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ACT ONE
A dark and stormy night. Rattling branches, rain. Some white streetlight from outside barely lights the space.
CUSACK enters, hurrying out of the weather. Canāt believe no oneās here. Sees PA passed out across the oche. Doesnāt try to wake him. Looks further in to see if anyone is around, sees no one and so turns to leave.
BARRY enters from the bathroom, holding unlit candles, scaring the shit out of CUSACK, who in turn scares the shit out of BARRY.
BARRY. Jesus Christ.
CUSACK. Whoās there?
BARRY. Cusack? Is that you?
CUSACK. Sake, man, you scared the shit outta me.
Whatāre you doing in the dark?
BARRY. Sure the lights [donāt work].
You alright?
CUSACK. Oh Iām grand, ya, thanks Barry. I need to change my jocks like but Iām fine.
Is this everyone?
BARRY. Ya.
CUSACK. Just you?
BARRY. Well [and Pa].
CUSACK. Fuck sake, what happened?
BARRY. I dunno. He seemed grand when he came in. Bit wired.
You hardly have a light have you?
CUSACK. I hardly do. Is it drink just?
BARRY rifles through PAās pockets for a lighter. He finds one and starts placing candles around the place. The space grows more atmospheric. The dialogue continues throughout.
BARRY. Dunno. He was delighted to see me, which was nice.
CUSACK. You shoulda known something was wrong so.
BARRY. Then he sat down. Next thing [he was like this].
CUSACK. At least heās here. Any word from the lads?
BARRY. No, I couldnāt get signal.
CUSACK. Fucking Pointers, man. State aā the place.
BARRY. I thought I got through there from the sweet spot in the jacks but I havenāt a clue could they hear me.
CUSACK. Showās your phone.
BARRY shows his phone.
Ya, surprised you donāt need dial-up with that. Hang on.
CUSACK takes out his (better) phone. Finds signal.
Sake.
Theyāre all in town. (Shows BARRY the screen.) Brodericks by the look of it. Aboutā¦ ten minutes ago.
BARRY. Pricks. They know what day it is.
CUSACK. Ya.
Sureā¦
BARRY. What?
CUSACK. We could head in there and meetām.
BARRY. Ah we canāt like.
CUSACK. Why not? Point of staying here when everyoneās there.
BARRY. What if he wakes up?
CUSACK. He wakes up most days, Iām sure heāll cope.
Hmon ā it ināt his anniversary.
BARRY. Ah no. Leave it a while anyway.
CUSACK. Man, pleaseā¦
BARRY. Itās one evening. We can give him that.
CUSACK. One evening? I havenāt been out since the birth.
BARRY. Anyway, they could be just having pints in town before they come out here.
CUSACK. Dāyou think?
BARRY. They said theyād come like. They know what day it is.
CUSACK. ā .
Theyād want to.
BARRY. Dāyou want a drink?
CUSACK. God ya. What do you have?
BARRY. Lots. Well, lots of cans.
CUSACK. Iāll have a can so.
BARRY gives him a beer. He opens it.
To your holy soul and your swollen hole.
CUSACK skulls the can.
BARRY. Youāll be fucked if you drink like that.
CUSACK. Promise? Gimme another one there. Iāve six months to make up for.
BARRY. No one made you stay at home.
CUSACK. No one made me? Aoife made me. Dāyou think if sheās staying in Iām allowed out?
BARRY. Youāre out tonight.
CUSACK. Cos itās tonight. Game?
BARRY. Go on.
They start throwing darts, casually, though very well, without really keeping score.
She didnāt want to come out with you?
CUSACK. Why would she?
BARRY. She knew him.
CUSACK throws a dart a bit more emphatically.
Same as all of us like.
She came with you before.
CUSACK. When?
BARRY. Last year?
CUSACK. No. She was five months pregnant last year.
BARRY. Year before then.
CUSACK. Sure someone had to watch the kid. We flipped for it ā she won aā course ā then realised she hadnāt expressed enough milk to get through the evening.
Babyād get some land if he latched, looked up and saw me. (Grabs his breast.) Big and all as they are.
No RĆ³isĆn either I see?
BARRY. Ya but RĆ³isĆn never met him.
CUSACK. Ha? (Tots it up in his head.) Oh fuck ya.
It all blurs into one doesnāt it? How long are ye now?
BARRY. Eleven years, give or take.
CUSACK. All just fucken blurs.
Suits you anyway.
BARRY. Are you messing?
CUSACK. No, seriously. What else would you be doing?
Weāreā¦ seventeen. Fuck.
BARRY. Ya.
CUSACK. Believe that? Just over actually, off and on. Half our lives. The kid not yet a year.
If weād aā had our act together we coulda been finished raising him by now. Iāll be fifty before I sleep again.
BARRY. Is it bad?
CUSACK. Heās a bollocks.
Iān waking up earlier too. Earlier than him even. Canāt sleep expecting him to waken. Iādābe up Iād say half an hour before he stirs. He opens his eyes and Iān there standing over him.
BARRY. He loves that does he?
CUSACK. I know sure. Madness.
Will ye have any?
BARRY. I dunno. Weāre young a while.
CUSACK. Not that young.
BARRY. I donāt get on with most people I know. Not sure I should be adding to the problem.
CUSACK. Be grand. Telling you. Best thing about kids ya? Before Iās always thinking about things. Worrying about work. Wondering should I upgrade the car or go to the gym more. If my arms were big enough or if weād built the house the right way for the sun. And fighting with Aoife. You remember the way I was.
BARRY. Ya.
CUSACK. Well I tell you what. That stupid little prick of a kid means I havenāt a fucken minute. Heās always up in my face, crying or shitting or puking or laughing.
(Smug.) I havenāt thought about one thing since he was born. Not one.
Iām busy, man. He needs me.
Ye should try.
BARRY. Ya.
Some stage, maybe. Weāre a bit busy like. Or sheās busy. Work and stuff.
CUSACK. The new job?
BARRY. What?
CUSACK. Sorry. Like, Aoife told me. Ye must be delighted.
BARRY. Aoife told you? I only ...
