The Town

Mum? Dad?

All the evidence suggests that they planned to take their own life.

I'm never gonna see my mum again, never gonna hear my dad.

God knows why they did what they did.

You've been mayor five years. Maybe it's time for a change.

Maybe you're right. Maybe it is time for a change.

I suppose they just wanted to talk to someone who knows me. I'm not sure I do these days. Eight years.

It has to be a permanent arrangement. This isn't my fault!

I just don't think it was suicide. It must've been something else. It's time to stop now.

Bury your parents in peace.

OK.

Oof!

Are you Twittering? You mean Tweeting.

I mean Tweeting, yes.

I'm messaging. Ah, texting.

Gran, give up.

I've joined Facebook. I asked you to be my friend.

You haven't replied. Sorry I'm late.

Ah. It wasn't ready.

Is that it? I didn't think it'd be a tube.

Well, so, who wants what?

Scone for Gran, a burger for me, Jodie, jacket potato?

I want a Mars Bar as well. You can't have a Mars Bar. We're economising.

So we can't afford a Mars Bar? They're both in there? Yeah.

They combine them. I thought it was a good idea. They'd wanna be together.

Gran?

Gran, what's the problem? No problem.

Um... A scone for me, burger for you,

Jodie wants a jacket potato.

I tell you what. I'll treat you to the Mars Bar myself.

All right, Jodie?

Hi, Mum. Hi, Dad.

I can't believe you haven't found a job yet. Is that your best suit?

One of them. Where'd you get it, Top Man? No.

Didn't think so. It looks old. You should go to Top Man.

Bye.

Look. There it is.

I could find some work.

Go to Tesco's, do the swiper.

That what? Where's my keys?

You know, the beep-beep. No, no, Gran.

I'll get work. You just stay here. Watch TV.

I'm going to be late for this interview, Gran. It's not a problem.

Right. Right.

So much in life, Shireen, is ephemeral.

Booze, women, all leaves you in the end.

But as mayor, when you open a building,

it stands there, with your name on the front, forever.

Why aren't there more kids?

They probably kept most of them back, I expect. They'll do.

Yeah, take my advice. As mayor, open everything you can. It earns respect.

I'm going to miss that.

What do you mean? When I retire.

I made the decision yesterday. It's time for me to move on.

Len, are you sure? Mm-hm.

Mayor Robinson, is it OK to get a photo of you and the kids? Course. This way, gang.

Where do you want us? Just move forward a bit.

Squeeze in. Squeeze in. This way. Squeeze in. Smashing.

You look really stupid. Piss off.

That's lovely.

Hm. Just one more.

All right, that'll do. Thank you, Mayor.

I'm not standing around being insulted by children. I've got better things to do.

Thanks, everyone. Come on, Shireen.

What's your name?

How old are you? 17.

You? 15.

So's my boyfriend. Huh!

Call me. Paedophile.

Hmm.

Babe?

Babe!

Yeah? What are you doing?

Just getting something.

So you're the mayor's assistant, then? Assistant?

No. Why would you think that?

I'm a councillor for Renton West. Didn't Len tell you any of this at the interview?

He said you'd fill me in on the details.

It'll be two weeks as a temp,

helping me with my backlog, and then we'll see where we are.

So, that floor was planning, the second is legal.

Waste collection to the left. And through here we have taxation.

All right, Ann? Hello. Hello.

My mum worked in taxation.

Er... Yes, of course. Maybe that's why she killed herself?

Which... Which was Kate's desk? Sorry?

Oh, this is Mark, her son.

Oh, Mark. Yes. I was at the funeral.

I'm so sorry. Is that it?

Yeah, that hers, by the window.

Are you visiting? He's just moved back.

We found him some work for a few weeks.

Where's all of her stuff? Her things?

I don't know.

No-one came to collect them, so probably they've been put in the bin.

Didn't you think we'd want them? Sorry.

Bye. Bye.

Here is my Jobseekers application.

Psychotherapist? We don't have that. No, I'm sure, but...

Is that like a physiotherapist? Not really.

We don't have those either. And your age will count against you.

I know, but for now I was thinking school? Garden centre?

I'm... I'm good with people. Really?

Well, maybe we do have something.

That's your job reference number. Take it round the corner.

It Mark around? Lunch break.

Here.

Kate Nicholas. That's her things.

But I thought - It's difficult.

Don't show him till you've had a look.

Then you decide what the right thing to do is, because, well,

I don't know.

It's an easy question. 60.

I've got here 63. That's it. 63.

You're not 63.

65. How about 75?

Now you're being rude. Why would you say that?

Because you've put your age as 63 but give your date of birth as the 10th of May, 1937.

If you work it out - Which I can.

Nintendo brain, Jim. I moisturise every day.

Swim.

My age is irrelevant. Look, Betty,

I can see you want the job,

and it's good someone of your age is so... enthusiastic.

But it's much too physically demanding. Sorry.

She can do it. What?

I know her.

From before. She works hard. She... She never stops.

You won't regret it.

Please?

We're not supposed to fraternise with girls from your school.

In case you accidentally have sex with us or something? Exactly. You're a bad influence.

Cigarette? Funny.

Harry, you're next, mate!

So there's this party tonight, this big house in the country. I think you're, yeah, definitely coming.

No. Party with your friends? I don't own enough gold.

I wouldn't know what to wear. Harry!

Look, it doesn't matter. It's Friday night. We'll have a really good time. I'll text you, all right?

Wear your best dress!

Dress.

There. Thank you. Have a good day. You've mixed these up. What? They go in order.

They go blue, pink, red, but now there's red ones everywhere.

I'll have to do them again. I sold some earlier so I put them back in the wrong place. Typical, Carly.

What's the matter? No, don't do that, cos this isn't personal.

You've made another mistake. Why do you have to make everything about us two. Your face. What?

It changes when you come near me. It goes red.

Oh, Jodie. How do you know my name? I went to school with your brother. We did the flowers for the funeral.

Oh, right. For years your mum came in and she - Bought flowers here.

Yeah, same flowers, same day, every year. Why? Carly.

Will you stop chatting, yeah? Do some work.

How can I help you?

I'm going to this party tonight. This dress is all I've got.

So I thought maybe some flowers or accessories could help.

Yeah, definitely.

Um... I know. I've got something that's blue. Would you wear this?

Inspector, hello. I'm Shireen Chadha. Yes.

I hope you don't mind me barging in.

Actually, we met at the Neighbourhood Watch meeting last year,

and then in March at the policing conference.

We talked about sandwiches. You said you didn't like them. I know who you are. Of course. Good.

It's about Kate Nicholas.

She worked with us at the council.

Am I right that you investigated her death? Yes.

Well, the thing is, we were clearing up her desk

and we found a few things and, well, I wasn't sure if you wanted to see them - What sort of things?

You mean personal items or - Uh...

An old pair of shoes, notebook,

photographs, you know, that sort of thing.

Um... I suppose if they've already had the funeral,

well, it's all done.

Yeah, it was clear what had happened, so... we finished. Hm.

Did you know them before, the family?

No. No. Neither did I.

It's just, well, often in this town there's connections, so...

That's right. Well, thank you for checking, Shireen.

If you get a chance, bring the items into the station, I'll make sure they get back to the family.

Perfect. Thanks. No, thank you.

Oh, sorry I'm late.

I've got dinner for us. It's Friday night, so I thought we'd...

treat ourselves.

Jodie! Hi.

Do you like it?

What do you think?

Say something.

I love it.

Come on.

You know she's married, don't you? We're just catching up. Who's buying the drinks? Shut up.

Here we go. Thanks.

It's just the same, isn't it? What? The Antelope.

You used to make me buy the drinks, remember? Said I looked older.

Well, you do look older.

- Thanks, Mark. - That's charming.

God, everyone knows each other here, don't they?

So how's home? If you mean Karl, just say Karl.

I don't mean Karl, but...

now that you mention him. He's good. Good.

He didn't mind us meeting? I didn't tell him.

Sounds healthy. It would've just made it more complicated. Yeah.

You said a dress. What?

No-one's wearing a dress.