BRENDAN. Jack.
JACK. Brendan. (Lifting glass.) What’s with the Guinness?
BRENDAN (putting peat in the stove). I don’t know. It’s the power in the tap. It’s a new barrel and everything.
JACK. Is the Harp one okay?
BRENDAN. Yeah.
JACK. Well, would you not switch them around and let a man have a pint of stout, no?
BRENDAN. What about the Harp drinkers?
JACK (derision). ‘The Harp drinkers.’
BRENDAN. Your man’s coming in to do it in the morning. Have a bottle.
JACK. I’m having a bottle. (Pause.) I’m not happy about it, now mind, right? But, like.
They laugh.
BRENDAN. Go on out of that.
JACK (drinks). What the hell. Good for the worms.
BRENDAN. I’d say you have a right couple of worms, alright.
They laugh. Pause. BRENDAN stands wiping his hands.
That’s some wind, isn’t it?
JACK. It is.
BRENDAN. Must have been against you, was it?
JACK comes out from behind the counter.
JACK. It was. It was against me ’til I came around the Knock. It was a bit of shelter then.
BRENDAN goes in behind the counter. He tidies up, dries glasses.
BRENDAN. Yeah it’s a funny one. It’s coming from the north.
JACK. Mm. Ah, it’s mild enough though.
BRENDAN. Ah yeah. It’s balmy enough. (Pause.) It’s balmy enough.
JACK. Were you in Carrick today?
BRENDAN. I wasn’t, no. I had the sisters over doing their rounds. Checking up on me.
JACK. Checking their investments.
BRENDAN. Oh yeah. Course, they don’t have a fucking clue what they’re looking for, d’you know? They’re just vaguely... you know.
JACK. Keeping the pressure on you.
BRENDAN. This is it. (Pause.) At me to sell the top field.
JACK. You don’t use it much.
BRENDAN. No. No I don’t. Too much trouble driving a herd up. But I know they’re looking at it, all they see is new cars for the hubbies, you know?
JACK. Mm. You’re not just trying to spite them? Get them vexed, ha?
BRENDAN. Not at all. I’m, just. It’s a grand spot up there. Ah, I don’t know. Just...
Short pause.
JACK. They over the whole day?
BRENDAN. They got here about two. They’d gone for lunch in the Arms. Got their story straight. Ah they were gone and all about half four.
JACK. They’ve no attachment to the place, no?
BRENDAN. No they don’t. They look around, and it’s... ‘Ah yeah...’ you know?
They laugh a little.
It’s gas.
JACK. Mm.
BRENDAN. Were you in Carrick yourself?
JACK. I was. Flew in about eleven, threw on a fast bet. Jimmy was there, we went for a quick one in the Pot.
BRENDAN. How is he? And the ma?
JACK. Ah. Jimmy. Be in tonight. He put me on to a nice one. We got her at eleven to four.
BRENDAN. You’re learning to listen, ha?
JACK. Ah. Fuck that sure. I know, but I’ve been having the worst run of shit you wouldn’t believe. I was that desperate, I’d listen to anybody.
BRENDAN. Go on out of that.
JACK. Ah no. No no. Fair dues. I’ll say it. He got us a right one. And it’s good, you know. Break a streak like that.
BRENDAN. You’re a user.
JACK (laughs). There’s worse.
BRENDAN. Yeah. There might be.
JACK. But, ah, he was telling me. Did you know about Maura Nealon’s house?
BRENDAN. No.
JACK. Well. Jim says he met Finbar Mack down in the Spar. Finally, either sold or’s renting the, the thing, after how many years it’s sat there?
BRENDAN. Jays, four or five in anyway.
JACK. Jim says five this month. And Finbar’s going bananas with the great fella that he is. Patting himself on the back, goodo, and talking about the new resident. Who, he says, is a fine girl. Single. Down from Dublin and all this. And Finbar’s nearly leaving the wife just to have a chance with this one. Only messing, like. But he’s bringing her in here tonight, the nearest place. To old... Maura’s. Bringing her in for a drink. Introduce her to the natives.
BRENDAN. The dirty bastard. I don’t want him using in here for that sort of carry-on. A married man like him.
JACK. Ah he’s only old shit. He wouldn’t have the nerve. Sure, how far’d he get anyway? The fucking head on him. He’s only having a little thrill. Bringing her around. And I’ll tell you what it is as well. He’s coming in here with her. And he’s the one. He’s the one that’s ‘with’ her, in whatever fucking... sense we’re talking about. He’s bringing her in. And there’s you and me, and the Jimmy fella, the muggins’s, the single fellas. And he’s the married fella. And he’s going ‘Look at this! There’s obviously something the fuck wrong with yous. Yous are single and you couldn’t get a woman near this place. And look at me. I’m hitched. I’m over and done with, and I’m having to beat them off.’
BRENDAN. Yeah. That’s the way cunts always go about their business. It’s intrusive, it’s bad manners, it’s...
JACK. Ah, it’s a juvenile carry-on. You know?
BRENDAN. Mm.
JACK. Let her come in herself.
BRENDAN. Yeah. That’d be better. That’d make more sense, for fuck’s sake.
JACK. Leave her be. Don’t know if I’ll stay actually.
BRENDAN. Mm.
Pause. JACK drains his glass and puts it on the bar.
JACK. Go on.
BRENDAN takes the glass and pours a fresh bottle.
Don’t want to leave Jimmy in the lurch. You know? Trying to hold his own in the Finbar Mack world of big business.
They laugh a little.
BRENDAN. Fucking... Jimmy talking all that crack with Finbar.
JACK. That’s the thing though. The Jimmy fella’s got more going on up here (Head.) than popular opinion would give him credit for.
BRENDAN. Sure, don’t we know too well for God’s sake?
JACK. I know.
BRENDAN. We know only too well.
JACK counts change out on the bar.
JACK. Would you give us ten Silk Cut please, Brendan?
BRENDAN. Red?
JACK. Please.
BRENDAN puts the cigarettes on the bar.
Good man.
Pause. JACK doesn’t touch them yet. BRENDAN counts the money off the bar. JACK pauses before drinking.
Are we right?
BRENDAN. Close enough. Cheers.
JACK. Good luck.
JACK takes a long drink. Pause.
I know I do be at you. I’ll keep at you though.
BRENDAN. About what?
JACK. Don’t be messing. Come on.
BRENDAN. Ah.
JACK. A youngfella like you. And this place a right going concern.
BRENDAN. Ah. The odd time. You know, the odd time I’d think about it.
JACK. You should though.
BRENDAN. Well then, so should you.
JACK. Would you go on? An auldfella like me!
BRENDAN. Would you listen to him?
JACK. Sure what would I want ...