mickey.
Toby God, can’t you even remember my name? You really know how to make a girl feel special.
Russell For a second there I thought you were . . . you really remind me of . . . Oh it was years ago.
Russell chops up some lines on a mirror on the bed. Toby lies back.
Toby Have you got to speak to any more journalists?
Russell No.
Toby Well go on then.
Russell What?
Toby Fuck me.
Russell Now where did I put my jonnnies?
Toby Jonnies? You call them jonnies?
Russell I’m an old man. Have you got any?
Toby Babe. As it said on my profile. I’m into BB.
Russell I thought that stood for Big Brother.
Toby Bareback rider, baby! All saddled up. C’mon cowboy.
(Brokeback Mountain) I don’t know how to quit you Ennis.
Russell Prick.
Toby I like the sensation. Skin on skin. Can’t beat it.
Russell Toby . . .
Toby I know you want me. You brought me back to your hotel for a drink. A drink. I’ve seen the way you look at me. I wear a tight tee shirt to rehearsals. For your benefit. I see you looking at my tits. You like my tits, don’t you Russell?
Russell Do I?
Russell snorts a line.
Toby You like my arse as well. Just here. It’s yours babe.
Russell What if I’m HIV?
Toby We’ll never know will we?
Russell Oh but you might.
Toby I wanna catch your bugs baby.
Russell is stunned.
Toby OMG. Are you?
Russell Shouldn’t you treat everyone like they are?
Toby Loser!
Russell Why am I a loser?
Toby If you are and stuff.
Russell I’ll ask again.
Toby It’s easy enough to avoid.
Russell And some of us popped our cherries before the word was even invented darling! You know, I look at you . . .
Toby So what if you do give me something. I’ll just take pills. Fuck it.
Russell . . . and you remind me of someone.
Toby Jake Gyllenhaal, don’t tell me Russ.
Russell Only he was generous where you’re selfish.
Toby I’m giving you my arse? And I’m selfish?
Russell He believed in something.
Toby I believe you’re mixing me up with someone who gives a shit, Russell.
Russell What do you really believe in Toby?
Toby I’m just looking after number one baby.
Russell He had a brain. ’Til the cytomeglavirus ate away at it.
Toby HIV’s like an old man’s disease. It’s so last century.
Russell suddenly lashes out, knocking Toby’s face, so he falls backward on the bed. He stands over him. Toby now looks shocked.
Russell Me and my mates went through shit to let you be this apathetic! Fighting our corner so that queens like you wouldn’t be scared! Have some fucking respect for your elders!
Toby Elders? What is this, a cult?
Russell No dear. The only cult round here is you. (Tuts.) Your elders, your ancestors, the queens who went before you! Don’t piss on their graves!
Toby So you are then.
Russell Honest answer? I don’t know.
Toby Have a test.
Russell I had a test before you were probably even born darling.
Toby (Clutching his jaw.) Bastard.
Russell You wanna talk dirty darling, go right ahead. Want it rough? You can have it rough. If that’s what makes you like me then fine. If that’s what gay community means these days hoorah. Let’s do it. But don’t take the piss or you’ll get another slap.
Russell is almost embarrassed by his outburst. He backs off.
Toby I’m not . . . totally cool with this scene.
Russell Where’s your attitude now Toby? Said online you had rape fantasies.
Toby You’re like seriously weird Russell.
Russell I’m so glad the future of our community is in your hands.
Toby West End Wendy? TV’s Mr Nice Guy? Queer Next Door? Psycho AIDS twat!
Russell I was! But three weeks ago my health adviser tells me that thanks to another kind of drug there’s no detectable virus in my body!
Toby Well that’s good isn’t it?
Russell And then two weeks ago my lover of two years walks out on me because. Because he was prepared to live with me when he thought I might be dying, but not when I might actually live.
Toby Says a lot about your personality.
Russell So forgive me if I’m a little bit all over the place.
Russell sits down. He buries his head in his hands.
Russell That’s why I’m in a hotel. Go home Toby.
Toby Start again? Pretend this never happened?
Russell I want to do something right. Just once.
Toby Do me.
Russell I hit you Toby. Have some self respect.
Toby looks at him, and then slowly walks out of the door. Russell takes another line of coke. He sits there thinking, then picks up the phone. He punches in a number. Then steels himself.
Russell Just once.
He takes a deep breath then punches in the final number.
Russell Hi James? It’s Russell Dowler again, sorry to call you back. Look I know you’re just the showbiz reporter but . . . I’ve got this scoop and I just want it to get out there. You know that Chief of Police guy? Tom Harris? (Beat.) Whenever he talks about his family he talks about his son dying in a motorbike accident. Well he didn’t. He had AIDS. He was one of the first people in this country to die from it. (Beat.) He’s a liar. Do we really want someone like that in charge of law and order? (Beat.) Oh and another thing. Tom Harris is as gay as you and me. Dig for dirt mate. You’ll find it. It’s your job. I really appreciate your support James. Don’t go changing! (He hangs up. Raises a glass to the sky, very Norma Desmond.) I used to be huge, but I just got bigger!
Blackout.
Scene Six – A roundabout in Tring, 2010
As earlier the body of the Boy on the ground. Ellie floats in, flying down on a parachute.
Ellie Nearly home.
She lands. The parachute covers the stage. She looks to the Boy.
Ellie I’m sorry but I don’t think you’re my son. He’s up there. Floating around looking for St Petersburg. I wanted to go with him but he kicked me off. Fortunately I’d packed this.
She goes about gathering up the parachute.
Ellie I tried to make amends. I tried to seek his forgiveness. I didn’t get it. But that’s okay. I realise now that’s just something that I’ll have to live with. I’m an unforgiven mother. And that’s fine. It’s all I deserve. There’s nothing I can do to change that. I let him down. All I can try and do now is . . . try not to let myself down.
She realises the Boy is whimpering.
Ellie Are you all right?
He sits up. He is still covered in blood.
Boy I was walking through town. So many lights, I thought I was safe. They fell in alongside me. Can only have been about fifteen. Sixteen tops. Start pushing me. ‘You a batty boy?’ They’d followed me from the pub. I was gonna leave with my mates but they were getting a cab and I’m skint. I tried to leg it but they tripped me up and that’s when I heard breaking glass and saw the bottle. ‘Shove it up his arse. Batty boy like that’. Talking black but they’re white. Two girls with them. Filming it on their phones. I’m probably on Youtube by now. (Beat.) Will you help me?
Ellie gulps.
Ellie Of course.
Boy I can’t remember who I am.
Ellie It’s okay.
She starts to wrap him up in the parachute to stem the blood.
Ellie Please. Just try not to move.
Boy I can’t remember.
Ellie What do you remember?
Boy Their laughter.
Ellie Don’t close your eyes.
Boy What are you going to do?
Ellie (calls) Can somebody help me please?!! PLEASE CAN SOMEONE HELP!!!
Boy You’re a kind person.
Ellie You were meeting someone. A date. Eight o’clock outside the station. This is a new shirt.
Boy You’re lovely.
Ellie We’ll clean it up. And get you to the station. Bright as a new pin.
She kneels and cradles him in her arms as he dies. She screams at the top of her voice.
Ellie PLEASE!! SOMEONE!! HELP ME!!!!!
As she screams thunder roars and lightning flashes across the sky.
Blackout.
Scene Seven – Billy’s house, 2000
A dark night. A thunderstorm. Billy returns home from a club with a guy he has picked up, Tony. Tony is a bit pissed. They are both in their late 50s.
Billy I think someone’s had a bit too much to drink.
Tony What’s your name again?
Billy Billy. Take a seat. Can I get you some more?
Tony Lager?
Billy Lager it is then. Think I’ll join you.
Billy gets two cans of lager out of his pockets. Tony falls back into a hard backed chair.
Billy Da-nah! Nicked ’em from the club.
&
nbsp; He hands him one.
Billy My drink of choice used to be Guinness. But your tastes change don’t they?
Tony Yeah.
Billy We were the oldest queens in that place tonight weren’t we? By about seventy years.
Tony Did we kiss in the cab?
Billy We did mate, yeah.
Billy runs his hand over Tony’s chest. His fingers linger over Tony’s nipple. Tony laughs. Billy squeezes it. Hard. Tony responds.
Billy Like that do you? Thought you might. (Squeezes again.)
Billy takes his scarf off.
Tony I am splattered.
Billy Shall we tie you up? Hey? Lock you up and throw away the key?
Billy ties Tony to the chair with his scarf.
Billy What’s your name?
Tony Tony.
Billy Tony. Well if it’s all right, Tony, I’ll call you by your proper name. Doctor McKinnon.
Tony flinches.
Billy Sorry about the mess. I wasn’t expecting company so . . .
Tony Who are you?
Billy You see I recognised you as soon as I walked into that place. I saw you and I physically recoiled. And then I went to the toilets and I threw up.
Tony I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Billy But then me and vomit. That’s something you’re used to.
Tony makes a small whimper like an animal in distress.
Billy I’ve dreamt about meeting you. You are my recurring dream. And here you are. Forty years on. Live in my own front room. And I find you in a fucking gay club.
I wondered maybe whether I was wrong.
Tony You are.
Billy When hallelujah you offer me a line. We go to the toilets, where only moments earlier I have vomited at the sight of you. And you get out your wallet. And you chop us up some lines. With your credit card. Which you then give me to lick. So of course. Like any Jessica Fletcher in the making, I check your name. Doctor McKinnon.
(Pause.)
Why did you do it?
Tony It was a lifetime away.
Billy Do you remember me or do we all blur into one?
Tony What’s your name?
Billy Billy Lynch. You called me William. You gave me Guinness. I lay for three days in a bed filled with my own shit, piss and vomit. While you showed me those pictures. Pictures of naked men. And you played those tapes. Calling me a dirty queer. It was your voice, Doctor McKinnon. I could hear the other patients. Crying. Screaming. All night. You made me wank over pictures of Tom and you watched and injected me and then you brought out the electrodes.
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