Charlie Sonata by Douglas Maxwell

Author:Douglas Maxwell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oberon Books Ltd

FIVE: THE LILAC FAIRY

Can this be right?

Chick is in a graveyard with Mo.

This is London in the middle of the day.

They’re drinking.

Swaying on their feet.

They are not close.

MO : So what would happen then?

CHICK : Just...I dunno. Normal stuff.

MO : Where would we stay?

CHICK : Maybe, like...a hotel.

MO : I’ve stayed in hotels before.

CHICK : I think it’s in a hotel. We could stay in the hotel it’s in. Just like, hingme. Go up the stairs at the end. I could say, “naw, Mo had to go up early. She was a bit tired. I’d better go up. Check on her.” And all that. Know what I mean.

MO : (After a bit of thinking time.) No.

CHICK : How no?

MO : I dunno.

CHICK : I just think, like...if you were away from here it might be...

MO : What?

CHICK : There’s a ceilidh as well.

MO : I don’t know nothing about all that.

CHICK : No. I know. But. It’s not a, know what I mean, there’s no church. It’s on a beach or something.

MO : I’ve been to beaches.

CHICK : But...but we could be all dressed up. And we could walk with all the others. We could hold the glass of champagne they give us and not even drink it. Just hold it. There’s bound to be a big fire. We could totally sit there and look at it. And kinda like hingme...kinda...You just have to listen. Just stand there listening and you get a feeling. I dunno. It’s a comfort hing int it?

MO : How far is Scotland?

CHICK : It’s...I dunno.

MO : It’s like really, really far.

CHICK : It’s not. It’s...it’s one long day away, that’s all.

MO : What if someone’s camera got nicked?

CHICK : It’ll no get nicked. I’ll keep an eye on it.

MO : Not my camera! Some other cunt! I don’t have a fucking camera!

CHICK : I dunno then.

MO : They’ll come to me. They’ll point the finger. What will you do then? What if they want to go through my bag? What will you do?

CHICK : Well...how...don’t...try not to steal any cameras.

MO : I haven’t fucking touched their fucking cameras! You’re fucking as bad as them!

(Big silence.)

MO : How could we even afford it?

CHICK : I can get the money.

MO : How?

CHICK : My mum has, like, money put aside. If I’m going up to see Gary and Jackson for a reunion or that, she lets me have some of it. See for a wedding... we’ll have all we want.

MO : Is she rich then?

CHICK : Aye. My dad is, but he’s ill.

MO : What’s up with him?

CHICK : (Shrugs.) Loads of stuff. Blood mostly. He’s been ill since my eleventh birthday. You can’t move him and if he speaks it’s like that... (He does a hoarse whisper.)

MO : Ha ha ha !!! Is it?

CHICK : He had potential. That’s the tragedy. He would’ve changed the way things are. People say that all the time. You’re not even really allowed in there. I go in sometimes. There’s a place you can stand and he doesn’t know you’re there.

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