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turning to page one
turning to page one
Same scene continuing, the rest of the bar gone quiet...
PADRAIC
You, Colm Doherty, d’you know what you
used to be?
COLM
No, Padraic, what did I used to be?
PADRAIC
Nice! You used to be nice!
(to the bar)
Didn’t he not? And now, d’you know what
you are? Not nice!
COLM
Ah well, I suppose niceness just
doesn’t last then, does it, Padraic?
But shall I tell ya something that does
last?
PADRAIC
What? And don’t say something stupid
like music...
COLM
(overlapping)
Music lasts...
PADRAIC
Knew it!
COLM
And paintings last. And poetry lasts.
PADRAIC
So does niceness!
SIOBHAN & DOMINIC come in, JONJO gesturing for SIOBHAN to wait a moment and not go steaming in...
COLM
Do you know who we remember for how
nice they was in the 17th Century?
PADRAIC
Who?
COLM
Absolutely no-one. Yet we all remember
the music of the time. Everyone, to a
man, knows Mozart’s name.
PADRAIC
Well I don’t, so there goes that theory.
And anyways, we’re talking about
niceness, not whatsisname! My Mammy, she
was nice, I remember her. And my Daddy,
he was nice, I remember him. And my
sister, she’s nice. I’ll remember her.
Forever I’ll remember her.
This touches SIOBHAN, as it’s something she’s never heard him say before.
COLM
PADRAIC
Who else will what?
COLM
Remember Siobhan, and yere niceness? No-
one will. In fifty years time, no-one
will remember any of us. Yet the music
of a man who lived two centuries ago...
PADRAIC
“Yet” he says, like he’s fecking
English! It’ll be “Parameters” next!
SIOBHAN goes over to him, takes his arm gently.
PADRAIC (CONT'D)
I don’t give a feck about Mozart, or
Borvoven, or any of them funny name
feckers. I’m Padraic Suilleabhain! And
I’m nice!
SIOBHAN
Come home, Padraic.
PADRAIC starts to go, then...
PADRAIC
(Re PEADAR)
So you’d rather be friends with this
fella, would ya? A fella who beats his
own son black and blue every night that
he’s not fiddling with him!
This takes PEADAR aback somewhat, as it does Dominic...
DOMINIC
(blushing, embarrassed)
I never told him that, Daddy! He’s just
drunk now!
PADRAIC
(to COLM)
You used to be nice! Or did you never
used to be?
They look at each other a moment.
PADRAIC (CONT'D)
Oh God. Maybe you never used to be.
Saddened by the realisation, PADRAIC backs up and staggers out. DOMINIC heads blushing to a far corner, and SIOBHAN is left facing COLM alone.
SIOBHAN
I’ll have a word with him, Colm. You
don’t need to do anything drastic. He
won’t be bothering you no more.
COLM
That’s a shame. That was the most
interesting he’s ever been! I think I
like him again now!
Laughter from the bar at this, then SIOBHAN turns back to COLM...
SIOBHAN
It was the 18th Century, anyways.
Mozart. You said the 17th. *
They stare at each other a moment, then she exits, and all is still quiet in the pub.
COLM
Well play a fecking tune, will ya, for
Christ’s sake!
The band strikes up again. COLM gives PEADAR a look, then takes his empty pint glass to the bar, and PEADAR looks daggers at the distant DOMINIC, who sheepishly looks away.