The Gift Read online

  (Simon passes over a glass and, while Paul holds it, fills it to the brim. Paul knocks it back and soon the clock on the wall has moved on a couple of hours. Paul is in the armchair, his shirt unbuttoned and a smattering of ketchup on his lips. A plate with a half-eaten chip rests on the floor beside him and he is trying to light a cigarette which is hanging from his mouth)

  Fucking Russians man, they know how to drink Vodka. They invented the fucking stuff. Jesus, these matches are damp, have you got a dry match, a dry one, please?

  Simon

  I don’t think I do. ( He looks at the boy with disgust and his eyes search the room before dwelling upon a large glass ashtray that his mother had given him, just in case, she had said.) You need an ashtray?

 

  Paul

  Fucking Russians. Yha, ashtray. I was going to ask. I didn’t want to use the plate, like?

  Simon

  No. We can’t have that, can we.

  (He stands and takes the ashtray from the window ledge and approaches the boy from behind.)

  Let me give you this!

  (He smashes the ashtray down upon the boy’s head as hard as he can.)

  You thought I’d forgotten you, didn’t you? You thought I’d not recognize you. You thought you could attack me in the street, you and your horrible friends, attack me and that I would just put up with it again. Again, again, again. Well, you were wrong.

  (He drops the ashtray and catches his breath, the back of the boy’s head is dented and parts of brain are visible through the hairline. Surprisingly there is little blood.)

  I could see your eyes, looking everywhere except in mine, your smell; it was your smell that gave you away. Look, you silly boy, you’ve spilt your drink.

  (He steps around and takes the glass from Paul’s hand, then he sits the body up and straightens its clothing.)

  Oh, you may have hit your head, you have a little bit of blood on your forehead. Let me wipe it for you. I’ll put your glass here on the chair-arm and you can have it later if you want.

  (Simon slaps the lifeless face that’s looking blankly at him, then slaps it again.)

  Alright, don’t answer me. Perhaps you are shy or something. I’ll sit over here on the sofa and we can watch a bit of T.V together. That’s better isn’t it. We can both settle down now and put the past behind us; I’m just so glad we got it off our chest.

  Mum used to say, if you have a problem with someone, sort it out. I’d say we have sorted it out, we have cleared the air, don’t you think? Now we are both feeling better; I’m happier already.

  SCENE 7 INT DAY

  We find Simon at work, sitting at his table beside the hatch, he has a book but is not reading, he appears to be lost in thought)

  Narration

  When I got up the following morning Paul hadn’t moved. He looked tired after being up all night watching telly. I had only stayed with him until about 1.00 a.m and then felt too tired to stay up any longer.

  I left him on the sofa, after all, he seemed happy enough. This morning he didn’t want any breakfast and although I’d made him a coffee, it was still on the arm of the chair when I came out the bathroom, I suppose he wasn’t thirsty.

  Today passed as usual, I took files in through the hatch and passed them out. Filed them away and at five thirty left to get my bus. The day was just like any other except…

  SCENE 8 INT NIGHT

  (We find ourselves coming in through Simon’s front door)

  ...Narration continued

  When I got home it made all the difference having someone waiting for me.

  Simon

  Hello Paul, how are you? I suppose you want to hear all about my day at work don’t you. Though you’ll probably get bored when I start going on about suffixes and prefixes. A suffix or a prefix is part of a code we use to file away our client’s paperwork so they can be found easily.

  We have thousands of clients so it’s important to keep their records in order; I’ll tell you all about it if you let me take my coat off first; boy it’s cold out there.

  Narration

  He didn’t say anything, just looked straight ahead like he was in a trance or something; shy I suppose. I noticed a trickle of blood had come from his nose and had stained his shirt.

  Simon

  Paul, I don’t mind you hanging about the flat all day while I’m at work but really, you could smarten yourself up a bit. Look, there’s blood on your…

  (He goes to then sink and wets a dish rag before wiping the boy’s face. He undoes the boy’s shirt and takes it off before putting it into the washing machine. In a drawer he removes a sweatshirt and puts it on the boy.)

  …That’s better, you look quite respectable now. My mother bought that for me and she always said you can tell a lot about a man by the shirt he wears. I’m going to do some chips, you liked them last night although tonight there’s going to be no drinking and smoking.

  I know you like to do both but I’m not going to have you drunk every night. Besides it’s very bad for you.

  Narration

  He didn’t say anything but I was getting used to that. I made us both some chips with eggs and toast and put the television on. He seemed to like that, it stopped him going on about the Russians. I put his food on his lap and we watched Eastenders together. He liked that a lot, the boy didn’t say a single thing all night, shy, very shy.

  I put his food on the arm of the chair when I went to bed hoping he’d eat it later.

  Simon

  Night night…

  SCENE 9 INT NIGHT

  The flat a few days later.

  Narration

  After a week he still hadn’t eaten his egg and toast but he looked happy enough so I guessed he was going to save it until he was hungry. It was so nice coming home and having someone to talk to.

  We were really getting on well together, then one night I noticed something had changed; his egg and toast looked a bit poorly but were the same as that morning. I saw a fly on Paul’s nose. A small black insect with a blue-black glisten to it’s wings.

  It was crawling around his nose without a care in the world. Paul didn’t seem to mind although it bothered me.

  I didn’t like to say anything about his personal hygiene; after all, we hadn’t known each other too long. It was then that I noticed it, a soft, flowery smell like rose buds in the morning or the odour of newly cut grass. It was the smell of my father. Father had come to stay and although I could not see him I could smell him in the room.

  Simon

  Paul, Daddy has been here today hasn’t he, no don’t answer that, you’d only cover up for him. I can smell him.

  Narration

  That night was wonderful, I even drank Paul’s vodka although I didn’t fancy his egg on toast. Daddy’s presence became stronger every day; each time I came home from work I could smell him more. The smell seemed to fill the room; like the flies.

  Life with Paul and Daddy went on for a few more weeks when one night we were watching television when there was a knock on the door. This was very unusual. Nobody had ever knocked before and so I answered it cautiously. It was the old lady opposite.

  Mrs Penly

  Hello Dear, I’m Mrs Penly.

  Simon

  Yes, you live over there.

  Mrs Penly

  That’s right dear, tell me, are your drains blocked?

  Simon

  My Drains? I don’t think so.

  Mrs Penly

  Are you sure, it smells like death out here on the stairs and I’m beginning to smell it in my flat.

  Simon

  Oh, the smell, yes that’s my father.

  Mrs Penly

  Your father?

  Simon

  Yes, he’s come to stay and, well, he’s a bit old. You know.

  Mrs Penly

  Your father smells like that?

  Simon

  Yes.

  Mrs Penly

  Well tell him to have a bloody bath,
I was going to call the landlord.

  (She turned and entered her flat closing the door behind her.)

  Simon

  A bloody bath, a blood bath. Yes.

  Narration

  Closing the door I had to agree that Daddy was beginning to smell a little green and that Paul didn’t look that good either, his face was looking quite bloated and his tongue was beginning to protrude.

  It must have been the flies, there were so many that it was hard to concentrate on the television, I don’t know how Paul put up with them. All that buzzing was making me feel quite dizzy.

  Simon

  Paul, I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude but I’m afraid you need to take a bath. I can see you are still a little drunk so I’ll give you a hand.

  Narration

  I went to the bathroom and run a bathe for Paul. Then I undressed him carefully and it was then that I realised just how ugly he was. Those bulging eyes and his skin was awful. He looked really quite ill.

  I didn’t say anything because after all he’d been good company for me although the sight of his naked body made my belly churn. I dragged him into the bathroom and slid him into the bath. I thought that it would do him good although he didn’t appreciate it, just laying there, not even bothering to look for the soap.

  Simon

  Oh Paul, you’re such a dreamer.

  Narration

  He did look content in the steamy water but something made me think he’d not had a bath recently. I left him to it and closed the bathroom door and sat in the lounge for the rest of the night; his egg and toast looked out of place with out him sitting there so on my way to bed I opened the door and slid it into the bathroom; perhaps he’ll eat it when he gets out the bath?

  SCENE 10 EXT NIGHT

  (On a bus)

  Narration cont…

  Funnily enough a couple of nights later I was on the bus home when I heard a young man arguing with the conductor, apparently he did not enough money for his fare and I offered to pay it. He seemed a nice enough young man.

  His name was Brian and he’d recently been asked to leave his bed and breakfast.

  Brian

  So I said to the geezer that I’d have the rent in the morning, I couldn’t help it if housing benefit would only pay every two weeks. So he wasn’t having it, pay tonight he says or you’re out. Well what could I do, so me auntie says if I can get to Croydon she’ll put me up until it gets sorted and I can get back in there, right bloody palaver.

  Simon

  Are you hungry?

  Brian

  Tell me about it, I’ve not eaten for three days, why are you offering?

  Simon

  You can come and have some egg and toast if you want; Paul, my friend, might let you have some of his vodka if there’s any left. Would that be okay?

  Brian

  Sorted mate. My auntie always said that things turn up, she’s always right, my auntie.

  Simon

  You’ll have to excuse Daddy, he smells a bit; you know, he’s old.

  Brian

  No problem, I love old people, my auntie always told me that old people deserve your respect, even the grouchy old cunts. Give them your respect she’d say and I’ve always believed that. So you live with this geezer Paul and your old man do you?

  Simon

  Well Paul is just staying for a bit and Daddy visits, would you like some beer?

  Brian

  Beers good. My auntie always said never look a gift horse in the mouth, I never do. She’s good like that, my auntie. Did I tell you she lives in Croydon?

  SCENE 11 INT NIGHT

  They enter the flat.

  Simon

  Let me just put these bags in the kitchen.

  Brian

  Jesus, what’s that stench, smells like the rear end of a shit-factory.

  Simon

  That’s probably daddy.

  Brian

  Fucking hell mate, he’s got some serious problems. Give me a beer, do you mind if I smoke; gotta get this smell out my nose. My auntie says that bad smells mean bad people; you know what, she’s right…

  Narration

  I was beginning to dislike Brian. I’m not sure what happened but soon I realised that he was laying on the floor and that the coffee table was upside down. I was panting and I think we’d had a falling-out over something.

  Brian had a lot of blood on his face and the ashtray was broken. Mum always like that ashtray, she will be upset.

  I lifted Brian up and sat him in the chair that Paul liked. There was a lump of glass sticking out of the side of Brian’s neck which looked very unsightly so I pulled it out for him. After tidying up the flat and clearing the smashed glass I got a dish cloth and wipe the blood from Brian’s face and tidied him up a bit. He seemed much happier after that; I thought his auntie would be pleased.

  I brushed his hair and we sat down to watch television together. Brian’s hands were very warm so I asked him if he’d like some help to take off his jacket and jersey.

  He seemed more comfortable without them. Then I noticed he’d had an accident.

  Simon

  Brian, you’ve wee’d your pants. Would you like to borrow a dressing gown, I have one in the bed room.

  Narration

  Soon he was there, on the chair, clean in a dressing gown looking like he didn’t have a care in the world. The next night on the way home from work I stopped at the supermarket to get some food, what with Daddy, Paul and now Brian I was having to stock up.

  SCENE 12 INT Night

  Narration continued

  We were tucking into some eggs and bread and I was telling Brian all abut suffixes and prefixes when there was a knock at the door. This was really inconvenient because I hadn’t been in from work very long and my tea would get cold. Brian had been alone all day as well so it would have been rude to stand at the door talking all night.

  Still I answered it all the same and surprise, surprise, it was Mrs Penly.

  Mrs Penly

  I can still smell your father. What’s wrong with him?

  Simon

  He’s old.

  Mrs Penly

  Well Dear, I’m eighty six and I don’t smell like that, it’s effing awful it is. It’s putting me off me food. Can’t you throw him in the bath?

  Simon

  I would but Paul’s in there.

  Mrs Penly

  What, are you having a party or something. Why couldn’t he get in the bath before then?

  Simon

  I’ll get him to take a bath when Paul gets out; is that all?

  Mrs Penly

  You do know these flats are for single people only, don’t you? The landlord wouldn’t like it if he knew you had people staying with you.

  Simon

  Yes; I know.

  Mrs Penly

  Well why have you got every tom, dick and Harry staying here then? What about the flies, I’ve never known anything like it before, can’t you open a window or something?

  Simon

  It’s none of your business who I have staying with me. When Paul gets out of the bath I’ll make sure daddy takes one if it’ll make you happy, and I’ll open a window and try to get the flies to leave. I have tried you know. Then will you stop moaning.

  Mrs Penly

  Stop moaning indeed. You just tell him to have a bath or I will young man, do you understand?

  (She turns and retreats to her own flat closing the door behind her)

  Simon

  Sorry about that Brian, old people eh. I know your auntie said to give them respect but it is difficult when they behave like that.

  Would you like a bit of meat pie, I’m going to put one in the oven and we can eat it when Eastenders comes on; Paul used to like watching that with me.

  SCENE 13 INT DAY

  In the filing room.

  Narration

  I didn’t hear from Mrs Penly for a little while and things carried on quietly. One day I was in work,
minding my own business when a strange face appeared at the hatch.

  Woman

  Simon?

  Simon

  Yes?

  Woman

  They want you in Personal.

  Simon

  They want me?

  Woman

  I don’t know what it’s about but you had better get up there sharpish. Have you been up to anything?

  Simon

  No, no I don’t think so.

  Woman

  Oh, well. You had better see what they want, You know where it is.

  Simon

  On the second floor.

  Woman

  That’s right. Come on, I’ll look after the files while you are away. Chop chop.

  Narration

  They had never called me to the personal department before. In fact it struck me that I’d never been up above the first floor in all the time I’d worked there. It was like another country with different customs, different languages and different ways of doing things.

  The people on the second floor came in through the same entrance every day but then they ascended to a different state of being for the next eight hours, they became god for us to worship.