(Mickey sitting on his own on a box, stage left, sad and messing with his jacket
(use a chair if boxes are unavailable) [around 5 seconds] Eddie then runs in
behind Mickey without him realising, covering his eyes with a smile)
Edward: Guess who? (happily, with a smile)
Mickey: Ah…Father Christmas? (giggles a bit)
Edward: (leaping out Infront of him) Mickey! (walking backwards to centre
stage) Merry Christmas!
(Mickey, looks at Edward with an unamused face then looks away) [3 seconds]
Edward: Come on then [pause] I’m back, where’s the action? The booze?
(giggles) The Christmas parties? The music? And the birds?
[pause] (walking over and hitting Mickeys shoulder lightly)
Edward: What’s wrong Mickey?
Mickey: Nothin’. How’s uni?
Edward: OH Mickey! It’s fantastic! I have not ever been to so many parties in
my life. And there is so many tremendous people, you’ll meet them Mick! Some
of them, Baz, Ronnie, and Claire and oh, lots of them Mickey. There coming over
to stay for New Years, for the party, ohh it’s just…It’s just great, Mickey.
Mickey: Good. Good. (wiping his hands on his trousers nervously)
Edward: Come on, what’s wrong? It’s nearly Christmas! We were going to do
everything together. How’s Linda? (patting Mickeys back)
Mickey: She’s ok.
Edward: Come on then, let’s go, let’s go then. (pointing to stage right)
Mickey: Come on where?!
Edward: Mickey… What is wrong?! (confused)
Mickey: (annoyed) you! (looking away before looking back) you’re an idiot...
(Edward is unsure but laughs lightly) [3 sec pause]
Mickey: There are no parties arranged. There is no booze or music. Christmas?
I’m sick to the teeth of it an’ it isn’t even here yet. See, there’s very little to
celebrate, Eddie. Since you left, I’ve been walking around all day every day
lookin’ for a job…
Edward: well, what about the job you had (confused and usure)
Mickey: It disappeared... [2 sec pause] y’ know somethin’ I bleedin’ hated that
job. Standin’ there all day never doin’ nothin’ but puttin’ cardboard boxes
together… I used to get…used to get terrified that I’d have to do it for the
rest of me life. But, after three months of nothin’, the same answer
everywhere, nothin’, nothin’ down for y’, I’d crawl back to that job for half the
pay and double the hours... Just...Just makin’ up boxes it was. But after bein’
said get lost from everywhere…it seemed...It seemed like it was paradise.
[pause]
Edward: Why…Why is a job so important? If I couldn’t get a job, I’d just say
sod it and draw the dole, live like a bohemian, tilt me hat to the world and say
(turning to face upstage putting arms up in air) “screw you!”. (turning back
towards Mickey slightly) so you’re not working? Why’s that so important?
Mickey: (looking him in the eye) you don’t understand anythin’ do y’? I don’t wear
a hat I can tilt to the world.
Edward: Look…Come on…I’ve got money, lots, plenty of it. I’m back, let’s forget
about bloody jobs, let’s go and get Linda and celebrate. Look, look, money…lots
of it…have some. (Edward tries to stuff some notes into Mickeys hand from him
pockets)
Mickey: No. I don’t want your money stuff it. (quick paced and annoyed leaving
Edward holding the notes)
(mickey stands up walking down stage right while speaking)
Mickey: Eddie. Just do me a favour an’ get lost, will y’?
[pause] (Mickey clenches his fist)
Edward: I thought, I thought we always stuck together. We were blood
brothers, weren’t we?! (yelling from stage left to stage right)
Mickey: That was kids’ stuff Eddie. Didn’t anyone tell y’? But I suppose you still
are a kid, aren’t y’?
Edward: Oh, but I am the exact same age as you! (walking to centre stage
annoyed)
Mickey: (walking to centre stage pointing at Edwards chest in his face) yeh. But
you’re still a kid. An’ I wish I could be as well Eddie; I wish I could still believe
in all that blood brothers’ stuff. But I can’t, cause while no one was watching I
grew up, an’ you didn’t because you didn’t have to, an’ I don’t blame y’ for it
Eddie. In your shoes I’d be the same, I’d be able to still be a kid. But I’m not in
your shoes, I’m in these, lookin’ at you. An’ you make me sick, right?! That was all
just kids’ stuff, Eddie, an’ I don’t want to be reminded of it. Right? So just…just
take yourself away. Go an’ see your friends and celebrate, right?
Mickey: Go! (clenches his fist) Go on! Beat it! Before I hit y’! (raises his fists a
bit)
(Edward pauses for a few seconds lifting his hands up dramatically taking two
steps back before walking past mickey off stage right Mickey walking over to
the other side of the stage rubbing the back of his neck nervously and sitting
down grumbling)
