Lads’ll keep well clear of him.
MAN: There you are you see. Right again. He wants to be accepted. He’s scared of being ordinary. Needs to be part of the gang. Terrified of rejection. Wants to be seen as a hard case. Thinks he needs a reputation. And all of this comes from having the wrong attitude. His life would be much easier and much happier if he could just look at things differently. We should feel sorry for him.
YOUTH: I don’t feel sorry for him at all. I feel sorry for me. I want to get him back. I want to kill him and tonight’s going to be payback time.
MAN: And I feel sorry for you. I really do. Not only have you been hit with a brick and been hurt physically, but you’re poisoning yourself mentally as well.
(The Youth slumps back down onto the bench. Head in hands.)
YOUTH: So this is my fault is it. I’m to blame. I caused this did I? And now I’m poisoning myself? What’s all that about?
MAN: Well he didn’t hit me, did he? I walked right by those lads near the ticket office and they didn’t seem interested in me at all.
YOUTH (surly): Well you were just lucky.
MAN: Maybe. Or maybe I didn’t show that I was interested in them. Maybe they didn’t pick up any negative energy. Didn’t see me as a threat.
YOUTH (speaking with exasperation): They didn’t hit you because you’re an old man who doesn’t count. They weren’t interested in you. Just like I’m not interested in you or the crap you talk about being happy and unhappy. (Pause) And if the police were here now who would they arrest? Hey? Tell me that. Not me, because I’ve done nothing wrong and I’ve got no weapons on me. (Stands up and lifts his sports top) See. Nothing. But the guy out there has got a brick and he hit me with it. Which makes him guilty and means (shouting) it’s not my fault! (He sits back down shaking his head in disbelief.)
MAN (conciliatory and calming tone): Of course, you’re right. This should never have happened. It’s not your fault at all. But it will be your fault if you let it get you down. If you let it make you unhappy.
YOUTH (head in hands): Aaaaaaaaaaaagh! There you go again.
(They sit in silence.)
YOUTH: Is that it? Nothing more to say for yourself?
MAN: Errrr?? (Holds his hands up as though seeking inspiration) What are you doing around here?
YOUTH: I was visiting my mate at the Bail Hostel.
MAN: Errr?? (Again holds hands up seeking inspiration.) Is he a nice guy?
YOUTH: Nice? Nice? What kind of talk is that? You don’t get nowhere by being nice. You’ve got to be hard. You don’t get respect by being nice. You don’t get to run a crew of lads by being nice. You’ve got to be able to fight your corner, be one step ahead, have people do things because they’re scared of you, because they look up to you. You know nothing do you.
MAN: Well I know your mate sounds just like the lad up there with the brick. I feel sorry for him. Why does he need to be in control? To be top dog? Why can’t people just be ordinary? Look where it’s got him. Bail Hostel. That can’t be a lot of fun. It can’t make him happy can it.
YOUTH: Noooooooo! Not the happy thing. Nooooooo!!
MAN: Why not? What have you got against it? Life would be easier, much more pleasant, if we thought about everyone’s happiness rather than trying to do each other down. Wanting fame. Wanting to be the best. Number one. It doesn’t leave much room for seeing people’s good qualities does it. For seeing the beauty in life and for treating people kindly.
YOUTH: Do I look like a mug? It’s only do-gooders behave like that. What’s the point? Life’s hard. Then we get put away. End of story.
MAN: It doesn’t have to be the end of the story. We make our own lives better by living better and a lot of that is about how we look at other people and the world around us. Everyone can change. We can stop looking at the bad things and look at the good things any time we want.
YOUTH (slowly and with frustration. Jabbing his finger to emphasise each word): It was me who was hit with the brick!
MAN: I know. I know. I haven’t forgotten. What’s your name by the way?
YOUTH: Darren.
MAN: Hi Darren. I’m George. Now look Darren, I honestly think you can turn this negative experience into a positive.
YOUTH: How? (Shaking head in despair)
MAN: Just by deciding, right now, to look at things differently. All you have to do is move your head and the world changes. (Pointing) See that graffiti over there? Making the platform look a mess. We don’t have to look at it. (He puts his hand to his face in an exaggerated gesture and moves his head to the side) We can look at the flowers in that planter instead.(Pause) You see? We can change our outlook on the world just like that. (The YOUTH looks from the graffiti to the planter several times.)
MAN: We can choose to look up at the sky rather than at the cigarette ends and crisp packets on the floor. (The MAN looks down at the floor then exaggeratedly places his hand under his chin to look upwards. He does this twice and the YOUTH follows suite. There is a pause while they sit silently on the bench. Then the YOUTH stands and moves to the edge of the platform looking down the tracks.)
YOUTH: Thank God for that. The Train’s coming. I don’t have to listen to you anymore. It was worse than being hit with the brick. (The Man stands. Walks to the edge of the platform. They move in separate directions to enter different carriages.)
(A pause)
(OFF STAGE there is the sound of a train rumbling towards the platform.) (The YOUTH puts his hand to his mouth to hail the Man who is now some distance away along the platform.)
YOUTH: Hey George. (Pause) Stay happy!
MAN (raising his right hand to his mouth to hail): Darren. Keep looking at the flowers! (The YOUTH looks towards the flowers, shakes his head and laughs.) CURTAIN
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