Plays 1 Page 7

  Clifton Oh yes, I had a very good night’s sleep.

  Deli Lucky you.

  Clifton Yes, lucky me indeed. Anybody dead across de road?

  Deli No!

  Clifton Dem is Indian, innit? Insurance man.

  Deli Clifton . . .

  Clifton . . . Anyone in the labast? I wanna bust a piss!

  Deli No.

  Clifton exits to the toilet. Anastasia enters with a new batch of burgers and fries. Deli steals a few of the chips. She starts to put the burgers and fries in their takeaway bags.

  Deli (struggles through this) Ani, I was thinking, as the business expands we gonna be kinda busy. If you wanna, you could stay in the flat upstairs you know! Save you getting bus in to work every day and dat?

  Anastasia looks up at Deli, surprised and pleased.

  While Deli is speaking, Clifton re-enters but is unseen by the other two. His face drops when Deli mentions the flat.

  Anastasia (genuine sadness) Oh Deli . . .

  Deli (jumps in) . . . You don’t have to worry, I ain’t using this as an excuse to jump you bones or nothing . . .

  Anastasia (straight and fast) . . . Why not? I’m a woman, Deli.

  Deli (struggling) . . . Of course you’re a woman, Ani, a beautiful one, but . . .

  Anastasia But what? You know what, I got to think this through!

  Deli (covering defeat) OK! . . . But the offer’s there if you want it.

  Anastasia (looks lovingly at Deli) Thanks, I’ll think about it!

  Deli Cool.

  Clifton makes a bold entrance.

  Clifton Baygee don’t reach yet?

  Deli (pissed) He won’t be here for at least another hour, you want something to eat?

  They clock each other momentarily.

  Clifton What! That stupidness you have there?

  Deli (not surprised) Alright, I got some rice and peas upstairs from Sunday.

  Clifton How all you English people does eat three-day-old food I will never know. You could never be strong like my generation.

  Deli Yeah yeah yeah.

  Anastasia I’ll go and get it for you!

  Deli No, it’s alright.

  He exits. Clifton comes and stands close to Anastasia. She moves away.

  Anastasia (firm, fast, whispered and very violent) What de arse you doing? I told you not to follow me in so quickly, what the hell you think it look like?

  Clifton (not whispered) It look like we had something nice last night!

  Anastasia Let me tell you, what happened last night was . . .

  Clifton . . . Beautiful? . . .

  Anastasia . . . Horrendous would be closer. It was a mistake that’s not going to happen again.

  Clifton Um-hum!

  Anastasia Now, can we, no, I want us to keep this between me and you.

  Clifton Um-hum.

  Anastasia (struggles) This, it could . . . really mash up . . . Deli and . . .

  Clifton . . . And what is it that you and my son have today that you didn’t have when you whining on top of me last night?

  Anastasia (angry, looks over her shoulder) We never had sex!

  Clifton Damn well near as. I wonder if it could be the offer of a ready-made family that is making this conversation have an air of desperation.

  Anastasia (stutters a bit) What you mean by dat? I don’t need no family.

  Clifton . . . Oh I think you do.

  Anastasia I have my family an believe I’m not desperate for nothin’, I’d just prefer if we keep it . . . to weselves.

  Clifton And from this arrangement I get what?

  Anastasia What could I possibly give you?

  Beat while he thinks.

  Clifton What you didn’t last night?! But in fact you know what? I’ve changed my mind about that. You, young lady, have a disproportionate amount of influence over my son, and I don’t like it. So I tell you what I want, I want you to leave. Leave this place before I tell Deli what you taste like, and believe, he’ll put you out on your arse before I’ve finished.

  Anastasia I beg your pardon?

  Clifton grips her tightly.

  Clifton My son don’t need his heart broken by a dirty gal who’ll lay down with any man that hold her the right way.

  Anastasia (outraged) Who you calling dirty gal, you bomberclaat rude.

  She’s about to slap him. He squeezes her arm tighter.

  Clifton . . . You think you found yourself a little sucker in Deli, eh? You stick around long enough you’ll share the big money he get from he brodder? Ah ah! Too many in line for that, my friend.

  Anastasia forces herself away from Clifton.

  Anastasia You’re a, a, wicked man.

  Clifton Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Trust me!

  We hear Deli enter from the kitchen. He comes through the swing doors into the shop. He is carrying Clifton’s plate of food.

  Deli Here. I’m not doing this again, you know. You eat what’s in the restaurant from now on, or nothing at all.

  Clifton shifts the plate away.

  Clifton If it’s so you going to talk to me over a little piece of food, best you keep it.

  Deli OK! Don’t eat it then.

  Clifton Gimme the food.

  Anastasia Deli, I got to run over to the internet shop for five minutes. I really need to –

  Deli . . . It’s not there any more . . .

  Deli can see that she is upset.

  Is the council order ready?

  Anastasia (dashing out) Yeah, it’s on the counter.

  She leaves, bumping into Ashley at the door. He is really dressed like a street hoodlum. She doesn’t say sorry but carries on running. Ashley has a stronger stand about him, a more fixed hardness.

  Ashley What’s this world coming to, your woman bumps into me and can’t even say excuse!

  Deli Don’t . . . (He catches himself.) Listen, Ashley, about last night . . .

  Ashley Don’t watch dat, I’ve come to get my clothes.

  Deli Why?

  Ashley How you gonna ask big man his business?

  Ashley accidentally on purpose drops his car keys on the floor. And walks on. He picks up his keys and waves them in the air singing.

  Ashley Who am I, the gal dem love, zim zimmer, who’s got the keys to a bimmer.

  Deli Whose car you thieve boy?

  Ashley I ain’t thieve nothing, I bought it bra!

  Deli You bought a car?

  Ashley Yep. Cash money!

  Deli (laughing) What car is that?

  Ashley A bimmer . . .

  Deli A BMW!? . . .

  Ashley Yep.

  Beat.

  Deli Huh! You insurance it?

  Ashley I would have, but I ran out of money!

  Deli Ohhh! So that’s why you’re here flashing keys!

  Ashley I ain’t here asking you for nothing star. You ain’t got nothing that I can’t get!

  Deli You always gots to be rude innit? Drag us back!

  Ashley No old man, it’s bear forward motion I deal in.

  Deli stares at him hard.

  Ashley Actually you know what? You’re right I was rude. Hear what! Let me tek you for ride, old man, let me show you my world. You na mean?

  Deli Your world?

  Ashley Yeah!

  Deli You’re joking aren’t you?

  Ashley Sorry?

  Deli Look at you, you little monkey. Dressed up like a fucking circus clown! You want me to partake in that?

  Ashley (aside to Deli) What boy! That is poetry!

  Deli Where you get the money Ashley?

  Ashley’s phone rings. He checks the number but doesn’t answer.

  Ashley That’s long talk.

  Deli Dere’s nothing long about it. It’s an easy question, where’d you get the money?

  Ashley Some things, when you do em right, life rewards you.

  Deli . . . life rewards you? Where the fuck (you get that shit from?

  Ashley I’m living proof of it.


  Clifton is about to intervene but Deli stares him down, at the same time continuing with Ashley.

  Deli Do you honestly expect me to come in your car and sanction your nastiness?

  Ashley (angry) No, I expect you to be happy for me, happy at my progress. What I don’t expect, want or need, is you fronting your jealousy with petty excuses!

  Deli (even angrier) Jealousy? I’m a hard-working man who’s survived because I don’t watch other people’s tings. What makes you think I’d be envious of your stupid car, I haven’t even seen it?

  Ashley (overjoyed) Wait till you do, it’s crisp!

  Deli It can be as crisp as it wants. I want nothing to do with you and your nastiness. Come out that world, Ashley.

  Beat.

  Ashley (laughs) You’re a punk, Dad. I was giving you a chance. A chance to let the whole area know that ooooh you’re Ashley’s father and so we roll! But no, you want to stay small, insignificant, weak. You, you disgust me. I’ll be back for my clothes.

  He turns to leave. His phone rings. He answers this time with his bluetooth headset.

  (Deliberately.) Yo! Yes, Digs . . . ? Soon come, yeah, soon come.

  Deli’s face drops at the mention of Digger’s name. Ashley exits the shop. Clifton looks at Deli.

  Clifton You should have at least looked at the car.

  Deli stares back at him with contempt.

  Lights down.

  Scene Three

  Restaurant.

  The news item is playing as the lights come up.

  Deli walks into the restaurant from the kitchen. He has a huge knife in his hand. He places it under the counter. He then walks back into the kitchen and comes on with a metal baseball bat. He places that behind the front door out of sight.

  Newsreader This is not just one isolated incident. Last month Catherine Henderson, an accident and emergency consultant at Homerton Hospital, called for staff with experience from cities such as New York and Johannesburg to join her team because NHS workers were simply not equipped to deal with the flood of gunshot wounds pouring into the department.

  Deli switches the channel back to MTV or whatever music channel he can find. As he is flicking through he passes the God channel. An American preacher is screaming out.

  Preacher It shouldn’t be no surprise our inner cities are burning up. It is the sinnnnnnns of the fathers bearing down on our youth.

  Deli kisses his teeth and finds the music channel. Playing is the ragga video to ‘Satan Strong’. As if stiff, he moves his fists, almost warming-up style, and punches the air.

  Enter Anastasia. She has a bag over her shoulder. Deli sees her and stops. He clocks the bag. He smiles.

  Deli (surprised) Hey!

  Anastasia Hey!

  She doesn’t move from the door. Pain is etched all over her face.

  Deli (pointing to bag) I didn’t think you were coming back. You want some help with that?

  He makes to the door to pick up the bag. Anastasia puts up her hand to stop him.

  Anastasia No!

  He stops.

  Deli Ani, I’ve been thinking that maybe I should just talk straight. What I meant this afternoon was . . .

  She moves to a table and opens the bag. She begins to take out some clothes. The first thing is an Averix leather jacket.

  Anastasia (ignoring him) . . . This belonged to Marvin, my son. I know kids don’t like wearing other people’s clothes but I figured Ashley might like this . . .

  Deli is unsure why she is doing this.

  Deli That’s a wicked jacket, doesn’t Marvin still (wanna wear that) . . .

  Anastasia . . . Unless you think it’s bad luck to give him dead clothes?

  Deli stops in his tracks. He stares at her at first not understanding, then understanding. There’s a long pause while they speak to each other without words. Anastasia finally answers the question Deli has been trying to articulate.

  Anastasia Long.

  Deli Why . . . ?

  Anastasia I’m sorry. Tell Ashley that I hope it fits and, um . . .

  Deli You’re leaving?

  Anastasia nods her reply. Their speeches overlap till they reach an emotional climax.

  Deli Don’t!

  Anastasia If you hit the canvas one more time brother, you ain’t getting back up. I will hurt you, Deli . . .

  Deli Is this because I asked you to move in with me? . . .

  Anastasia (flash of anger) No. It’s because the stink around this place is getting stronger and I got to run (before it takes me down).

  Deli But I cleaned up the place, Anastasia!

  The horn is honked.

  Anastasia (looking out) I better go. That’s my cab.

  Deli (frustrated, it stumbles out) I could, shoulda, woulda coulda right now but you know what? You got to give a brother time to turn shit around, to talk what’s in his heart. You can’t just walk so!

  Anastasia (tender but hard) Sometimes you should listen to people when they say they’re no good for you. It might be the truth.

  The car horn honks again. She doesn’t move.

  Deli (pulling himself together) Right.

  Anastasia Hope Ashley likes the jacket.

  She leaves. Deli stands still for a moment. He doesn’t quite know what to do with himself. He starts to pace up and down the restaurant, fretting, frustration building. To hold back the tears he starts swing-punching the air. We hear the car drive off. He doesn’t notice that Clifton has entered the shop and is watching him. Eventually he falls on to one of the stools, head in hands.

  Clifton It’s all right, son.

  Deli springs up.

  Deli Clifton! What you doing?

  Clifton It’s all right. Do you want me to give you a little time to yourself?

  Pause.

  Deli No.

  Pause. Clifton smiles to himself.

  Clifton No woman no cry.

  Deli . . . I liked her . . . She could have taught me . . . things.

  Clifton Yes she could have, but listen to your father when I say she wasn’t for you. She was using you for lifeboat, child.

  Deli (with a little attitude) And how do you know that?

  Clifton I’m a man of the world . . .

  Deli Oh and I’m not? You know what? Go away! I don’t need you to stand above me gloating.

  Clifton Now wait a minute, I’m trying to be sympathetic and you’re insulting me? . . .

  Deli I don’t want your sympathy, Clifton . . .

  Clifton . . . I’m not giving you my sympathy, Deli, I’m giving you some fatherly advice . . .

  Deli . . . Well, I don’t want it! Not from the man that ran left my mother for some Irish woman.

  Clifton Oh! Well, it had to come out sometime.

  Deli Yeah, I hear that after you spend out all your money on her, she run leave you for a younger model! You think we didn’t hear? We heard and we laughed.

  Clifton Well, it’s good to know that the gossip express is still going strong . . .

  Deli Don’t mamaguy me, Clifton. Your money ran dry. You mug me mother and now you’re trying to mug me.

  Clifton I didn’t thieve nothing from your mother!

  Deli Yes you did. You build big house with swimming pool off my mother’s savings.

  Clifton Your mother and I split the proceeds of the house . . .

  Deli . . . that my mother put the deposit down on, that she paid the mortgage on when you spend out the money down the pub and the bookies or running next woman?

  Clifton I put down my wage packet every week on your mother’s table . . .

  Deli And then thief it right back.

  Clifton (snaps) . . . You’re a grown man, for Christ’s sake, stop acting like a child and use you mind. Your mother going to tell you both sides of the story?

  Deli There is no other side to the story.

  Clifton Yes, I did leave, but why, Delroy? . . .

  Deli Irish pussy!

  Clifton I didn’t have to leave my home for pussy.


  Deli Really?

  Clifton (calmly) If I hadn’t left, Delroy, I would have died. Your mother suffocated me, child. She suffocated me . . .

  Deli . . . My mother was a brilliant woman . . .

  Clifton Yes she was. Too brilliant for me. And boy, she never let me forget it. Way I talked was too rough, way I spoke was too loud. The way I walked, the way I ate. Jesus, living with that woman was like being in an airless room. It drew all of the life from me.

  Deli . . . That’s fucking rubbish, she loved you like –

  Clifton No she didn’t. She was stuck with me.

  This stops Deli momentarily.

  Your mother was not interested in me, or any other man. You ever see her with anyone new after I left?

  Deli Raising two children on one income doesn’t leave much time to fraternise with the opposite sex.

  Clifton Sex! Don’t let me start, your mother hated sex . . .

  Deli (puts his fingers in his ears) . . . Don’t wanna hear this!

  Clifton She never loved me. Not the way a wife should. And let me tell you, you and Anastasia would have walked down the same street.

  Deli Rubbish, Anastasia was the only decent thing around me.

  Clifton Decent!? That gal asked me to fuck her last night because I threatened to expose her dirty nasty ways to you. How decent was that?

  Beat.

  Deli (stunned) What did you do?

  Clifton I fucked her to prove I was right. She was a thieving little whore who was only after you and Dougie money.

  Deli No she wasn’t!

  Clifton I smelt her the moment I walked in here.

  Deli runs at his father.

  Deli How could you do that?

  Clifton Was she your woman?

  Deli No. But you must have known?

  Clifton Which is exactly why I had to prove her to be the woman I knew she was. She was here to thieve your money. Like all of them. You don’t need people like that around you, Delroy, you need people around that love you.

  Deli looks at him. Enter Digger. He’s in a bad mood. He brings his Chopper bike into the restaurant.

  Digger Boyyyyy, I just done nearly kick up this fucking ambulance man. I’m driving in my car and I hear the siren so I wait for the right spot to pull over. Instead of the man wait, he swings in front of me and then cuts across my front. The fucking man doh just clip me wing! So I jump out and instead the man say sorry, he come open up his big mouth and come call me an ignorant idiot. You know I don’t like that people call me that already. I had to threaten him. You been watching too much fucking ‘Casualty’, mate. I’ll punch down your claat. When he saw that, he calmed himself and just freed up his insurance details. Fucking chip my new TT, you know, shouldda shoot him clatt.