EXT. BEACH - DAY
A football rests on the top of a small sand dune, the blue sky behind it.
From off-camera we can hear the 'Match of the Day' theme being hummed by
a BOY. The football rolls off its spot, down the slope of the dune. Child's
hands come into view and place it carefully back to it's original position.
Instantly it moves again before being grabbed and firmly put back. Before
it can move again the child kicks it into the air.He makes the sound of
a crowd which merges into real audio of a football crowd.TITLEEXT. BEACH
- DAY (cont.)
The young BOY is standing like a soldier. He has obviously been told to
stand still and will only manage it for about five seconds. He is in a small,
secluded area of beach, a child's secret area. It is the sort of never-ending,
school summer holiday, day that you remember from your childhood but that
probably never existed. He has a football under his arm and is wearing a
LIVERPOOL F.C. top but normal trousers. The top is one he has made himself
with crayons on a white T-shirt. It has dusty and untucked.
BOY:
My name is Jonathan and I am eight.
CUT TO: JONATHAN who walking along the edge of the sea kicking the football
in front of him.
JONATHAN:
(slightly bored)
First there was the stone age - that was cavemen n'that.
CUT TO: Jonathan who is now pulling with all his strength at a half buried
fisherman's net. The ball rests to one side.
JONATHAN:
Then it was the.....Roman age - they did fightin' 'n' eatin' 'n'...
CUT TO: Jonathan who is now walking back the way he came, the net bundled
up and perched on his head, the football kicked in front.
JONATHAN:
The Middle Ages - they had swords
CUT TO: Jonathan who is in a small stash area. He places the net with other
finds; driftwood, two pieces of pipe.
JONATHAN:
World War I and II - they played footie on Christmas day sometimes.
CUT TO: Jonathan who is now paddling in the sea, his trousers rolled-up.
He looks out to sea.
JONATHAN:
...and then there was the 60's age, my dad grew up then.EXT. TERRACED STREET
- DAY
Jonathan who is now walking up a long street comprised of semi-detached
and detached houses. He lazily kicks a old can.
JONATHAN:
I know lots of things about my dad I do. He was a flower person - I think
he grew from a seed.
(pause)
And he liked pots....
DAD is seen in fully exaggerated sixties dress, in front of a floral wallpapered
wall, holding a selection of flower pots.
JONATHAN (V.O.):
...Jesus Lennon...
Dad's hand is pointing at a picture frame. Inside the frame is a photograph
of JOHN LENNON with a halo above him.
JONATHAN (V.O.):
...and world peas.
Dad is holding a tin labelled 'world peas' up next to him in the style of
a 50'S TV advert.
EXT. TERRY'S HOUSE - DAY
Jonathan is walking up to the door of the house. He wipes his nose with
his hand and tucks his shirt in. It is a typical suburban house with a neatly
mowed lawn.JONATHAN:
My dad comes from Liverpool, that's where the sixties was y'know.
EXT. PORCH OF TERRY'S HOUSE - DAY
Jonathan and TERRY the same age sitting on the front door step. Terry now
holds the football.
JONATHAN:
This is m' mate Terry.
TERRY just stares unblinking at the camera
JONATHAN:
His dads nice - I like 'im. He eats 10p crisps and supports Man U. We both
support England though and we watch the match on his telly.
(pause) (loudly)
Terry fancies Sophie Huntingdon.
Terry looks even more shocked, snaps out of his camera-induced trance and
starts to speak.INT. TERRY'S FRONT ROOM
The two boys are kneeling in front of Terry's large TV. The room is again
typically suburban and quite bare. What items there are seem expensive and
plush looking. Large pieces of art hang on the wall. The boys stare intently
at the screen and sit far too close.
TV COMMENTATOR:
And England really need to pull something out of the bag now. Shearer -
crosses it - to Owen. Owen - runs onto it. Good run by Owen.
Jonathan and Terry get more excited with each line of commentary.
TV COMMENTATOR (CONT.):
He's still going, past one, past two, again. Shoot's it.....
By now the boys are virtually on their feet with excitement.
TV COMMENTATOR (CONT.):
Goal!
The boys dance around the room fists up in the air. After about five seconds
Terry picks up the remote control and we hear the video being rewound.
They sit down again and repeat the whole process including cheering with
just the same amount of enthusiasm as before.EXT. A STREET IN A MORE URBAN
AREA OF TOWN - DAY
Jonathan is walking down the street still in his LIVERPOOL SHIRT. He no
longer has the ball.
JONATHAN:
No. I don't live in Liverpool anymore.EXT. OUTSIDE OF A SHED - DAY
Jonathan looks around nervously.
JONATHAN:
(whispering)
I still support Liverpool though,
Jonathan fumbles with the padlock trying to undo it.
JONATHAN:
(almost to himself)
Of course I do.INT. GARDEN SHED - DAY
Jonathan is seen going through a highly complex ritual to retrieve his
normal clothes. He lifts a floorboard to get a key, then he climbs on
top of an old wardrobe and opens the suitcase on top with the key. This
is presented as a series of JUMP CUTS as he says:
JONATHAN:
Owen, Macca, Fowler, Stig-Inge Bjornebye
He is now dressed in his NORMAL CLOTHES with his home-made T-shirt in
his hand. The floorboard / wardrobe / suitcase are still all open as he
needs still to hide his t-shirt.
JONATHAN:
(gloomy)
Mum says I shouldn't any more.
JUMP CUT TO
EXT. TENNIS COURTS
Jonathan is in the middle of the court with the racket tossed on the floor
next to him. He is showing the full range of ball skills with the tennis
ball.
JONATHAN (V.O.)
She says enough is enough....
JUMP CUT TO
INT. BOWLING ALLEY
Jonathan is trying, but not succeeding, in kicking a bowling ball.
JONATHAN (V.O)
…she's fed up in her mind's teeth with footie…
JUMP CUT TO
INT. BASKET BOWL PITCH
Jonathan is jockeying for position amongst a group of similarly aged boys.
As the basketball comes flying in Jonathan jumps up and heads it into
the basket.
JONATHAN (V.O.)
…that I should get a new hobby.
FADE IN AUDIO OF FOOTBALL CROWD
DISSOLVE BACK TO -
INT. GARDEN SHED (cont.)
Jonathan is holding up his Liverpool top just staring at it with a smile
on his face.
PAUSE
JONATHAN:
(quietly)
But I would never do that.
Suddenly the shed door is flung open with a bang and light pours in. Jonathan
is shocked - he has been caught out. He looks around in a panic, his hiding
place is exposed. He pathetically tries to hide his t-shirt behind him.
FADE OUT
FADE ININT. JONATHAN'S BEDROOM
Jonathan is staring at a rotten apple-core.
JONATHAN:
Mum don't like Dad very much. She always cries when I ask about him…
Jonathan is sitting in his sparse bedroom, there are no posters on the
plain white walls. He looks out of the window, glumly, his head in his
hands. On the window sill is a collection of absolutely useless objects
that boys collect such as snail shells, conkers, a collection of rubber
bands, etc. As well as the apple core. There is NO evidence of any football
items in the room.
JONATHAN:
questions n'that about him - what him and me mum used to do together.
Jonathan opens his wardrobe door.
JONATHAN:
I don't like it when I makes me Mum cry.
Jonathan looks at a football trophy as the light spills in from the doors
opening.
JONATHAN:
Dad used to go up the Kop. I reckon he'd want me to do the same.
In contrast to his room the cupboard is immaculate and like a shrine.
Contained within are all things football - sticker albums, posters, fixture
charts etc.
JONATHAN:
One day I will.
Jonathan is lying on the ground playing Subbutteo. He stares at one of
the little players and picks fluff off the 'grass'.
JONATHAN:
Mum 'n'them blame 'im for everything 'n' allsorts. Even when it's me that
gets into some bother. It's 'is fault 'cos he isn't here. A stone hits
the window.
JONATHAN:
But I'm a good boy really.
Another stone hits the window.EXT. OUTSIDE HOUSE - DAY
Looking down from Jonathan's bedroom window we can see TERRY. He is furiously
eating his 10p crisps as he glances around nervously.EXT. HIGH STREET
- DAY
Jonathan and Terry are idly walking down the busy street. They walk in
that erratic route that boys take when they have a lot of energy and nothing
to put it into.
JONATHAN:
Terry says he wishes he was me. INT. SHOPPING MALL
Terry is riding on a POSTMAN PAT 20p ride. He has a glum face. Jonathan
is standing to the side.
JONATHAN:
He says when he gets into trouble his dad hits him. And he doesn't get
any pud.EXT. SPORTS SHOP - DAY
Jonathan and Terry have their noses pressed up against the shop window
and are peering in. On display are a full Liverpool kit and a full Manchester
United kit. The two boys are in front of their respective dream items.
JONATHAN:
That's why he wishes that.
We only see Jonathan in shot.
JONATHAN:
I wonder if wishes come true.
In the reflection of the glass shop window he thinks he sees his DAD,
still in the seventies gear, standing still amongst the moving crowds.
He turns to look and instead there stands a man with just a passing resemblance
to DAD, a PSEUDO-DAD.
JUMP CUT TO:
Jonathan standing next to PSEUDO-DAD and looking up at him with a massive
grin on his face. PSEUDO-DAD glances around the area trying to ignore
Jonathan. Eventually his embarrassment overcomes him and sidles off screen.
Jonathan looks down at the ground.
JONATHAN:
I think Terry talks too much.
He turns to look at Terry but where Terry was there is no one there. Further
up the road Terry is running, his movement a blur of flailing arms and
legs. Jonathan sets off after him.EXT. THE BEACH - DAY
Jonathan and Terry are scrabbling up the sand dunes.
JONATHAN:
Mum's trying to find us a new dad. But it's a bit of a struggle.
Jonathan and Terry are standing on top of the dune looking down at their
secret area of coast.
JONATHAN:
(quietly)
It's not that I don't like them - I do.
ECU - A stick is dragged through the sand in a straight line, very slowly.
JONATHAN (OS):
Most of 'em is nice and mum seems happy.
CU - Jonathan's hand is now seen holding the stick as he works on another
line in the sand.
JONATHAN:
(quietly)
But it's all these presents that I get.
JUMP CUT TO:
INT. JONATHAN'S BEDROOM:
Jonathan is standing in pile of wrapping paper with some more unopened
presents behind him in a tower. Amongst the paper is a collection of totally
unsuitable gifts for a young boy - a food processor, a Bob Marley LP,
an iron, a lampshade etc.
JONATHAN (V.O.)
I like getting them, some I can swap for footie stuff.EXT. BEACH - DAY
(CONT.)
Jonathan and Terry are both working on lines. They approach each other
from the sides of the screen as they work back to back. As the bump into
each other they stand up.
JONATHAN:
I always smile and say Thank you
(pause)
AND please.
Jonathan and Terry stand in the middle of a FOOTBALL PITCH made from the
lines in the sand. While it is obviously not full-size it is in proportion
and very well made.
JONATHAN:
But I'd rather just have me dad back.EXT. ON THE PITCH - DAY
Jonathan is about at the half way line and Terry is standing a goal made
out of the fisherman's net and two bits of pipe. Terry's face turns red
as he blows hard into an old crisp bag. When it is bloated he twists the
end and slams it hard with his hand so it bangs. Jonathan starts running
as if he is dribbling with a football.
JONATHAN:
And England really need to pull a bag now. Shearer crosses it Owen. Who
runs onto it and it's a good run. He's the greatest in the whole world.
Jonathan weaves around the 'players' with his 'football'
JONATHAN (CONT.):
He's still going, past one, past two, past three, past four. Shoot's it...
Terry makes a flying leap into the corner of the goal.
JONATHAN:
Goal!
The boys dance around the pitch, fists in the air as they did in Terry's
house. Jonathan pulls his T-shirt over his head and Terry gets caught
up in the net.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
EXT. RAILWAY BRIDGE - DAY
Jonathan is standing on a bridge across a railway line as a train travels
underneath. He leans over the edge. He is in SCHOOL UNIFORM. The weather
is now overcast and dreary.
JONATHAN:
He coulda been a train driverEXT. FIRESTATION - DAY
JONATHAN:
I reckon my dads a firemanEXT. SCHOOL GATES - DAY
Jonathan stares up at an aeroplane
JONATHAN:
My dads a pilot y'know
EXT. SCHOOL PLAYGROUND - DAY
Jonathan is sitting on a bench in the playground. He is in a mood. Terry
is sitting on the same bench but right at the other end and looking away
from Jonathan. Terry is aggressively eating a packet of 10p crisps as
he also struggles to hold onto his football.
JONATHAN:
Terry says my dad was some old care-taker at a stinky school, just like
Mr. Smellington.
(shouting back at terry)
But he is a LIAR!INT. CUPBOARD
Portrait shot of a SCHOOL CARETAKER from hell. MR. ELLINGTON standing
rock solid and lit from below. He has a vicious expression on his face
and a mountain of confiscated footballs behind him.EXT. - SCHOOL GATES
- DAY
Jonathan is coming out of the school gates.
JONATHAN:
I want to be a care-taker in a school when I grow up. Just like my Dad
and Mr. Ellington.INT. CUPBOARD
Portrait shot as before but this time MR. ELLINGTON and DAD are standing
with their arms around each other's shoulders in smart overalls and big
smiles on their faces.EXT. BEACH - DAY
Jonathan is standing at the edge of the sea. It is definitely no longer
the summer. The pitch has been washed away, one of pipes remains stuck
in the sand but at an angle.
JONATHAN:
I never knew my Dad. He died before I was born. He was at a football match.
He wasn't a player or nothing. Just watching.
(pause)
Dad, in his dream world is looking into the camera, lovingly. Slowly a
smile forms on his face until it beams.
JONATHAN (V.O.)
That's all - just watching.EXT. BEACH - SUNSET
JONATHAN:
(excitedly)
Before that he was an astronaut.
He punches his out-stretched finger skyward. The camera cranes up leaving
the small boy looking very lonely. |
