Step 9 (of 12)

Rob Hayes

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• Print ISBN: 9781849431941
• eBook ISBN: 9781849432863
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Keith just wants to say he's sorry. A lifetime of drug and alcohol abuse has given him a lot to apologise for – particularly to the two people who raised from a child. But as the memories of violence, betrayal, lies and recriminations are raked to the surface, it becomes clear that past actions can have shocking repercussions in the present. Forgiving is easy, forgetting is a different story.

Lights up.

Living Room. Cluttered. The furniture does not match. Damp creeps up the wall. KEITH sits on a sagging armchair. Behind him a grand old drinks cabinet.

He has made an effort to scrub up for his guests, but still looks shabby. One or two visual clues give a hint of his past. An earring, a facial scar.

He holds a pipe in his left hand and an open book in his right. It is unclear for how long he has been in this position, but he remains there for a minute, not smoking the pipe or reading the book, but staring at the door.

A minute passes.

A rumble of voices beyond the door. Then a knock.

KEITH: Come in!

The door rattles.

ALAN: (O.S.) It’s locked.

KEITH: What?

ALAN: (O.S.) The door is locked.

KEITH looks from his book to his pipe, then back to his book.

KEITH: Fuck.

He puts the book and the pipe down, walks over to the door and unlocks it. ALAN, on the other side, attempts to enter.

KEITH: Wait there, hang on hang on. Stay there a minute.

KEITH moves quickly back to the armchair and sits down. He resumes his position with the pipe in one hand and the book in the other.

KEITH: Right. Right, okay!

ALAN and JUDITH enter.

KEITH: Oh hello! Come in, come in, have a seat.

ALAN sits. JUDITH remains standing.

KEITH: Didn’t realise the time, you’ve caught me nose deep in VirginiaWoolf.

He points to the book on the arm of his chair.

JUDITH: We can’t stay.

KEITH: Nonsense. Sit down.

JUDITH: Can’t stay long, can we ALAN?

JUDITH looks at ALAN, who remains silent, smiling.

JUDITH: Do you mind if I quickly use your loo?

KEITH: Judith! Should have gone before you came out. Have you not trained her Alan? Have you not broken her in... yet...honestly it’s like having a fucking...

Beat.

KEITH: Course you can my love. Sorry. Just having a joke. You know me, can’t resist a...

JUDITH exits, unsmiling.

KEITH: Careful with the flush, it’s a bit...just be firm with it. Give it a good...you know. Have to get that looked at.

KEITH turns to ALAN.

KEITH: Alan! How’s it going?

ALAN: How’s what going?

KEITH: Everything.

ALAN: Oh, yes. Good, good.

KEITH: Good.

Beat.

ALAN: Been landscaping the garden.

KEITH: Oh, heh.

Beat.

ALAN: And...how’s things with you?

KEITH: Oh aye, yeah no you know not bad yeah alright well you know yeah no.

ALAN: Good.

Beat.

KEITH: Oh, come here.

KEITH moves over and hugs ALAN, who has not had time to get up from his seat. ALAN remains seated as KEITH holds him in an awkward embrace. KEITH releases and returns to his seat.

KEITH: You haven’t changed a bit. Not a day. How do you do it?

ALAN: Do what?

KEITH: Keep so well.

ALAN: Oh you know. Early nights, lots of water. No secret really.

KEITH: How about all them pills you take every morning? Bet that helps.

ALAN clears his throat.

ALAN: Well yes, that helps too. Still, you know what they say –

KEITH: Still take all those pills, do you? For your brain?

ALAN: Well, uh, Judith and I are looking into different forms of...alternative style therapies –

KEITH: What, like Yoga?

ALAN smiles.

ALAN: Not sure I’ll have the flexibility for that. No, more –

KEITH: My mate does that. Fucking loves it.

ALAN: More things like herbal remedies, meditation.

KEITH: I thought you were trying to get off the medication.

ALAN: No, meditation. It’s a way of relaxing your mind.

KEITH: Yeah, yeah right. Lotus position. Is the gardening part of that then?

ALAN: Not really. Just getting the house in order.

KEITH: What for?

ALAN: Nothing in particular, just...you know.

KEITH: Was that Judith’s idea? I bet it was Judith’s idea wasn’t it?

ALAN smiles.

ALAN: Hmmn.

KEITH: Typical that, isn’t it? They buy a house and they wanna turn it upside down.

ALAN: Well we’ve been there nearly thirty years...She would’ve moved by now. To the country. But...

KEITH: Only I heard it was relaxing. Like as a pastime.

ALAN: Moving house?

KEITH: Gardening you pillock.

ALAN: Oh right, well the bills aren’t very relaxing, I can tell you that.

KEITH: Have you got someone in?

ALAN: Yes, we’re having the whole thing...all done up.

KEITH: Who’ve you got in?

ALAN: Just a...we found him in the directory. He’s very good.

KEITH: You should’ve given me a call. I’d’ve done it for you.

ALAN: Well, we –

KEITH: Bet I would’ve beat his price and all. What are you paying him?

ALAN: That’s not really –

KEITH: Go on, what’s the damage?

ALAN: See the thing is, we’re having the whole thing landscaped. It’s not just –

KEITH: I bet it’s a lot is it?

ALAN: Hedge trimming...

KEITH: Go on, how much?

ALAN: Money’s not really the issue, he is very good –

KEITH: Tell me how ...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Half-title page
• Title Page
• Copyrights
• Contents
• Characters
• Dedication
• Chapter01
• Backmatter