Flirting Script

I remember the smells most.
Stale lockers with fruitcakesrotting into the wood.
Crusty shoe polish.
Damp towels.
Quink ink for fountain pens.
Disinfectant on the floorsof the shower block.
Fresh chalk.
Moldy oranges blue with mildew.
And on a rainy day...
the deep, rank, wild smellof discarded football boots.
And I remember pain.
But...only vaguely.
I had a thick hide by then.
They'd sent meto boarding school...
so I wouldn't becomea delinquent.
Don't wet yourself, Embling.
-For some reason...-Next.
this caused the letters ''H''as in Heaven...
-and ''W'' as in---Psychopath.
And ''W'' as in womento sometimes be unsayable.
Bend over.
Next.
Take a look at Backa's,will you?
What about Embling?
Show us your stripes, Embling.
He's probably bawling.
-What about Desert Head?-Keep it quiet.
Where's your camera?
Come on. Fair go.
-Take one.-Don't piss around.
-Chrome dome.-Get out!
If I hear anything more,it'll be six for the lot of you.
One thingabout boarding school...
twenty-four hours a day,you were surrounded.
Bird.
Either you abandoned yourselfand became a herd animal...
or you dug a cavedeep into your head...
and skulked inside...
peering throughyour eye sockets.
At the source of majorsolace and inspiration...
our sister seat of learning...
Cirencester Ladies College.
The two schools stared acrossthe lake at each other...
like brooding volcanoes.
When I was asleep...
I used to leave my body...
and drift the cold currentsto the Cirencester grounds...
where I hoveredlike a dark angel.
Anyone got a banana?
Jock.
How's it going?
Good.
We'll run all over themin the second half.
Will you be around after?
Probably.
See you then.
Send him to the knackery.
Bandits at seven o'clock.
-How about those two?-A bit young.
-They're our age.-Like I said, a bit young.
I go for the mature male.
When the devil rings a bell...
all the cat-eyes go to hell.Yeah!
We need another stretcher.
-Good match?-Yeah.
Three badly injured so far.
You don't sound very patriotic.
No, I'm not.
Aren't you interestedin football?
Only froman anthropological viewpoint.
What are you talking about?
It's a form of mating ritual.
What?
That's why you're here,isn't it?
You're deranged.
You're incredibly rude,did you know that?
That's whyI haven't got friends.
-I'm not surprised.-I take pity on him.
I'd say it's wasted.Come on.
Brilliant.
From Greenland's icy mountains
From India's coral strand
Where Africa's sunny fountains
Roll down their golden sand
From many an ancient river
From many a balmy plain
They call us to deliver
Their land from error's shame
United States Marines...
began landing yesterdaynorth of Da Nang...
to take up security dutiesaround the large jet airfield.
They are the firstU.S. ground combat troops...
-Excuse me.-Do you mind?
There are other thingsgoing on in the world...
besides skinny rock 'n' rollsingers jumping around.
Yes, of course.
Little Miss Sophisticationcan tell us all about it.
It might actually concern you.
I doubt if it'll concern you.
They're certainly notgoing to mention Uganda.
I never heard it mentioned ever.
They're not evenin the Olympic games.
Probably not eligible.
They would be
You bitch!
Sorry. Slipped on a banana.
Do you see what I see?
Australia's answerto Ursula Andress.
She folds her legs.
In doing so, I glimpse Xanadu.
Good afternoon.
The subjectof today's debate is...
that this house agreeswith Bertrand Russell...
that intellectual pursuits...
are the highest formof human endeavor.
And it'll be ladies first.
Speaking for the affirmative...
Miss Nicola Radcliffe.
Professor Barbour,Reverend Nicholson...
members ofthe adjudicating panel...
ladies and gentlemen.
And others.
The central thrustof our argument...
will be that the pleasuresof the intellect...
are of a higher orderaltogether...
as opposed to the othersimple pleasures of life.
And, to this end,we will be citing evidence...
from suchillustrious sources...
as William Shakespeare,Immanuel Kant...
Alfred, Lord Tennyson...
Bishop Barclay,Samuel Pepys...
Sir Robert Menzies,Aristotle...
and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Firstly, to beginwith William Shakespeare...
I'd like to suggestthat rugby football...
is the highest form...
of...
Highest form of...
human endeavor.
How can one go past...
the fluid inspirationof Jock Blair...
sprinting down the wingfor a brilliant try?
How can one notbe moved to tears...
by the naked courageof a smaller player...
hurling himselfat a much larger opponent...
bouncing off, but pickinghimself up again and again...
in a frenzyof guts and determination?
Rugby football embodies...
all the noblest virtues...
enshrinedin a school like ours--
teamwork, bravery...
pride, school spirit...
creativity, intelligence...
love of one's fellow man--
surely the virtues...
which distinguishhuman beings...
from brute animals.
-The final speaker...-Good stuff.
for the affirmative sideis Miss Thandiwe Adjewa.
Having listened carefullyto the speakers of both sides...
and wishing to betotally impartial...
I feel the position...
for which my teamis arguing is untenable...
though not forthe tedious reasons...
given by our opponents...
the last speaker excepted.
My colleagues have quoted...
many poets and philosophersto support our case...
that intellectual pursuitsare the highest form...
of human endeavor...
but most contemporary artists...
seem more interestedin bodily functions.
For example...
''I don't want youtoast my bread.
''I don't want you make my bed.''
''I don't want your money, too.
''I just wantto make love to you.''
''Tutti frutti, au rutti.''
''A-wop-bop a-loom-opa-lop bam boom.''
If these philosopher-poetsare any guide...
the so-called animal sideof human beings...
leaves the intellectual sidefor dead.
Is this justa recent development...
or are we only nowbecoming mature enough...
to reveal our dirty washing?
Time?
About one minute.
You were not only totallydisloyal to the school...
by deliberatelythrowing away the debate...
but you reduced the occasionto a gutter level.
I can't imaginethat you were encouraged...
to get away with thatat school in England...
but I can certainly guaranteeyou won't be given...
the opportunityto repeat such behavior here.
She didn't mean to be offensive.
She made a mockeryof the whole debate.
If you believe rock 'n' rollsongs are equal to poetry...
then I wonder what they teachyou over there at all.
At any rate,I shall be speaking...
to the headmistressin the morning.
She was reallywetting her pants.
I saw you getting blasted.
I wanted to congratulate you.It was terrific.
I loved your rugby speech.
Are you goingto the boarders' dance?
I'm not sure.I don't think so.
Aren't fifth formers allowed?
Yeah, but not many go.
I'm not.They always play terrible music.
Frightful.
Yes. I prefer jazz to rock.
The bus is here, girls.Hurry up, please.
I might see you there...
at the dance.
Right.
Super.
-What's the time?- : .
Sir?
-Yes, Bourke?-It's : sir.
All right.
Those going to the dancecan go and get changed.
Quietly.
Backa, don't do anythingI wouldn't do.
Doesn't leave memuch room to maneuver.
-Who's Embling going with?-Who'd have him?
Quiet.
Who've you got lined up,Embling?
Didn't think you'd evermanage to finish...
asking someone out.
People wonder how Hitlermanaged...
to get so many followers?
It's never surprised me.
You're certainly getting around.
Just trying to leada balanced life.
-How's the hamstring?-Good, sir.
Remember you gota football match tomorrow.
Yes, sir.
Did I not tell youto get a haircut?
I did, sir.
You're not going to golooking like this, are you?
Yes, sir.
I beg your pardon?
I could put water on it, sir.
No, you're not going at all.
You didn't get a haircut,did you?
Yes, sir.
Are you contradicting me?
No, sir.I just had a trim, sir.
The rest of you can go.
What aboutthe girl I asked, sir?
You should havethought of that before.
Report to the prefect's roomand get your hair tidied up...
then you can go back to prep.
But, sir...
You want a thrashing as well?
No, sir.
They're here.
I want to see Nicola Radcliffe.I'm desperate.
I'm a desperate man!
-Hey, mate. No pushing.-Stop it.
Stop pushing.
All right, gentlemen.Back to your desks.
-Oh, sir!-Fair crack of the whip.
You'll get your go next year.
That's next year, though, sir.
It'll shrivel up and die.
What was that, Green?
I saidwe'll die of starvation, sir.
Come on.Back to your desks.
They're here.
Remember thatyou're all young ladies.
The tall one.
The one in the yellow.We'll see.
-That one's mine.-In the back?
Handsome, isn't he?
I'm proud of you, girls.Have a nice night.
What's she like, the boong?
Really stuck-up.Reckons she knows everything.
Who is she supposedto be here with?
Some kid called Danny somebody.
-Danny Embling?-That's right.
Bird Embling?She won't be doing much dancing.
How's your old man?
It'll be a great matchnext week.
Don't you ever think aboutanything besides football?
I thought you liked it.
No. Not really.
There's an Abo at the window.
Excuse me, sir.
-Can I go to the toilet, sir?-Yep.
-Hello.-Good evening.
What's going on now?
Who's out there?
Me, sir.I've just been sick, sir.
Are you all right?
I'm not feeling too good, sir.
Pop over and see matronand get something.
Yes, sir.
Come on, it's clear.
Well done. Where will we go?
Well, if we hang around here,we'll get caught for sure.
How about your dormitory?
There'll be no one therefor awhile.
It's all right.
Just thinkingof somewhere we can talk.
OK.
-Clear.-Who'd be around?
Third formerswill be in bed by now.
Elliott will be in his study.
Fourth formers come throughin half an hour.
Why were they makingbird noises at you?
It's an Australian formof admiration.
-Cigarette?-No, thanks.
So where you from?
My father's Ugandan.My mother was from Kenya.
She was half-English.
How come you're here?
Dad's lecturing at universityin Canberra for a year.
I met Sartre.
Really? Where?
Paris.
Who's this?
A friend from home.
Where's that?
Out in the boondocks.
These schools are like prisons,aren't they?
Yeah. Run byformer Gestapo operatives.
What did you say to Sartre?
I suggested marriagewas a doomed institution.
What did he say?
He agreed most people marryto please their parents...
or society.
Not keen on marriage yourself?
I see so many terrible ones.
People just stop communicating.
My father and stepmotherare brilliant communicators.
They hardly ever talkto each other these days...
except in public.
Anyway, I doubtwhether I'll find anyone...
complex enoughto keep me interested.
I lose interest in people.
I imagine they're far morefascinating than they are...
so I'm always disappointed.
Hard life.
Where's the bathroom?
Let me escort you.
I wonder what would happenif someone saw us?
First, they'd extractour fingernails...
sexual organs next.
You sound likeyou'd like to watch.
I'll stand guard.
I would have askedJean-Paul about anguish.
Seemed like a pretty romanticconcept at the time.
-Where's Desert Head?-In his office.
Shit!
My watch stopped.
The fourth formersare coming in for their showers.
Better get out, then.
Can't. They'll see you.
How about the window?
It's too high.
Look, I'm really sorry.
Go and have another look.
Thank you, boys!
We're buggered completely.Desert Head's out there.
One...two...three...four.
She had a ruby on her tummy
And a diamond big as Texas
On her toe-whoa-whoa
She a put a hat on
And she didthe hootchy-kootchy
Real slow-whoa-whoa
This is romantic.
Sing it again, yes
Did you seethat prefect woman again?
Nicola Radcliffe?
-Incredible legs.-Great knockers, too.
You wouldn't knowwhat knockers were.
He's got a good set himself.
Small boys are so charming.
Hurry up, will you?Who's in there?
Whoever it ishas been there for ages.
Come on, you constipatedor something?
Fucking hell!
I told you before that if youslide around in your socks...
you'll get splinters.
Now, is there any reasonI shouldn't cane you?
No, sir--Yes, sir.
That was great.
Yeah. Good fun.
I suppose I'd betterget back to the dance...
in case they notice I've gone.
God knows what they'd thinkI was up to.
So, when dowe see each other again?
Very soon, hopefully.
I'd like that.
For a kid,you've got some class.
Gosh.
-Thandiwe!-Miss Macready.
If she wanted to wee-weeshe would have asked me first.
There's a ladies'under the stairs...
but I've already checkedin there.
You'll be for it.
Too bad.
I'll expect a letter.
Where have you been?
It was a call of nature,Miss Macready.
How dare you leave the hallwithout telling me!
Do you know the troubleyou've caused?
I don't seeanything to laugh at.
You've put into jeopardythe whole future of the dances.
It's been a great worryto us both.
To both of us!
So I hope you're satisfied.
Now, you'll spend the restof the evening in the bus...
and I've already toldthe prefects...
we're leaving half an hourearlier because of you.
What did she taste like?
A girl.
Jesus.
Then you didn't actuallyget any further?
It's onlyour first encounter, Gil.
But she suggestedyou go back to the dormitory.
Could well have beenexpecting you to make a move.
She's a bit up herself.
So what?
No one's obsessed withUrsula Andress' personality.
Look, I know body language,and hers says, ''Give me.''
They can be pretty, you know,desperate, these black women.
Look at ''National Geographic.''
-Here he is.-How'd you go, Danny?
-She's not bad.-Licorice Allsort.
-She the one you invited?-Yeah.
Good one.
Bloody Emblingbrought his woman over...
and had a shower with her.
-Fair dinkum.-She was nude. Starkers.
Half of fourth form saw her.
What?
-What was he like? Shy?-Or retarded?
We just talked.
Pretty daft, letting himtake you to his dormitory.
I suggested it.
God, did you sit on his bed?
-Yeah.-And?
Will you three shut up?
-Get...-Stuffed.
Well.
It's not just you, Thandiwe.The whole school suffers.
I'm going to haveto think seriously...
whether I allowany Cirencester girls...
to attend any future dances.
And you're not justletting yourself down.
There's your parents,as well...
and your country.
And so I certainly hope...
I don't have to see youin my office...
under such circumstances again.
And when you finish that...
you can pick upall the litter...
in the quadrangleand the tennis courts.
And if I findeven an icy-pop stick...
you can do them againnext weekend.
There's that guy.
He's very good-looking.
-Pity he's a tradesman.-I thought you liked him.
-Pardon?-I've seen you looking at him.
Don't judge people byyour sordid standards, Fiona.
When I started thinkingabout Africa...
I realizedthe only images I knew...
were from old annuals...
Tarzan comics,and Hollywood movies.
Cannibals with bonesthrough their noses...
lions tearing the throatsout of antelopes...
and a lot ofwondrous oozing words...
like Limpopo...
Zambezi...
Mombasa...
Tanganyika.
Embling's got a letterfrom his girlfriend.
-Lubra lips.-Good on you, Bird.
Don't peck her eyes out.
Say please.
-Open it, Fedder.-Fair go.
Let's see what she's got to say.
Don't be an idiot, Bourke.
''Dear Danny...''
''Signing your letterwith a 'Yours'...
''was a bit demure, wasn't it?''
''I thought after our episodein the showers...
''I deserved somethinga little warmer.''
''I'm told your nicknameis Bird.''
''Well, I like long noses.
''It meansyou're well-endowed...''
''with brains, of course.''
People like to have someoneto look down on.
Makes them feel betterabout themselves.
No one realized whata great community service...
I was performingby being the school dag.
I didn't care.
I'd met this girl.
Come in.
I'd liketo report something, sir.
Something thatI think isn't fair, sir.
Well?
Some of the boyshave been opening letters...
and reading them to everyone.
I see.
A very nice pipe, sir.
Mr. Elliott wants to see Bourkein his office, sir.
All right, Bourke, off you go.
''Yours faithfully''was a little bit demure.
It's so funny.Everyone was rolling around.
Then she said...
''Big noses do meanyou're well-endowed.''
-She's so pretentious.-Really?
I don't think it's funnyreading people's letters.
No. I had it down.
-OK.-Try ''Dearest Gilby.''
It's not dearest.I hardly know him.
-Yet.-''Dear Gilby.''
-It's not even ''Dear.''-Looks like a deer.
An old dear. One ofthose people who was born old.
-About fifty.-He's not that bad.
At leasthe's brave enough to write.
No accounting for taste.
Lights.
Glad to know your boyfriend'swell-endowed, Adjewa.
Pardon?
Your St. Albans friend.
-God, it stinks.-Is it moving?
Of course it is.It's Danish blue.
Excuse me, Miss Macready.
Phone call for Thandiwe--her father.
Off you go.
Can I go to the toilet,please, Miss Macready?
You may go to the bathroom,Melissa, yes.
To whom am I speaking?
Milton Adjewa here.
May I speakto my daughter, please?
Milton, Thandiwe doesn'twant to speak to you anymore.
-Why?-Why do you think?
You've been showing her lettersto everyone.
You're an absolute pill.
The letter was stolen.
You should have looked after it.
Thanks.
This year's musicalis called ''Proserpina''...
the dramatic storyof the rape of Persephone...
as she was calledby the Greeks--
a beautiful goddesswho was kidnapped by Pluto...
the God of the Underworld.
Ultimately, it's a taleof birth, death, and renewal...
embodying the mythof the origins of the seasons--
spring, summer,autumn, and winter.
Who's the author, Mrs. Archer?
It's something I wrote myself.
An adaptation from the German.
Some more volunteers.Nice to have you with us.
I want you to form up in pairs.
I don't thinkwe're a very good match.
-Have you got anyone?-No, I suppose not.
Good.
Has anyone not got a partner?
Don't be shy, you two.
-I'm Thandiwe Adjewa.-Jock Blair.
-Where are you from?-Uganda.
You speak really good English.
So do you.
Where are you from?
Near Cootamundra.My father's a grazier.
I wanted to seefour steamrollers...
attached to Jock Blair'sarms and legs...
driving inopposite directions...
leaving only a twitching torsoflailing blood like a live hose.
And sheep. My father'sa man for all seasons.
And I wanted even worse thingsto happen to her.
In the meantime, I'd make herferociously jealous...
by pulling offthe seduction of the century...
with Nicola Radcliffe.
What's wrong with you now,Embling?
He's feeling crook, sir.
Your health's becominga constant source of concern.
It's the elephant dick.It's rank.
It's going to walk out of here.
Shut up, Green.
I thinkI'm going to be sick, sir.
Go down and get somethingfrom matron.
I'm feelinga bit crook myself, sir.
Green...
Sultry.
Smolder.
Good.
I think we should swap partnersin the musical.
Why?
You're writing to him,aren't you?
Not anymore.
-What happened?-He showed one of them around.
That wasn't him.
One of the other kids stole itand read it out aloud.
Challenge one another.
Puss, puss, puss.
I'm just going to feed the catand then check up on the girls.
I'll put the kettle on.
Rastus, Rastus.
Shit.
You coming or not?
It's deliciousliver and kidney.
Don't meow, Rastus.
-Quiet!-It's a man!
Shut up.It's a St. Albans kid.
I'm stuck.
-Why did you come?-To see a girl.
Come on.
-Thanks.-One, two, three.
Someone's coming!
What is going on up there?
What's all this noise?
Come on, what is it?
It was the window,Miss Macready.
It came down and woke us all up.
We thought it couldbe a murderer...
Or a raper.
Rapist.
It's a pity you don't putthat imagination to work...
on your compositions, Jean.
Back to sleep now, girls.Good night.
Who did you want to see?
Thandiwe Adjewa.
We'll take you.
Come on, Stace.
We'll take you there.
Have a nice time.
You go and wait.
In the bushes.
Your father's on the telephone.
I do karate.
It's me.
Where's Embling?
He had a terrible attackof the trots, sir.
-Again?-It's the elephant, sir.
I was in the toilet for an hour.
What are you talking about?
He means the elephant dick, sir.
And...
what is elephant dick, Green?
Meat loaf withegg in the middle, sir.
I'll see youin my office after prep.
Yes, sir.
You think it's funny?
No, sir.
I better go.
Probably been missed already.
What will happen?
I'll get caned.
I feel terrible.
I didn't trust you.
I won't let you down again.
I mean it.
Stop it.
Miss Anderson'sasking where you are.
You could be expelledfor being in these grounds.
Well, I'm not actually here.This is a dream.
Get back to bed beforeit turns into a nightmare.
If I do catch you again,that's it.
Good night, Nicola.
Thandiwe started telling meabout Africa as she knew it.
How her mother was killed inthe Mau-Mau period in Kenya...
how her father wrote booksabout African nationalism...
and the problems created...
as the colonial governmentsscrambled to get out.
There had been terrible timesthe last few years--
the Belgian Congo...
Zanzibar...
Angola, Kenya.
Places I'd barely heard of.
What's happening?
We're just flirting.
Often I never really heardwhat she said.
I'd be staring at her legs.
They were very comforting.
Sometimes there would belittle bruises...
or marks around her anklesfrom the elastic in her socks.
That's how I knew she was real.
What's happening?
I'm cracking a monstrous fat.
What can you see?
Everything.
Don't cream yourself, Cheddar.
God, there's Nicola Radcliffe.
What is she doing?
Sitting down.
Taking off her shoes...
unfastening her zip.
Would you keep it down?
What's happening now?
God.
Has she taken it all off?
There's Embling's girlfriend.
Not bad.
Great set.
Get a picture.
Don't take a picture, Bourke.
Tasty.
Jesus!
Fight! Fight! Fight!
You want to fight,do it in the ring with gloves.
Friday, Embling.
You're luckyNicholson didn't come down.
You'd both be out of the showaltogether.
Finish getting dressedand get up onstage.
Feeling OK?
Friday at five.
It was you, was it?
-Who with?-The ham in the dress.
Don't worry about him.He's probably a fairy.
Don't turn up on Friday.
To what?
They're supposedto finish it in the gym.
You're stupid if you do.
He's the top boxerin the school.
I wondered if my old friendJean-Paul Sartre...
would have foughtin a situation like this.
I know Cassius would have.
I liked big Cassius.
I liked his poems.
He wasn'tbuilt like Twiggy, though.
Every morning at the mine
You could see him arrive
He stood ' '', weighed
Kind of broad at the shoulders
And narrow at the hip
Everybody knewyou didn't give no lip
To Big John
Telephone for Embling.
Go west, young man.
Big John
Big John
Big Bad John
If you go ahead with this...
I won't have any respectfor your intelligence at all.
Don't worry.I'll see you on the weekend.
Good night.
In the red corner...
weighing in at pounds...
Barry ''Backa'' Bourke.
Where is Bird?
He's probably chickened out.
No. Here he is.
Weighing in at / ounces...
the flea-weight championof the world...
Danny ''Poofter'' Embling.
Shut up.
Come on. There's onlyhalf an hour till tea.
Embling will fall in one.
-You all right?-Yeah.
-Shake hands.-Good luck.
Back to your cornersand come out fighting.
It's not worthrisking brain damage.
Just kick him in the cods.
Honor will be satisfied.
Round one!
Come on, Backa! Come on!
Drop him !
Come on, Bird,don't push him to the ground.
That's it. Come on, Backa.
Start jabbing to the right.He'll go down.
Watch this.
You've put on a good show.You're still on your feet.
-We'll pull out now.-No.
Think of the brain cells.
You'll end upa bloody jellyhead like him.
You're supposed to inspire me,not demoralize me completely.
Round two!
Bourke, what are you doing?
Go. Come on, Backa!
Sonny Liston! Sonny Liston!
One...two...
three...four...
Want to call it a day?
Come on, Backa,in for the kill!
One...
two...
three...
four...
five...
six...
seven...
eight...
Jean-Paul.
-Cigarette?-No.
One...two...
three...four...
five...six...
seven...eight...
Stop it!
How can you do that?Stand there and watch?
Come on.He'll be all right.
OK, everyone. Off to tea.
You're dead, Backa.
Done like dinner.
We'll take himto the dispensary.
Got a stretcher?
He'll be all right.
I tried to talk him out of it.
I know.
He's a trifle unstableat times.
I try and bethe voice of reason.
You're a bit more sane...
like me, I think.
Aren't you?
I can bepretty pig-headed, too.
So can I.Big lapses I have sometimes.
I better go. Give him my love.
All right.
Just beento the dispensary, sir.
What happened to you, Embling?
Get caught onthe wrong side of a bus?
Sort of like a bus, sir.
Certainly was different.
We thoroughly enjoyed it.
I've got some peopleI'd like you to meet.
Mum, Dad,this is Thandiwe Adjewa.
-Pleased to meet you.-How do you do?
My parents, Danny Embling.
Solomon Adjewa,my wife Letitia.
How do you do?
-Bruce and Sheila.-Hello.
Marvelous music.
Yes. Sort of African,isn't it?
Program says German.
The rhythms remind meof that sort of thing.
Mr. Adjewa's lecturingat the university in Canberra.
Do you know Canberra much?
I went to Parliament Housewhen I was a girl.
It still hasn't quitefound its feet as a city.
It's like Brasilia--
built for politiciansmore than people.
They built it therebecause it was halfway...
between Melbourne and Sydney.
I've always thoughtBrazil must be very interesting.
The furthest I've beenis New Guinea.
My husband fought thereduring the war.
He never talks about it.
I'm not surprised.
It must be hard foranyone else to understand...
how tough it was.
That's true.
We better make a move.
-Very nice to meet you.-Nice to meet you.
-Look after Thandiwe for us.-We keep an eye on each other.
So we hear. Good-bye.
-Good-bye.-Nice to meet you.
They seem nice.
What did you do to your eye?
-Football.-You playing?
-What position?-Wing.
Good one. I'll have to havea talk to Tom Alcock.
Let him know he mighthave a new recruit.
I'll just say good-byeto Thandiwe.
-Can I see you tonight?-Definitely.
What time?
One-thirty?
Nice girl.
Don't go beyond six.
You haven't known himthat long.
I'd say eight.
If you're going to riska midnight rendezvous...
might as wellmake it worthwhile.
What's eight?
Top off, hands below.
Blissful.
Just don't get caughtwith tissues down your bra.
You didn't tell me about that.
What did you say?
I said I had a coldand didn't have any pockets.
Janet.
Can he be trusted, though...
not to go into No Man's Land?
No man can.
She can control him...
but can she control herself?
It's as cold as a concrete cot.
There's no way she'll turn upif it's this cold.
You made any preparations?
-What do you mean?-Don't be naive.
Think she'll risk meeting youjust for a chat?
She'll expect youto have precautions.
Probably wants to reward you...
for taking a standin her self-defense.
One thing...
remember her needsas well as yours.
In the long run,they're more important.
If you can give her pleasure...
she'll be back for more.
See you, Gilbert.
Oh, God!
My parentsare going back to Uganda.
Some kind of crisis.
They want meto finish the year here.
I'm worried for them.
My father has so many enemies.
So much corruptionhe's always writing about.
Sad.
There was real hopein our country.
Do you mind if we justkiss and touch a bit...
and leave it at that?
Sure.
Welcome.
Women's clothes...
are much better designedfor this sort of thing.
You must getall squashed up in there.
It can get...
pretty tricky sometimes.
When it's big?
Yeah, if it's like...
when you're in churchor something.
Does it happen there?
It can happen anywhere.
Aren't bodies strange?
You'd better stop.
Why?
Sorry.
I don't mind.
I couldn't stop it.
Sorry, I'm so...
Sticky?
We both are.
You're beautiful.
I think you are, too.
Where have you been?
To the bathroom.
Do you alwaysget dressed to do that?
It was cold.
I looked in before,and your bed was empty.
Where have you been?
I went for a walk.I couldn't sleep.
Turn around.
Your back is filthy.
Follow me.
You want a milk drinkor something?
No, thank you.
Sit down.
Were you seeing Danny Embling?
I heard about his fight.
It sounded awful.
Told Jock Blair what I thoughtof him for letting it happen.
I told another friendto keep an eye on Danny.
He can look after himself.
Anyway,you shouldn't be running off...
in the middle of the nightto see him.
You could be picked upby the police...
end up being expelled.
So...
what did youactually do together?
I beg your pardon?
No. It's all right.
You don't have to tell me.
I think,if I liked somebody enough...
I'd want to.
Have you ever?
Of course not.
Almost?
Well...
do you remember the young guywho was fixing the bell tower?
I took him a cup of teaeach morning before assembly.
I liked him,even though he never said much.
I used to...
close my eyes...
and sit on a chair...
and let him touch me all over.
As long as he promisednot to take anything off.
I thought I was so exquisitelydaring I'd almost faint.
I'd have to sit down.
I'd be trembling so much,my legs would've given way.
Afterwards,I'd be reading the lesson...
convincedall the teachers must know...
because I was so...
so shivery delicious all over.
I'm amazed.
So am I when I think of it...
which I do most of the time,especially in maths.
So...
here's to risks.
Not again.We had it on Friday, sir.
Come on, boys.It's good food.
Good to make youconstipated, sir.
An expert, are you, Green?
He broke the recordat Cadet camp, sir.
What record?
Ten days without goingto the toilet, sir.
It was the latrines, sir.They were putrid.
-Thank you, Green.-Even the flies were fainting.
That's enough.This is good energy food.
That's what Embling needs.Give him heaps.
-Why is that, Embling?-Don't know, sir.
Looks a bit tired,don't you reckon, sir?
Looks all right to me,apart from his black eye.
-What are you reading, Green?-Nothing, sir.
-Give us a look.-It's a note from my mother.
-Come on.-It's intensely personal.
What's this about?
''Embling scored last nightwith Lubra lips.''
Who's Lubra lips?
Don't know, sir.
What are you burning for,Embling?
Shut up. You wouldn't knowwhat scoring was.
Perhaps you can tell uswhat it is, Bourke.
Lubra lipsis what we call Fedderson.
Played Embling at table tennis.Lost -love.
That's very ingenious for you,Bourke.
I'll see youin my office, Green.
I had the longest letter yettoday from Gilby.
Twenty-three pages.
It's like ''Wuthering Heights.''
I'll bet Heathcliffhad a long tongue.
Miss Anderson wants to see youin her office right away!
This is Dr. Pierce...
a colleague of your father'sfrom the university.
Apparently,your father was arrested...
shortly after he arrived.
What's happened to him?
I spoke brieflyto your mother this morning.
The line was very bad.
The situation's confused,but we think he's all right.
I have to go back.
There's nothing to be gainedby doing that.
You'll only beputting yourself in danger.
My stepmothercould also be arrested.
She's a writer, too.
And there'smy brother and sister.
They're nine and ten.
We've requested the Departmentof Foreign Affairs...
to inquire intoyour father's safety.
I have to go.
I can't get a flightuntil the day after...
but I'm not telling them that.
Miss Anderson thinksI'm leaving tomorrow.
Yeah, I understand.
Come on, girls!
Hold it!
That's good!
We'll miss you terribly.
You have to writeat least every week.
Hurry up, Thandiwe. The trainleaves in half an hour.
You know you're leavingagainst my advice.
We have no embassyin your country.
The Foreign AffairsDepartment...
says you can contactthe British Legation...
if you need any help.
Thank you.
We do wish you a safe journey.
I don't think Fateis a creature or a lady...
like some people say.
It's a tide of eventssweeping us along.
But I'm not a fatalist...
because I believeyou can swim against it...
and sometimes graspthe hands of the clock face...
and steala few precious minutes.
If you don't...
you're just cartwheeled along.
Before you know it,the magic opportunity's lost.
And for the rest of your life...
it lingers onin that part of your mind...
which dreamsthe very best dreams...
taunting and tantalizing youwith what might have been.
Name?
Camus.
-Huh?-C-a-m-u-s.
Room for one nightwith a double bed.
That's right.
Number .
Thanks.
Should keep the world out.
Here we are.
Guess what I've got.
Nicola made herselflook about twenty-five...
went out and got it for me.
Nicola Radcliffe?
I often think how all of us...
were going throughthe normal grubby business...
of school and growing up...
whilethe most incredible things...
were happening in her world...
but she liked me enoughto do this...
to say good-bye.
It's Dr. Pierce fromthe university on the phone.
She wants to speak to Thandiwe.
I told her she'd gone, andnow she wants to talk to you.
But she's not leaving tomorrow.
She left on the trainthis afternoon.
So much forthis food-poisoning business.
Embling hasn't beento the dispensary.
So it looks likehe's with this African girl.
She's changed her train ticketto tomorrow...
so they're probablystill in the area.
Lubra lips.
Nothing.
Having kittens overat Cirencester.
Don't want to tell the police.Cause the most terrible row.
There can't be too many hotelsin this town.
You'd better get dressed.
Hurry up.
Will you pass me my clothes,please?
Get dressed in the bathroom,for goodness sake.
Your parents will bevery disappointed in you.
Seems like you haven'tlearned very much at all...
while you've been with us.
Aren't they all funny?
Aren't they?
I think we'd better go.
Yes. I'm ready.
You keepthis half of the world going.
You look after the other!
I realized I hadn't any ideawhat she'd gone back to.
Her letters came every week.
She told me about an armyofficer called Idi Amin...
and how her stepmotherhad disappeared...
and she was looking afterher brother and sister.
We read in the papersher father had been executed.
Then the letters stopped.
After I was expelled...
I went back homeand worked in my dad's pub.
I was a bit like a sleepwalker.
Here you go. Kev.
The old townhardly seemed real anymore.
I spent my timewriting to embassies...
and government ministers...
even the prime minister.
But mostly...
I concentrated.
An ether surrounds the world...
washing over us all the time...
and all sorts of messagesget transmitted through it.
I had this dreadI'd suddenly know she'd gone.
I spent most of the timewilling her to be all right...
sending...
love, I suppose.
That word neither of ushad used because...
we were both too cool for that.
''Danny...
''we're in Nairobi nowand finally safe.
''A lot of things have happened.
''I'm very different to howI was when you last knew me...
''but I'm waiting for the time...
''we'll sit down togetherand look into each other's eyes.
''I look forward to that timemore than I can say.''
Suddenly...
there weremuch bigger worlds again...
and some small place in themfor me.