Transcript: EastEnders 22 June 1995 The Television Transcript Project */EastEnders /* *Written by:* Tony Jordan 22 June 1995 British Air Date: Thursday, 22 June 1995. This is very probably episode #198 (in the second numbering series--after the first 952 episodes). *Synopsis:* Nigel receives terrible news from the old Bill; Phil shows Kath the house; Ricky and Bianca get a chance to talk; Tiffany gets a job at the Vic; and people find out why the old Bill took Nigel to his flat. In Cockney English: the "telly" is the T.V.; "nicked" means arrested (means stolen when referring to an object); a "mate" is a friend; "the khazi" is the men's rest room; "Cheers" means thank you or good-bye (and is sometimes a toast). to "put the mockers on" something is to mess up, spoil, or ruin it; "the old Bill" is the police; "brekkers" or "brekkie" is breakfast; a "sarnie" is a bready, buttery sort of sandwich; a "punter" is a customer; a "wind-up" is a practical joke; to get "shirty" is to get touchy/offended; a "gaff" is a place (like an apartment, shop); your "gear" is your stuff; and a "flat" is an apartment. Note: "eh" is usually pronounced "Ay," like the name of the letter A, especially when at end of a sentence/question. Eh? Braces {} enclose unclear speech. KATH = KATHY = KATH DEBS = DEBBIE = DEBS TIFF = TIFFANY = TIFF About 27 scenes. About 24 characters: CLARE, DEBS, NIGEL, GRANT, PHIL, MARK, RUTH, KATHY, TIFFANY, PEGGY, IAN, NEIL, MRS. HARTLEY, POLICE SERGEANT, POLICE OFFICER, WINSTON, SANJAY, RICKY, BIANCA, PAULINE, RON, ART, MORTUARY ATTENDANT, and ABBEY. Cast list (cast.htm 3K) When I printed this, it took 36 pages. Transcribed via VCR tape and microcassette tape. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [*/EastEnders/ Intro* with theme music (time: 00:27). Intro theme: Save music (417kb mp3).] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [The telly's on at the Bates' this morning, DEBS is brushing CLARE's hair as CLARE stands munching a piece of toast, watching a music video show (is at low volume). It's a subdued, rushed morning.] CLARE [quiet] Ow! DEBS Keep /still/ then. NIGEL [coming in] L--I'll drop her off if you want. DEBS Oh, no, you got a delivery this morning, remember? Clare, we're gonna be late. CLARE Well--you're /hurt/ing me. DEBS Well you should have done it before when I /told/ you. NIGEL Half an' hour won't make much difference. DEBS [to CLARE] /Care/ful. Look. Don't you think I've got e/nough/ to worry about without /you/ losing your job as well? Clare, go an' get {me the car keys.} [(CLARE leaves)] NIGEL [joking] Can't sack me. [D: "Mmm."] I'm Indispensable. DEBS Famous last words. [calling to CLARE] Oh! {Watch} your homework. NIGEL W--I'll pick her up then. DEBS Oh, no no, I'm going into town lunchtime--I'll pick her up on my way back. CLARE [calling from hall] Got it. [she has her jacket and backpack on] DEBS Oh, right. Come on, then. NIGEL Ahm, need some money? DEBS No, no-no, I'm only gonna get {her that P.E. stuff}. Uh. Oh--have you paid the electric bill? NIGEL [dread] Oh no. I'll do it later. DEBS Well where /is/ it? NIGEL In me /pock/et. DEBS Well Nigel, we'll get cut /off./ NIGEL [reassuring] I'll /do/ it! DEBS Mmm--well make sure you /do./ NIGEL Come on. [As they all leave, NIGEL keeps looking back into the flat, worried.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Outside the Arches, PHIL and GRANT are looking under a car's hood. (There are posters on the wall behind, one of Adam Ant.)] PHIL Well. Looks like the head's gone. GRANT I'd rather you to me, mate. [leans on side of car] PHIL [leans on car, too] {All right,} you don't fancy coming out {every} time, then. GRANT Yeah, I'd love to, but I've got a bit too much on today. PHIL [quiet] Yeah the trouble is, so have I, I'm supposed to be showin' Kathy around the house later. GRANT What, you told her? PHIL Yeah.. GRANT And? PHIL Well I've been workin' on her all {night} but ah, I rather think the jury's still out. GRANT Wh--did she give you a hard time? PHIL [wry] Oh, just a bit. Accused me of throwin' people out on the street, but uh, well, at least she's comin' around to have a look at it, an' all. GRANT Nah, /she'll/ be all right. They /love/ all that, don't they. PHIL What. GRANT Well, you know, house of their own, roses around the door. Dried flowers in the khazi. PHIL I don't know if that's what Kathy wants. GRANT She's a bird, i'n't she? PHIL Hn! You know, that's what I love about you. Your Ability to Delve Deep into the female psyche. GRANT Eh? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Outside the Video Shop, the BATES', still talking, stop as NIGEL digs out his keys.] DEBBIE Hey, what'd'you want with your tea, yeah, I'll get you somethin' while I'm in town. NIGEL Oh, I don't mind! Uhm.. do you want me to phone a/head,/ Alert the shops you're on your way. DEBBIE [somewhat amused by his corniness] No thank you. NIGEL Element o' Surprise. Good thinkin'. [amused] DEBBIE Heh! See you later. [kisses his cheek] NIGEL See ya. See you, love. [DEBBIE and CLARE leave. NIGEL is about to unlock the door when he notices PHIL and GRANT by that car.] NIGEL Morning girls! [strolls over] [funny guy] Here. Two /gold/fish in a /tank./ One of 'em turns to the other an', says, uh, [deep voice] "So, uh. Do you know how to drive this then?" Huh-ha ha! PHIL Morning Nige.. NIGEL /Tank:/ get it? GRANT Very good. NIGEL Yeah, /I/ thought so. [quiet] Um. I don't suppose there's any chance o' you uh.. shiftin' that stuff today, is there? PHIL I don' know Nige, I'm still waitin' on the phone call. NIGEL Oh. Only uh--you know--bein' of a nervous disposition, I'm startin' to jump every time the shop door opens. GRANT [to PHIL] What stuff's this? PHIL Oh, he's looking after some {nicky} carburetors for-- NIGEL Forty-/three,/ to be precise. GRANT Where're they from? PHIL {Ron Alhoppen.} GRANT What--is he /out?/ PHIL Yes, three weeks ago, {as it happens.} GRANT Well--nice one--we should have him over for a beer. PHIL All right. NIGEL Loathe as I /am/ to put the, uh, Mockers on your Class Reunion, [whispers] you don't think you can stash 'em somewhere else, could you? PHIL Just give me a couple more days, Nige. NIGEL I'll /hold/ you to that. GRANT Don't worry, Nige, if you do get nicked, we'll come an' visit ya. NIGEL Oh, well, that's all /right/ then. An' here was me worryin'. PHIL Look, they'll be out by Monday, all right. NIGEL I'm not cut out for all this. Got one of them /fac/es that just looks naturally /guilt/y. PHIL Monday. Promise. NIGEL [sigh] Yeah. Fine.. [wry] Here: what's four more sleepless nights between mates. [leaves] GRANT Right--I'm off. PHIL All right. See you later, then. GRANT [shaking hands with him] Yeah. And uh, good luck with Kath. [leaves] PHIL Yeah. Cheers. [shuts hood] [Meanwhile, NIGEL's letting himself in the video shop, looking back, worried.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [MARK's coming out of the cafe, goes to the stall. RUTH is minding the stall.] RUTH Well? MARK Tomorrow. Three o'clock. RUTH Did you /tell/ 'im anythin'? MARK Well, like what? RUTH Like, why we're /go/in'. MARK No need. RUTH [worried] Maybe you should o' /warn/ed him, so he's got, time to /think/ about it. MARK He's a /coun/sellor. It's /his/ job to talk about what /we/ wanna talk about. RUTH An' what if he doesn't want to help us? MARK Find one who can.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PHIL and KATH are walking through the market, talking.] PHIL You'll /love/ it. KATH Well, it doesn't matter if I do or don't, does it. Seein' as you already /bought/ it. [They pass TIFFANY, who knocks on the Vic door. (It's not open yet, and there's a sign in the door window: "EXPERIENCED BAR STAFF WANTED.")] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [RUTH and MARK's conversation continues.] RUTH I don't think we should /tell/ anybody just yet. Do you? MARK There's nothing to /tell./ We don't even know if it's gonna be possible. RUTH And if it's not? MARK Well then it's not. At least {we won't pretend we don't know anymore.} RUTH Nyeah.. Listen: I better get back to work while I've still /got/ a job. {I know I gotta} concentrate. [kiss] See you later. MARK [appreciative] Definitely. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PEGGY answers the door and lets TIFF inside.] TIFFANY Oh, hello. PEGGY Hello there. [locks door] You got me /mes/sage then. TIFFANY Yeah, Bianca said something about a quiet word. PEGGY Well, I don't know if you've heard, but I need a little bit of help, behind the bar. TIFFANY Oh, yeah, I saw the card. PEGGY Well? I've seen you in here, you seem to get on /well/ with people, an' I wondered if you'd ever /thought/ about it. TIFFANY Well, yeah, but the card said "experienced bar staff" and I've not done it before. PEGGY Huh! Well, we can soon train the right person. TIFFANY Yeah? Well me Uncle's got a pub in Brentwood an' /he/ says that, bar work is sort--about ten percent know-how and 90 percent personality. PEGGY Yeah. Well I wouldn't argue with /that./ I've only been in the business five minutes me/self./ TIFFANY An' I suppose I have always worked with /peo/ple. PEGGY Doing what? TIFFANY Oh, {board} mostly. First I was an {orderly rep,} an' then I was a Beautician. PEGGY You haven't done any bar work at all? TIFFANY [pre-rehearsed for interview] No. But um. I am a fast learner and I don't mind a bit of hard work. PEGGY I don't /doubt/ it.. TIFFANY [nice, pre-rehearsed] It's not exactly what /I/ was looking for, but um, "nothing ventured nothing gained," is what I always say, so um: yeah /I'll/ give it a go if you will. PEGGY Mm. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PHIL and KATHY come out of Richard's old house, walk down the stairs talking. She's doubtful, noncommittal. He seems calm.] PHIL Well it might take a few weeks to get it sorted out, uh. KATH A few weeks? (They're at the bottom of the stairs now, and just stand there to talk more--calm and face to face.) PHIL Yeah to get a proper /crew/ in there, you know, knock the partitions down, give it a good tidy up an' that. KATH Yeah, it'll need to be redecorated. Top to bottom. PHIL Huh. So. You like it then. KATH I never said that. I just said that whoever /lived/ there would need it to be re-/de/corated first. PHIL Oh. KATH Mind you, I.. I'm /not/ sayin' that I don't like it either. L--how much will it cost to do {the lot}? PHIL Why not let me worry about it, eh. KATH Oh, so we're keeping this up then are we? PHIL Keeping what up? KATH /You/ de/ci/ding everything for us. Maybe I would walk three steps be/hind/ you and all. PHIL /No./ KATH Well how much, then? PHIL Well. Not that much. I'll.. call in a few favours an', about a grand. [(she looks doubtful)] [amused, admitting] All right--a couple! KATH An' can we afford it. PHIL {I'll push it.} KATH And you really think we need something this big. PHIL Yeah, well just think what we could /do/ with it. KATH Well, it could be nice.. {Maybe} we could make a {playroom} for Steve an' the twins. PHIL Exactly, we'll have a guest room, wouldn't we, we can e'en get your brother over to stay. KATH Well, don't hold your breath. PHIL New kitchen. Proper dining room. KATH [sigh] I just wish you'd /talk/ed to me about it first. PHIL Uh! I just wanted it to be a surprise. KATH Well you got that bit right. PHIL So. Do I get the work started or what. [slightly amused] KATH Oh I don't know. PHIL Oh, come on, Kath. You said yourself it'd be /per/fect for us. KATH Well what about all the people who were livin' here--the ones you /threw out./ PHIL Huh--I didn't throw /any/body out-- KATH Well--as good as. What about Ricky? PHIL Well, I've talked to him an', he knows all a/bout/ it. KATH And? PHIL He's sweet as a nut. KATH Yeah, he wasn't at the time. PHIL Well he is now. So. Wanna get the work started or what. KATH Look, can't we talk about it later. I've gotta get back to the cafe. PHIL Look, you've /seen/ it now--you either like it or you don't. KATH W--like I said, it, it could be /nice../ PHIL Ex/act/ly. An' the sooner we get the work started the sooner we can move in. KATH [pause] Go on. Better start makin' your calls, then. PHIL Ya mean it. KATH I wouldn't /say/ so otherwise, would I. But please: /next/ time, just talk to /me first?/ PHIL It's a deal. [kiss] So. Now you've forgiven me-- KATH /Half,/ forgiven you. PHIL Ha! All right, /half,/ forgiven me. Any chance of a bit of breakfast? [massaging her shoulder] KATH Come over in half an hour. I'll see what I can do. [leaves] [As PHIL looks after KATH leaving, IAN comes out of his house (next door).] IAN [coming down stairs] Surveying our empire, are we? PHIL No, as a matter of fact, I was just showin' your mum around the house. IAN Oh yeah? PHIL Mmm. And guess what? IAN What? PHIL [proud] She, Loves it. IAN Mmm--I'm very pleased for you. PHIL Well, I never doubted it for a minute. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the video shop, NIGEL's talking to NEIL (his helper guy--tall, thin youth). No one else is in the shop.] NEIL There's a, load of old /box/es out there: hidden under some cardboards? NIGEL [anxious] You haven't /touched/ 'em have you. NEIL [defensive] /No../ NIGEL [tense] Well /don't./ Go an' get us an egg an' bacon sarnie from the cafe. And get us some papers on the way back. [gave him cash] Cheers, Neil. [Just as NEIL leaves, MRS. HARTLEY is entering with two videos. She's an old woman who's apparently quite hard of hearing. NIGEL leans forward and talks loudly and carefully to her.] NIGEL [loud, friendly] Ah! Good /mor/ning, Mrs. "H." MRS H Ah! Good /mor/ning! [comes to counter with tapes] I brought these back. I didn't under/stand/ them. NIGEL [loud] You didn't under/stand/ them? MRS H Neither did /I!/ Full of Pakistani people, /sing/ing to each other. NIGEL [looking] Ah yeah. Well uh, ya see, they're--they're /In/dian /Films,/ uh, Mrs. H. They're like /mu/sicals. MRS H Oh I /like/ musicals. NIGEL But not these. MRS H Which one's that. NIGEL What? MRS H /Which/ musicals? NIGEL No. Uh.. /these,/ are /mu/sicals. For Aaasian people. MRS H Is Woody Allen in it? NIGEL What? MRS H I am a /mem/ber. NIGEL Uh, yeah. Uh, /far wall,/ Mrs. H: top three shelves. Everything you want is there. Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Woody Allen. MRS H English? NIGEL Abso/lute/ly. MRS H [quietly] I'm not a /ra/cist, you know. But I like what I /like./ NIGEL Don't we all. Top three shelves, Mrs. H. MRS H Very well. [goes to look] [As she goes to look, NIGEL keys in her account.] NIGEL Oh. Uh. These are late, Mrs. H. MRS H Uhh, /par/don? NIGEL [not worth the trouble] Doesn't matter. PHIL [comes in] All right, Nige? NIGEL All right. PHIL Listen, now, you got Colin's number? NIGEL Colin who? PHIL Colin {Baker.} He's a builder. NIGEL Oh, /Cow/boy Colin. PHIL Yeah, uh-huh. NIGEL [gets an address thing out and quietly asks] Um. Any news on the old uh, you-know-what. Only uh--you know--/Neil's/ been snooping around there. PHIL Look: re/lax/ will you. I told you they'll be out by Monday. NIGEL Relax? I have a /sei/zure every time the old Bill goes past. PHIL Has anyone ever told you you worry too much.. NIGEL Yeah.. I /like/ worryin'. PHIL Yeah, well you ca' have too much of a good thing, can't you. Listen--thanks for this, and uh, do you fancy a bit of brekkie, {or anythin'}. NIGEL Uh, no, I ju' sent out for some. PHIL All right. I'll see you later, yeah? NIGEL Yeah. Cheers. [PHIL leaves and NIGEL talks loudly to MRS. H.] NIGEL Uh. Find anything you like, Mrs. H? MRS H Oh, very /well,/ thank you! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [GRANT comes in the back door of the Vic. He has a little ring case he looks at. He goes upstairs.] PEGGY [calls from downstairs] Grant? Is that you? GRANT [calling back] I'll be down in a minute. PEGGY [calling back] Okay love. [GRANT, looking at the ring again, goes into the living room, shutting the door.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [MRS. H is still in the video shop. She's made a selection and comes to the counter.] NIGEL Um. This is a /wes/tern, Mrs. H. MRS H Sorry? NIGEL Cowboys an' Indi-- Um, /people shoot/in' each other. /No sing/in'. MRS H What is? NIGEL /This/ one. It's /not/ a /mu/sical. MRS H Well thank goodness for /that./ NIGEL What? MRS H Well I didn't understand a /word/ of the /last/ two you gave me. NIGEL [muttering] I think this is where I came in. MRS H Sorry? NIGEL Ah, nothing, uh, it doesn't matter, Mrs. H. Uh. You're gonna /love/ this one. [leaning forward, loud and careful] It's an English Musical Western, with Woody /Al/len. MRS H Oh! Thank you. I'll see you in the /mor/ning. NIGEL [loud] Thank /you./ I look /for/ward to it. [As she hobbles out, NIGEL ducks under the counter, organizing. Two COPS come in (stout, blonde woman and tall, thin, black, young man).] NIGEL [singing] "Rollin'-rollin'-rollin', keep them doggies rollin', keep them doggies rollin', Raw/hiiiide./ {They'll well, well, weather, and run--}" OFFICER Mr. Bates? [NIGEL stands up and is dumbfounded at who's walked in.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Outside, market traders have noticed that the old Bill parked at, and went into, the video shop. SANJAY and WINSTON are in the foreground. They and the others are talking amongst themselves.] MARK [comes over] What's goin' on. WINSTON We dun/no/ mate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the Vic, PEGGY goes behind the bar, joining TIFFANY.] PEGGY [smiling at PUNTER] Oh, mornin', love, what can I get you. [RICKY is playing a video game or a gambling machine and BIANCA comes in and goes up to him. (She's also looking for someone.)] BIANCA What ya? RICKY {Hi ya.} BIANCA Not workin' then? RICKY Huh. Phil tol' me to take an early lunch. He's got a load of calls to make or something. What about you? BIANCA Oh, I just finished me drivin' lesson. I was just lookin' for Tiffany. She was meant to be comin' in to see Peggy about something. RICKY So, how was it. BIANCA What. RICKY The /driv/in' lesson. BIANCA Oh, /bril/liant! Yeah, John was really good. Much better than David. RICKY Oh yeah. BIANCA Well he don't let nothin' get to him, you know, he's really patient. He said I was his {client}. RICKY [resentful, quiet] I bet he did. BIANCA What? RICKY Well, I'm surprised he managed keep his eyes on the /road./ BIANCA He's not /like/ that, Ricky. RICKY [wry, quiet] Oh. Of course not. BIANCA [irritated] Well even if he /was,/ what's it got to do with you? RICKY Then why tell me about him? BIANCA You're jealous. {That's the idea.} RICKY Yes. All right? [fed up, goes to a table and sits] BIANCA [follows, a little angry] What gives you the right to be jealous about anything I do, anyway? I thought you'd gone with Natalie. [sits by him] RICKY Nothing. No, I know it's got nothing to do with me but I still /care/ about you, all right? I can't help it. BIANCA Thought we'd agreed to be just friends. RICKY We did. BIANCA Then what's all this about, then? RICKY I dun/no../ Just--you know--I, I--like bein' with you, when we're on our own. BIANCA Yeah. RICKY [resentful] An' /now/ we are, but what about when /Tif/fany turns up, an' I have to /sit/ here watchin' the pair of you /gig/glin' with each other. BIANCA [impatient] What's Tiffany got to do with anything? RICKY [flustered] Well--she's always /there,/ you-- You know I never get a chance to talk to you /pro/perly. BIANCA [concerned] Well she's not here now. RICKY I know. BIANCA So, what'd you want to /talk/ about, then? RICKY I dunno. /A/nything. BIANCA [patient] Except for my drivin' lesson.. RICKY [a little amused] Yeah, and Tiffany.. BIANCA Better buy me a drink, then. [RICKY immediately goes to the bar. But TIFFANY has come over to PEGGY.] TIFF Right. It's all done. PEGGY [proud of her] Oh. Find your first customer, then. TIFF [to RICKY] All right then. What can I get ya. RICKY Uh! What're /you/ doin' here. TIFF I /work/ here. [RICKY sighs, looking tired, back at BIANCA. Just then, GRANT comes downstairs to the bar.] PEGGY [to GRANT] /Oh. What/ were you doin' sneakin' about the place? GRANT I wasn't sneakin'. PEGGY Well, what were you /do/in' then? GRANT I just went upstairs. PEGGY What for? GRANT I /live/ here. PEGGY All /right./ There's no need to get /shirt/y. I only /asked./ Anyway: while you've been sneaking in and out, I've been busy. GRANT Doin' what. PEGGY Takin' on a new barmaid. GRANT Who. PEGGY [calling] Tiffany! TIFF Yep, be right with ya. GRANT Oh mum, tell me this is a wind-up. [TIFFANY comes over.] PEGGY I was just tellin' Grant how well you're doin'. TIFF Yeah, I've not had too many problems yet. GRANT Yeah, well we've only been open ten minutes. PEGGY Take no notice, darlin'. He's always grumpy in the mornin'. TIFF [slightly suggestive] I'll try an' remember that. [returns to work] GRANT [wry] Mum have you taken leave of your senses. PEGGY The punters will love her. GRANT She doesn't know a pint glass from her elbow. PEGGY She'll learn. /I/ had to. GRANT She's a kid! MARK [just come in] Grant. GRANT With you in a minute Mark. I mean, what's she gonna be like when we get /mobbed/ in here, eh? PEGGY She'll /man/age. MARK It's Nigel. GRANT [serious] Eh? MARK Video shop. He's gone home wi' the old Bill. GRANT [takes this in a moment] Cheers Mark. [leaving, urgent business] Uh, Ricky. Where's Phil. RICKY Workin' at the /Arch/es. GRANT Well, go an' get him, get him to meet me in /Tur/pin Road. /Now./ [runs out] [RICKY's senses that it's important, and leaves. GRANT runs to the market and goes to SANJAY and WINSTON. (WINSTON's saying, "Something is /so/ strange, {I don't know--}")] GRANT Hey Sanjay, what's goin' on? SANJAY They just took him out. GRANT Where to? SANJAY Well, it looks like they took him back to his gaff.. GRANT [keeping calm] Did they, uh bring anything else out with him. SANJAY Like what. GRANT Like old boxes or somethin'. SANJAY I didn't see anything, not to mention. GRANT {Right, cheers.} [GRANT sees PHIL and walks over to him. They keep themselves calm.] PHIL What's goin' on. GRANT Is your gear still in there? PHIL Yeah. GRANT So how'd the old man know, then? PHIL They can't. Where is he? GRANT Over at his flat. Wanna go have a look? PHIL No, it.. We're better {off later on}. GRANT We can't leave him on his own, you know what he's like. PHIL Yeah {it's gotta be somethin' important, though} what /is/ it? GRANT Ya got me, mate. PHIL N--All right, look. Let's find out what the score is first, all right? You stay here, I'll go 'round there an' say I'm gonna take him out for a beer or something-- GRANT No no, he takes /one/ look at you, he'll think you're bein' tugged as well--he'll start blabbin'. I better go. [leaves] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [PHIL watches him, stays where he is. GRANT goes up to NIGE's door, sees it's slightly ajar, and quietly lets himself in. He knocks on the flat's door. The female officer (POLICE SERGEANT) answers.] GRANT Uh. I've come to see Nigel. SERGEANT [quiet] Are you a friend of his. GRANT Yeah. SERGEANT You better come in. GRANT [follows her in, quiet] What's goin' on. SERGEANT I'm afraid-- NIGEL [dumfounded but knows GRANT should hear it from a friend] No. It's Debs. GRANT What.. [NIGEL doesn't answer, is in shock, staring at the air. SERGEANT and GRANT step into the hall.] SERGEANT [somber, quiet] Mrs. Bates was killed in a road accident at ten thirty this morning. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the Vic, RICKY, MARK, and SANJAY are at the bar. PEGGY is behind the bar. SANJAY and MARK are subtly making light of the anxious speculation.] SANJAY Must o' been a raid. RICKY What for? MARK Maybe he's been makin' dirty movies in the back room. SANJAY {It'd be a funny thing} if Nigel Bates: porn king of Walford. PEGGY [amused, assuring] The boys will sort him out. MARK What /I/ don't understand is, why they took him back to his flat. SANJAY Probably after his private video collection. [PHIL comes in.] RICKY Phil, what's goin' on? PHIL I don't know, is Grant back {or not.} PEGGY No.. SANJAY Has he gone around there then? PHIL Yeah. PEGGY So, what's he done? PHIL Oh. Don't know, that's what, Grant's gone to find out. RICKY Mark reckons he's makin' dirty films. PHIL [sigh, quiet] Leave it out, mate. MARK It was a /joke./ PHIL [resigned] {Okay, well I don't} see anyone laughing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [At the Bates', SERGEANT is quietly leaving, the POLICEMAN just behind her.] SERGEANT [to GRANT] Can I have a word. GRANT Yeah, sure. [GRANT goes with them to the hall.] SERGEANT Can you stay with him? GRANT Yeah, of course. Do you know how it happened? SERGEANT Only what we were told.. She stepped out in the road, an' someone hit her.. She was "dead on arrival" at the hospital.. GRANT I only saw her a couple o' hours ago.. SERGEANT It happens.. Are there any kids.. GRANT Yeah, a little girl.. She's at school.. Do you think I should go an' pick her up. SERGEANT Well it's up to you.. Bu' it might be better to leave her where she is for the minute.. He'll have to come in.. Make a formal identification.. GRANT Why can't I do it. SERGEANT No, I'm sorry. It has to be next of kin. GRANT Well can I come with him? SERGEANT Yeah.. Yeah, it might be a good idea. Look, why don't you give us a call when you think he's up to it.. As soon as you can, all right? GRANT Yeah.. SERGEANT Shame.. He seems like a nice bloke.. GRANT [quiet, sad] He is.. [whisper as they quietly leave] Cheers.. [GRANT goes in the living room. NIGEL is just staring, dumbfounded. GRANT's concerned and quiet, sits by him.] GRANT Oh, Nige.. NIGEL I should be cryin' or something, shouldn't I? GRANT [pause] Mate, do whatever you think you gotta do, yeah.. NIGEL I thought they'd come to /nick/ me.. GRANT Yeah.. NIGEL I uh.. [pulling out a paper from his pocket] GRANT What you doin'.. NIGEL I gotta pa--I gotta pay the electric bill.. GRANT [pause] No you don't have to worry about it right now.. NIGEL I've gotta--I--I haven't paid it yet-- GRANT /Nige./ It Doesn't Matter. NIGEL We'll get cut off. [full stop, and then a strange bleat comes out of his mouth] GRANT Nige. [NIGEL starts to cry/groan, numbly, in disbelieving grief. GRANT holds him tight.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the Vic, PAULINE comes in. MARK's at the bar. RICKY and WINSTON are in the background nearby.] PAULINE Hi.. MARK You all right, mum? PAULINE Well I /would/ be, if your father paid me half the attention he's giving to that campaign of his. MARK Uh--still got a bee in his bonnet, has he. PAULINE Oh! Possessed, if you ask me. MARK Did you, ah.. did you /speak/ to him for me.. PAULINE Weeell, it took me quite a while to get a word in edgewise, but I think I got through in the end. MARK So what did he say? PAULINE Nothing /much,/ he was uh, quite reasonable about it. How's Ruth? MARK [nervous] She's fine. PAULINE Oh, good. MARK Mind you, she's been, working really hard--you know--with the kids an' that. I don't know how she /does/ it. She loves it, though. PAULINE She must do. I know it's bad enough with /one./ Well, two if you count your father. MARK You must have had your hands full--o' that? When /we/ were little. Even though it was just two. PAULINE Well at times it felt as though you were four/teen./ MARK You must have enjoyed it--us. An' you did it all over again with Martin, didn't ya? PAULINE Yeah.. Glutton for punishment.. MARK An' you wouldn't change a thing, {then}? PAULINE /Nah,/ of /course/ not. Mind you, your life's not your /own/ any more-- ART [just come up with drinks] /There/ we go--hello son. MARK Dad. ART Are you in a better mood today? MARK Yeah. ART Good. Can I get you a drink. MARK No thanks, dad, I've already got one. ART Right, then. [to PAULINE] Peggy was tellin' me about Nigel. PAULINE [quiet] What about him.. ART Well, he's been ar/res/ted or something.. PAULINE What /for../ MARK Well, nobody /knows/ yet. They're waitin' for /Grant/ to get back. [The phone's ringing and PEGGY goes and gets it.] PEGGY Queen Vic/tor/ia. Oh, hello love.. Did you find out anything? Yeah. He's in the bar. But Grant-- Oh, okay.. Hang on a minute. [She puts the receiver down and walks back to behind the bar. (RICKY and BIANCA are having a nice conversation by the bar.)] PEGGY Phil, it's Grant. [PHIL comes around to the phone. PEGGY follows part of the way.] PEGGY Didn't want to /talk/ to me.. [leaves him alone] PHIL [to phone] Hello? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Out by the bar, RICKY and BIANCA.] BIANCA Well, she didn't say nothing to /me/ about it. Perhaps she'll give us free drinks, though, uh? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Back in the hall, PHIL has got the news and soberly puts the phone down. He walks behind the bar, quiet, taking on making the announcement as soon as possible. People soon sense something important.] PHIL [quiet] Uuum, can everyone, just, listen for a sec, yeah? Just.. I've just had a phone call an' um.. well Debbie Bates was killed in a, a road accident {this morning}.. PEGGY /Ni/gel's Debbie? PHIL Yeah.. [The Vic crowd is silent in shock and sadness. Only the music goes on.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [NIGEL has his head in a towel--looks like he splashed his face--exhausted, lingers, patting the towel on his face. He's in the kitchen. GRANT comes back in from outside and calls.] GRANT Nige? NIGEL In here. GRANT I, parked the car out front. NIGEL Right. [gets up] GRANT Look: you don't have to do this now, you know. NIGEL Nah, nah. I--I want to. It sounds funny but, I want to see her.. GRANT I tell you what, why don't we stop off on the way and uh, get a couple o' brandies inside you.. NIGEL [disoriented, pauses] Oh, no--no, I'm fine.. fine.. [leaving] [They leave the kitchen, GRANT shutting the door behind him, which has Debs' cute, big, Tweetie Bird bag hanging on the back of it. Nige's little Stan and Ollie are on the wall nearby, of course.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the Vic, it's all quiet, no music. PEGGY, PHIL, ART, PAULINE, SANJAY, RICKY, BIANCA, and WINSTON are all standing by the bar, subdued.] PEGGY Do you think we should do something.. PHIL Like what.. PEGGY I dunno.. Send flowers or something.. PAULINE [respectful, had cried] I don't think you /do/ that.. Not yet.. MARK Or a card or something.. ART Or a condolence card.. PHIL He must be in a right state.. PEGGY Grant's with him.. He'll let us know what's best.. PAULINE Y--what about the little /girl,/ she gonna need pickin' up from /school../ PEGGY Grant will sort it all out.. RICKY I still can't be/lieve/ it.. PAULINE Did Grant say what happened ex/act/ly? PHIL No, only that, there was a road accident. PEGGY [pause] She doesn't drive though, does she.. ART Well, she must've been /hit/ by a car, then.. PAULINE They'd only been married a year.. [Everyone's quiet.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In an institutional, sparse waiting room, GRANT and NIGEL are sitting alone, silent. A guy in a lab coat comes in (mortuary ATTENDANT).] ATTENDANT Mr. Bates? If you'd like to follow me.. GRANT Can I come with him.. ATTENDANT Of course. [They follow into the adjoining room. The POLICE SERGEANT is there. The ATTENDANT takes NIGEL, with GRANT behind, to a curtain. After a pause and mutual nod that NIGEL's ready, the ATTENDANT opens the curtain. NIGEL immediately has a gag reflex at the sight--it's too much.] SERGEANT Is this your wife, Mr. Bates? [NIGEL rushes back to the waiting room to the garbage can--the gag reflex wasn't a passing one.. GRANT follows and stops, giving him space.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [In the Vic, MARK and RUTH are at a small table by themselves, quiet, in sad shock/grief.] RUTH It's awful.. MARK Yeah.. RUTH An' Nigel, he, he must be devastated.. MARK Made me think. I mean, if you're offered odds on me an' Debbie.. RUTH I know what you're gonna say, but you shouldn't think like that.. MARK No.. That's exactly how I /should/ think.. The truth is, I'm.. I'm no worse off than anyone else in this pub. None of us are immortal. But that doesn't stop other people gettin' on with their lives. RUTH No. MARK An' /some/times, you can be so, Busy lookin' over your shoulder, that you don't see what's goin' on in /front/ o' you. RUTH So no more lookin' over your should o'.. MARK No.. [breathing in] Gran used to say to me that when we were born.. There was a /date/ stamped on our forehead.. You couldn't see it, but.. that would be the day that we'd die. The only difference is I've got a reasonable idea of what mine says.. Debbie didn't.. Who's the worse off? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [GRANT and NIGEL are in Grant's car, parked. NIGEL opens the electric window for some air. He's nearly knocked out by it all. GRANT's in the driver's seat.] GRANT You all right now.. NIGEL She was /so/ pretty.. GRANT Yeah.. NIGEL You know.. before I met her.. when I was on me own--you know.. I didn't like my life very much.. "Fat Nige." "Always good for a laugh." But.. no one knew who I was.. Not /real/ly.. An' then Debbie came.. an' Clare.. GRANT [pause] It's quarter to. Clare.. NIGEL Yeah.. GRANT You up to that.. NIGEL Yeah.. [GRANT starts the car.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [TIFFANY is collecting glasses in the Vic. PEGGY's sitting at the bar. PHIL's behind it, leaning on it. The pub is closed at the moment. They all are subdued, quiet.] TIFFANY So.. How did I do then. PEGGY You did fine, love. Mind you, it wasn't the best day for you to start, was it. TIFFANY No. Nobody was very happy, were they.. PEGGY Noo.. An' it'll get worse before it gets better, an' all. [to PHIL] You're not going back to work? PHIL Oh, I think {I'll hang around here} for Grant.. PEGGY Think he'll bring him back here? PHIL Nnn--I dunno. PEGGY What will happen to little Clare now.. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [GRANT and NIGEL have parked outside the school and it's letting out--KIDS going off in various directions, other cars waiting. CLARE is walking and talking with another GIRL (ABBEY).] NIGEL What am I gonna tell her? [calling] /Clare! Clare!/ [CLARE spots NIGEL. She and ABBEY continue talking as they head for the car.] NIGEL I don't wanna go back to the flat, not straight away. GRANT What ever you want.. CLARE Where's mum? NIGEL [tries to seem casual] Uh, what's up, I'm--aren't I good enough for you now. CLARE O' /course/ you are! Um, can Abbey come back for tea? NIGEL Not tonight, darlin'-- CLARE Oh /please./ NIGEL Uh, another night, eh? CLARE [to ABBEY] Okay, sorry, see you tomorrow. ABBEY Thanks. Bye. CLARE Bye. (ABBEY had been peering at NIGEL with a sort of judgmental look.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [GRANT is parking the car in a public park. NIGEL and CLARE come out of the car. She's somewhat aware that something's up. He's holding her hand and carrying an umbrella.] CLARE Aren't we going home? NIGEL Not yet, no. CLARE [brightening] Can I go an' play on the swings? NIGEL Later maybe, yeah. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [GRANT watches respectfully from the driver's seat. NIGEL and CLARE go sit on a bench by the path and NIGEL, very soon, says something serious to her and she listens. Kids are playing on swings and a gym set behind them. She's leaning forward to him, listening intently. After a few seconds, she collapses into a sad, disbelieving, gentle hug with him.] (No boom-boom ending. Soft music under the scene segues into the EastEnders theme for the credits.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [show's time: 27:00] [*Credit Roll* with theme music. Long version of exit theme: Save music (1mb mp3).] [time: 00:30; total with intro and credits: 27:57] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Transcript of the *next* episode (the next Monday) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Return to the Television Transcript Project email Last Updated: 5 Feb 2000 This fan page is *for curiosity and fun* and is not intended to infringe on any copyright nor to encourage such. 1 [x] close This Page is an outdated, user-generated website brought to you by an archive.It was mirrored from Geocities at the end of October, 2009. For any questions concerning this page try to contact the respective author. (To report any malicious content send the URL to oocities(at gmail dot com). 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