Gorilla Blanket Act III

Jacob: Still at least I know how a budgie feels now when some rotten git covers it with a blanket at night.

Lisa: An invaluable experience!

Jet: I aim to please.

Luke looks at his watch

Luke: And soon it will be over. I can hear my bed slowly calling to nurse me into a fit state for Monday.

He opens another can

Luke: I'll be asleep throughout my journey to uni tomorrow. No chapel for me dears!

Ben sinks further into his beanbag

Ben: And man who had everything suddenly saw disaster looming on the horizon.

Jacob: Aye its been a grand day for the devil. My liver feels like a boiled egg!

He gulps a vodka and examines the bottle

Jacob: Fuck this bottles nearly gasped its last!

Louie: What do you expect? Its hardly going to gather dust in Jets house is it? Could you pour me another shot please?

Jacob: Might as well finish it off.

He pours one for Louie and himself

Jacob: There's enough for one last hit. Anyone?

Lisa: Yeah go on, fire me up!

Jacob empties the bottle and places it in a carrier bag already filled with cans

Tempathy: And another one hits the dust! Bang!

Luke: If anyone saw us right now with all these empties and a towel over the television they'd put us away for good.

Jet: Nah, its not us thats mad, its them.

Ben: I'll tell you whats mad, prices for train tickets.

Louie: Eh?

Ben: Seriously. I'm paying seventeen quid for a single back to college while a return ticket is nineteen! Fucking ctazy shit.

Jacob: Don't pay. Hide in the bog all day.

Ben: I think I will. Its probably where i'll be spending most of the trip anyway. Hungover, yodeling at porcelain.

He turns to Jet

Ben: You never seem to get hangovers. Come on jedi master! Teach us mere mortals the trick!

Jet: Its no great mystery. What you do is have a cigarette and cup of tea as soon as you wake up, chill for ten minutes then eat a fried beakfast to soak any booze residue and boost sugar levels then tie another one to the old dog.

Lisa: You are bonkers.

Jet: Not at all, blessed more like.

Ben: I see. The only flaw in your blessing is that you end up permanently pissed. Jet I have to agree with Li here, you are indeed a zany freak.

Tempathy: Hey don't pick on my baby!

Jet: Look I don't mean for anyone to drink a bottle of whiskey with your bangers and swine, just pour yourself half a pint of chilled cider and the explosion from that will see you through safely.

Louie: I didn't know you lived so dangerously.

Tempathy: He's my own private litte A bomb.

She lights a cigarette and slops another beer into a pint glass

Luke: If I were you Ben i'd stick with your morning grapefruit juice. There is only one Jet, after him the mould went AWOL.

Lisa: You've got Tempathys vote there!

Tempathy drags on her cigarette and gives a thumbs up signal

The music from the television stops

Jacob: Woah! Time out! The man in the iron mask has quit his singing!

Laughs

Louie: Short music vid Jet.

Jet: I didn't rewind it, no point really unless you want to listen to an interview with the three remaining members of The Doors. You know, the ones nobody remembers.

Jacob: Jet it might have escaped your notice but thats a television you have there. You know

He points to his eyes

Jacob: vision? You're meant to watch as well as listen.

Jet: Some things should be left unseen, especially ageing rockstars.

Ben: And Alan Titmarsh.

Jacob: Shut up you drunken oaf.

Jet: Take Mick Jagger for example. When you look at him now its frightening, it disturbs ones sense of immortality.

Jacob: But if

He stops for a few seconds then shrugs his shoulders

Jacob: To hell with it, i'm too drunk.

Luke: Join the club, I think i'll call time out to be honest.

He looks at his watch

Louie: Are you going home?

Luke gets up unsteadily from the sofa. Tempathy claims the space and stretches out, putting her feet on Lisa's lap

Luke: Yep, if I don't go now I never will.

He looks around

Luke: Anyone else fit enough to face reality?

Ben lifts his head up

Ben: Beam me up Scotty!

Luke pulls him out of the beanbag
Ben rubs his head

Ben: Here we go, one small step for mankind!

Jet stubs out his cigarette and makes his way to the kitchen

Jet: I'll fetch my keys.

Jacob gets to his feet

Jacob: Time gentlemen please!

He turns to the girls

Jacob: Would any of you ladies care to be escorted home by the ragged highway man?

Louie: So kind!

Lisa looks at Tempathy. Her eyes are shut

Lisa: Looks like Tempathy has already gone.

Jet returns from the kitchen with keys and freshly poured pint of cider.He sees them all standing save Tempathy

Jet: You're all bailing out are you?

Lisa points to Tempathy

Lisa: All but one. She's crashed.

Jet motions to his glass

Jet: Well you're welcome to carry on the blaze.

Luke: Cheers but I need to go the way of the wise for a while.

Jacob looks at his friends

Jacob: Look at us, nineties refugees heading into wider oblivion.

Jet goes to the door and turns the lock
They all stand in silence for a moment. Jet nods toward Tempathy

Jet: Do you think we ought to wake her for this little goodbye love in?

Luke: Nah let her dose, i'll call on her tomorrow before I leave.

Ben: Same here. So this is it for another chapter eh?

He shakes Jets hand

Ben: I'll see you soon mate, you keep the books open you hear?

Ben exits

Jacob: Tarra Jet, see you on the other side of the hangover.

Jet: I'll bring the gin.

Jacob exits

Louie: Look after yourself Jet you wild kiddo.

Jet: I'll write you soon.

She kisses him

Jet turns to Lisa

Jet: What time are you working tomorrow?

Lisa: Ah lets see..I'm on the three to nine shift.

Jet: I'll call in for a drink or six.

Lisa: See you there babe.

Lisa and Louie exit

Luke peeps back in through the door

Luke: Dark out, like a wild dogs heart.

Jet: Yeah well, it helps the drunkards sleep.

Luke thrusts a hand through the darkness into Jets hand

Luke: Its been a great day young sir. Listen if you're ever bored with this place, my door at uni is always open.

Jet: Thats what frightens me. They should keep 'em locked to make sure you lunatic students don't get out and commit social terrorism.

They shake hands
Ben shouts from outside

Ben: Come on Luke! There's a brass monkey out here crying into his drink!

Luke: See you later Jet. Oh and be careful.

He points to Tempathy

Luke: The black widow she lurketh!

Luke exits

Jet closes the door and puts another music video on. The towel remains over the screen. He sits on a beanbag, sipping his drink

Tempathy: They've gone then?

Jet: What? We thought you were sleeping.

Tempathy sits up and picks up her drink

Tempathy: A lady never sleeps on Saturdays.

Jet: I see. In that case you can join the monkey on my spine. Cheers!

He swallows a large mouthful of cider

Tempathy: So its just the two of us and Lisa for a while.

Jet: Aye. Are you staying over?

Tempathy: I thought I might.

She looks at the bomb site of empty beer cans and plates scattered around

Tempathy: I'll even give you a hand clearing this lot up if you like.

Jet: Deal.

Tempathy: Cool. Can I ask you something?

Jet: Shoot.

Tempathy: How long is it since you slept with someone?

Jet: My last fuck? Lets see, three years ago.

Tempathy: And you don't miss it?

Jet: No. Maybe I should try it with someone I Love one day. All the sex I ever got seemed to come from dirty flings from some scrubber with a cheap name. Do you want a top up?

He goes to the kitchen and comes back with another cider bottle
He fills Tempathy's glass then his own

Jet: What about you? Or perhaps I shouldn't ask a lady.

Tempathy: Just over a year. A Christmas affair, no Love just tinsel.

Jet: I guess its isn't hip to screw someone you love these days.

Tempathy: Will you ever settle down?

Jet: Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?

Tempathy: And if not you'll go it alone?

Jet: Not really. I still have you and the rest of the guys.

Tempathy: Is it Love?

Jet: For sure.

Tempathy gets up from the sofa and goes to Jet
She takes his glass away and takes hold of his hand

Tempathy: Let's find out.

They kiss as the lights fade out

The End

Curtain Falls

@Steven Francis 1997