Plays 1 Page 6

Anastasia I’ll help you!

  Deli (softly) You ain’t paid for dem kinda work dere, girl.

  Anastasia exhales quietly.

  Clifton Sweet gal, give me a subject na!

  Anastasia Um, love.

  Clifton That easy, man. Something hard.

  Anastasia OK. Trust!

  Clifton Alright, you ready now? Slow down the rhythm, Baygee.

  Baygee Oh God, man, you’s a dictator!

  He slows down the rhythm. Clifton sings.

  Clifton

  I look at you, you have eyes that I could trust,

  The way you look me up and down on da number

  seven bus . . .

  Baygee (disgusted) Number seven bus?

  Clifton (quickly) Shut up. (Continues to sing.)

  I think you is a lady,

  But I don’t know maybe,

  Tonight if you’ll give yourself to me.

  (Chorus:) Give it to me.

  Baygee (sings back-up)

  Give it to me.

  Clifton

  Give it to me.

  Baygee

  Give it to me.

  Clifton

  Nice and soft, soft and hard, give it to me.

  Baygee

  Give it to me.

  Clifton

  Give it to me.

  Baygee

  Give it to me.

  Clifton

  Cos tonight you’ll live you fantasies.

  He ends kissing Anastasia’s hand. Ashley applauds.

  Anastasia Clifton, that was rubbish, but you’re brilliant!

  Clifton turns to Baygee.

  Clifton Don’t stop, boy, eh, eh, you losing you touch!

  He grabs Anastasia by the hand to dance with him.

  Anastasia No, no!

  Clifton Get up, girl.

  She gets up.

  Baygee, sing one of them love song you use to play when we was young na!

  Baygee starts to sing.

  Baygee Darling, I can feel you sweet aroma, etc. etc.

  While Baygee is singing Anastasia makes to leave, but Clifton pulls her close to him. They slow-rub.

  Anastasia You’re very strong for a, a, a older man.

  Clifton smiles.

  Clifton Iccceeettch! It’s been a long time.

  Anastasia Since you danced with a woman?

  Clifton Since you danced with a man. I can tell a woman’s history by simply touching her. See, when I grabbed you, you flexed vex but now that I hold you softly, you don’t know what to do with yourself, do you?

  Anastasia You are very sure of yourself!

  Clifton Am I wrong? Or am I wrong?

  Beat.

  Anastasia (matter-of-fact) Actually, you’re not. I haven’t had . . . let a man touch me with tenderness for a lifetime.

  Clifton Why?

  Anastasia Cos men kill things.

  Clifton (ignoring) What about my son, hasn’t he touched you with, how you say, tenderness?

  Anastasia I don’t think your son is interested in me that way. I’m a bit old for him, Clifton.

  She loses her balance. Clifton holds her.

  Anastasia Oh!

  Clifton Whereas I, on the other hand, like a sprightly young thing?

  Anastasia stands and then steps away from him.

  Enter Digger. He pops his head round the door. As soon as Ashley sees him he drops the champagne glass he has in his hand. Everyone clocks this, except Clifton who is still deadly focused on Anastasia.

  Digger So all you have big-time party and nobody doe invite me?

  Clifton Eh, eh, Digger, where you been, I thought you was dead!

  Digger (cold) Wha! You miss me?

  Ashley moves out.

  Ashley Laters, people.

  He touches Digger with his fist very casually. Digger nods back again very casually. Ashley’s gone.

  Anastasia Ashley, where you go(ing? . . .)

  Enter Deli from the back.

  Deli Ashley!

  He sees Digger. He is slightly taken aback.

  Deli Yo! Digger. Good to see you, man. What gwan?

  Digger (very cool) Just cool, yu nah! Hmmmm, all you fix up the place good.

  Deli Thanks. Want a burger or something?

  Digger Nah. Dem fast ting dere just give a man wind. Innit, Clifton? . . .

  Clifton . . . You doe lie, you doe lie.

  Deli I could probably cut up some chicken, stew it up and put it in a bun or something?

  Digger Nah, man, I wouldn’t want you to mess up you new kitchen and dat. Anyway, just passing, yuh na! Later.

  Clifton Digger, where you going!? You don’t hear me sing yet?

  Digger When business calls, Clifton!

  Digger’s gone.

  Deli Where’s Ashley?

  Anastasia He just popped out.

  Deli (contained anger) Jesus.

  Deli picks up his mobile and speed-dials.

  Anastasia Deli, come and dance man, deal wid de rubbish later.

  It’s engaged. Deli kisses his teeth.

  Deli (still elsewhere, cold) . . . I don’t have time for that! I don’t, Clifton, your taxi’s gonna be about five minutes. Gonna have to share one with Baygee, they’re running low!

  He exits.

  Anastasia Clifton, something look wrong wid me? Excuse.

  She leaves for the toilet. Clifton sits next to Baygee. Baygee is looking at the swing doors, thinking of Deli.

  Clifton You see she, dirty gal that!

  Baygee What you talking about, man?

  Clifton You don’t see how she push up she hot tings pon me!

  Baygee (with a drunk man’s directness, still strumming) You too nasty! I know you, you know! Take you eyes off the man woman.

  Clifton (all innocence) Is not the boy woman yet. Anyway, there’s only two woman in the world I wouldn’t trouble, me modder and me sister. And both ah dem dead.

  Baygee cuts his eyes at him.

  Baygee I find since you come back that boy turn cold, you know.

  Clifton (kissing his teeth) Man should be glad not mad to see him fadder. In my day . . .

  His hand is shaking.

  Baygee . . . Eighteen years is a whole heap ah time . . .

  Clifton . . . Too fucking soft. What happen between his mother and me is between his mother and me. He’s a fucking divorced man, he should know that.

  Baygee (goes into performance) That’s why I never marry, you know. I like a cat, I hunt alone, eat alone and the only time I want to be stroked is when I giving ‘thunder’.

  Clifton Alas, a good philosophy, but too late for me.

  Baygee What is really wrong wid you, Clifton?

  Clifton Ah, a little sugar, little pain in me foot dem. Nothing I can’t lick.

  Baygee Yeah?

  Clifton Personally, I blame the white man.

  Baygee Oh gosh, how you reach there, boy?

  Clifton Is true. People who feel discriminated against, you see, have higher blood pressure, die earlier, have more heart disease and die of cancer in higher numbers. Dem prove it. There’s a test case in America right now that women bringing against men.

  Baygee (not really interested) So you sick bad?

  Clifton Baygee, a batman’s can be called out several ways. Caught in the slips, clean bowl like a fool swinging for a huge six . . .

  Baygee . . . That’s the way I want to go . . .

  Clifton . . . or he can get LBW’d. But it’s not until the umpire raise he finger so, that you leave the crease. An he don’t even look in my direction yet. Heaven go have to wait, boy.

  He raises his glass. The men finish off their drinks. Baygee plays the guitar. We hear the toilet flush.

  Baygee (sings) Here’s to life, joy and prosperity, may I be in mid-stroke when death call on me.

  (Speaks.) Woooooooooow! How that ting does just spring up on you so. The other day man was in full action when all of ah sudden me feel like me have to piss.

  Clifton You should’a let it out
! She wouldn’t ah know.

  Baygee Shut up, man. You too damn nasty.

  Baygee runs to the toilet. Anastasia enters. She has a rejuvenated sensual air about her. Clifton puts his head in his hands and lets out a slight groan. She stops when she hears this.

  Anastasia I know that sound.

  Clifton looks up, surprised.

  Clifton You do?

  Anastasia You don’t fool me, Clifton. I can hear the pain.

  Clifton . . . Pain? . . .

  Anastasia . . . Of losing your first-born . . .

  Clifton It’s the cramp in me foot actually. The diabetes does bring it on terrible.

  Anastasia Oh!

  Clifton But I’m glad you’re concerned. Listen, I’m a direct man. You look good and I look great. What you say we keep each other company tonight? It’s a long time since I really talk to a woman, maybe you show me how to grieve?

  She understands loud and clear what he is trying to say.

  We hear the loud tooting of the minicab.

  Baygee enters the room doing up his flies.

  Baygee Ah, lovely! The only thing that can compare to sex! A good leggo water.

  Enter Deli, with a very dirty heavy carrier bag. He puts it under the counter.

  Deli That will be your cab, gentlemen. Ani, you have to jump in with the guys, they’re out of cabs.

  Anastasia It’s OK! Do you want me to wait till you finish what you doing and you can drop me?

  Deli No, I can’t do that. Get in the cab.

  Anastasia stares at him hard.

  Anastasia Fine, I will. Clifton, you ready?

  Clifton jumps up.

  Clifton Right, let’s not keep the driver waiting. Your carriage awaits you, madam.

  She quickly puts on her coat. She doesn’t look at Deli. She exits. Baygee has finished packing away his guitar and has his coat on.

  Baygee Deli, sometimes when tings staring you in the face you must take it you know. I gone!

  Clifton and Baygee exit.

  Deli spots Anastasia’s Acts of Faith book. He runs to the door. We hear the car door slam and the cab drive off. Deli walks back in. Book in hand, he switches off the TV, gets the keys out of his pocket and is about to lock the door when Ashley barges in.

  Deli What the arse!

  Ashley Sorry, Dad, I didn’t see you there.

  Ashley is making his way through to the kitchen. He is slightly hyped. Deli searches for something to speak to him about. Before Ashley disappears behind the swing doors it comes.

  Deli Hey, Ash, what date is it today?

  Ashley Oh shit, it’s your birthday!

  Deli Yeah.

  Ashley Oh shit, sorry, Dad.

  Deli It’s all good. The event tonight was my party. That’s why I was glad that even though you’ve not been around much lately, you were around tonight.

  Ashley Yeah, well, um . . .

  Deli Come, let we break some bread together na, just you and me!

  Ashley Well, I kinda wanted to go up . . .

  Deli Stay there, I’ll get us a piece of chicken each.

  Ashley Let me get it. (Wanting to go and wash his hands.)

  Deli Na, man, you’ll only make a mess.

  Ashley (shrugging shoulders) Alright.

  Ashley sits by the counter. He picks up some napkins and wipes his bloody hands. Deli exits with the chicken. He puts it in the microwave.

  Deli (entering, genuine question) Hey, Ashley, do you read? You know, like for fun?

  Ashley Why am I going to that?

  Deli Feed your mind maybe?

  Ashley They make all the good books into films, innit?!

  Deli Seen!

  Ashley (laughing) I ain’t never seen you pick up a book. Oh, except now, yeah, you reading all bred of self-help manuals like you’s a blasted white man!

  Deli Reading’s for whites? I’m trying to open up my mind to different tings, what’s wrong with that?

  Ashley If that’s your ting, nothing, man.

  The bell on the microwave indicates the chicken is heated. Ashley makes to get up, but Deli moves off first.

  Deli (exiting) I’ll get it.

  Ashley doesn’t quite get why he’s being served in this way.

  Deli (entering) So where was I? Oh yeah, you said there was nothing wrong with education.

  He gives Ashley the food.

  Ashley Happy birthday, old man.

  Deli Thank you.

  He pulls out the dirty carrier bag from beneath the counter.

  Then why did I find all of your college books in the rubbish?

  Deli puts the bag next to Ashley. Ashley stops eating.

  Beat.

  Deli won’t say another word.

  Ashley Char! I ain’t got it for this.

  He gets up to leave. Deli instinctively pushes him back into the chair. He backs off, but only a little.

  Deli Why are your college books in the bin, Ashley?

  Ashley You know what? They’re there, cos I put them em there!

  Deli (calm) Don’t be rude.

  Ashley (shouts) I ain’t got time for college!

  Deli You don’t have time? What do you have time for? Fucking Machino and garage raves?

  Ashley Don’t come doing this whole good caring dad number right now! . . .

  Deli . . . I’ve never asked you about college before now? . . .

  Ashley . . . I stand corrected, you did ask me about college, when you wanted me to take a day off to run fucking food errands . . .

  Deli (vexed) . . . Who you swearing at, boy . . . ?

  Ashley . . . Forget this. College does not fit into the plan I have for my life. You want to keep selling your little plantain burgers, good luck to you, may you always be happy. Me, I’m a man.

  Deli loses it. He raises his hand to hit him but pulls back at the last moment.

  Ashley Go on na!

  Deli You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Yes, you’d like me to punch your lights out, so you could walk street and say, ‘See, see, I told you man dad weren’t no punk.’

  Ashley Why would I say that? You are a punk.

  Deli Don’t you push me!

  Ashley And what? . . .

  Deli . . . And what? . . .

  Ashley . . . Yeah, what you gonna do, with your old self?

  Deli . . . Take you the hell out . . . (He pulls back.)

  Ashley (laughs) . . . You’re joking bredren. You can’t touch me! . . . I’ll deck you before you can raise your hand star.

  Beat.

  Deli (trying to defuse) And how you gonna put your hand on your father and think that you gonna live good?

  Ashley Man lives how he can.

  Deli Ah so?

  Suddenly he springs forward and grabs Ashley’s arm before he can move. He twists it behind Ashley’s back.

  Do it then! If your name is man, put your hand on me! . . .

  Ashley . . . Ahhhhhhh . . .

  Deli . . . No, not ahhhhhh, put your hand on me!

  Ashley . . . Get off . . .

  Deli (firm) You know what I read in one of those ‘white’ books the other day? The true sign of intelligence is how man deals with the problems of his environment . . . (Shouts.) I don’t want to live like this, Ashley, it ain’t fun . . .

  Ashley . . . Get offfffffffff, you’re hurting me . . .

  Deli (from his heart) . . . I’m trying, I’m trying to change shit around here, but you ain’t on line, bra! Where you are trying to head, it’s a dead ting, a dark place, it don’t go nowhere.

  He releases the grip. Emotionally exhausted, he throws his hands in the air in near surrender. Ashley is silent for a moment while he adjusts to the new freedom from pain.

  Ashley (screams) Don’t you ever touch me again! Do you hear me? Put your hand on me ever again, father or no father, you’re a dead man. Do you hear me?

  Deli Calm down, Ashley. Calm . . .

  He notices blood on his own hands. He scans Ashley and sees that it has come from cuts on hi
s hands. One cut is still bleeding.

  Deli What happened to your hands?

  Ashley pulls his hands away.

  Ashley (slightly taken aback) Ummmmm, cut them, innit.

  Deli Don’t take the piss.

  We hear the sounds of approaching sirens. Ashley becomes alert. Deli notices his nervousness even though he is shielding it well. We hear them pull up.

  Deli Are you – you’re charlied to rass! (Beat.) What the fuck is going on, Ashley?

  Ashley (losing it) Then don’t ask me nuttin. What the hell you think this is?

  Deli I don’t know, son. That is why I’m asking you?

  He goes to the door and looks outside.

  Bloodclaat, ah Rose’s place dat ah burn so?

  Surprised, he turns to Ashley. After a beat Deli runs to get his coat to go out and help. We hear more fire engines pulling up.

  Deli We’ll come back to this!

  Ashley (shouts) You know what I don’t like about you? You don’t do nothin but sit back and let the world fuck you over. Not me, dread!

  Ashley exits.

  Deli You coming or what?

  But Ashley has gone. He looks around for a beat and then rushes out.

  Lights down.

  Scene Two

  Restaurant. Day.

  Deli is sitting by the counter, he looks a little dazed, unsettled. After a beat or so Anastasia runs in a little flustered.

  Anastasia Sooooo sorry I’m late . . .

  Deli (snaps back) No problem . . . I heard traffic was bad.

  Anastasia (ignoring him) . . . I overslept like a fool. It must have been the champagne! Eh, what gwaning across the street? When dat burn, last night?

  Deli Look so. Man, Roy’s in Homerton, x amount of burns. Rose’s life work gone. That’s why you got to live life while you can, boy!

  There’s silence for a bit.

  Hey, Ani, you’re quiet today?

  Anastasia Am I? Just a little tired.

  Deli shakes his head in understanding. He wants to say something but can’t quite find the right words. Eventually it comes out.

  Deli I cleared out Dougie’s room in the flat today, you yuh!

  Anastasia Positive move, well done.

  Silence.

  Deli Ani, how old did you say your son was again?

  Anastasia Nineteen.

  Deli Look at that, huh, we must have been doing it at the same time.

  Enter Clifton, with an extra spring in his walk. Anastasia moves swiftly back into the kitchen.

  Clifton Bonjour, good morning good morning good morning. And how is everybody this bright fine morning? Well, noontime?

  Deli Someone woke up on the right side of bed!