Brief Encounter

Evening, Mr. Godby.

- Hello, hello, hello. - Quite the stranger, aren't you?

- l couldn't get in yesterday. - l wondered what had happened to you.

- l had a bit of a dustup. - What about?

Saw a chap getting out of a first-class compartment.

When he came to give up his ticket, it was only third class.

l told him to pay the excess, and he turned nasty.

l had to send for Mr. Saunders.

- Fat lot of good he'd be. - He ticked him off.

- Seeing's believing. - l tell you, he ticked him off proper.

You pay the balance at once," he says, "or l'll hand you over to the police."

You ought to have seen the look on the chap's face at the mention of the word "police."

Changed his tune then, he did. Paid up like lightning.

That's just what l mean. He didn't have the courage

to handle it himself. He had to call in the police.

Aw, he's not a bad lot, Mr. Saunders.

After all, you can't expect much spirit from a man

with only one lung and a wife with diabetes.

l thought something must be wrong when you didn't come.

l'd have popped in to explain,

but l had a date and had to run for it the moment l went off.

Oh, indeed.

- Chap l know is getting married. - Very interesting, l'm sure.

- What's up with you, anyway? - l'm sure l don't know to what you're referring.

- You're a bit unfriendly all of a sudden. - Beryl, hurry up.

- Put some more coal in the stove while you're at it. - Yes, Mrs. Bagot.

l'm afraid l really can't stand here wasting my time in idle gossip, Mr. Godby.

Aren't you going to offer me another cup?

You can have another cup and welcome when you've finished that one.

Beryl'll give it to you. l've got my accounts to do.

Hey,

- l'd rather you gave it to me. - Time and tide wait for no man, Mr. Godby.

Laura, what a lovely surprise!

Oh, Dolly.

My dear, l've been shopping till l'm dropping.

My feet are nearly off, and my throat's parched.

l thought of having tea in Spindle's, but l was terrified of losing the train.

- Oh, dear. - This is Dr. Harvey.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

Would you be a perfect dear and get me my cup of tea?

l really don't think l could drag my poor old bones over to the counter.

No, please.

My dear, what a nice-looking man.

Who on earth is he? Really, you're quite a dark horse.

l shall telephone Fred in the morning and make mischief.

This is a bit of luck. l haven't seen you for ages.

l've been meaning to pop in, but Tony's had measles and then l had...

all that awful fuss over Phyllis. But, of course, you don't know.

- My dear, she left me. - Oh, how dreadful.

Mind you, l never really cared for her much,

but still, Tony did. Tony adored her.

l'll tell you all about that later in the train. Thank you so very much.

There's certainly enough milk in it, but still, it'll be refreshing.

- Oh, dear, no sugar. - lt's in the spoon.

Oh, of course. What a fool l am.

Laura, you're looking frightfully well. l do wish l'd known you were coming in today.

We could've come together and lunched and had a good gossip.

l loathe shopping by myself anyway.

- There's your train. - Yes, l know.

- Oh, aren't you coming with us? - No, l go in the opposite direction.

- My practice is in Churley. - Oh, l see.

l'm a general practitioner at the moment.

Dr. Harvey's going out to Africa next week.

Oh, how thrilling.

...the 5:40 to Churley, Leigh Green and Langdon.

- l must go. - Yes, you must.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

He'll have to run, or he'll miss it.

He's got to get right over to the other platform.

Talking of missing trains reminds me of that awful bridge at Broadham Junction.

You've got to go traipsing all up one side along the top and down the other.

Well, the other day, l'd been over to see Bob's solicitor

about renewing the lease of the house.

And l arrived at the station with exactly half a minute to spare.

My dear, l flew.

l'd got Tony with me

and like a fool, l just bought a new shade for the lamp in the drawing room.

l could've gotten it just as easily here in Milford.

Well, it was the most enormous thing.

l could hardly see over it.

But l've never been in such a frizz in all my life. l nearly knocked a woman down.

Of course, by the time l got home, it was battered to bits.

Oh, is that our train?

Can you tell me, is that the Ketchworth train?

- No, it's the express. - The boat train.

Of course. That doesn't stop, does it?

- l want some chocolate, please. - Milk or plain?

Plain, l think.

No, perhaps milk would be nicer. Have you any with nuts in it?

Nestle's Nut Milk. Shilling or sixpence?

I think one plain and one nut milk.

- Large or small? - Large, please.

Where is she?

l never noticed her go.

Oh, l couldn't think where you'd disappeared to.

l just wanted to see the express go through.

What on earth's the matter? Are you feeling ill?

- l feel a little sick. - My dear, come and sit down.

- There's our train. - lt's all right.

- Have you any brandy? - l'm afraid it's out of hours.

- Oh, surely, if somebody's feeling ill - - l'm all right, really.

Just a sip of brandy will buck you up.

Please.

- Very well. - Thank you.

- How much? - Tenpence, please.

The train for Ketchworth is now arriving at platform three.

We shall have to hurry.

Oh, well, this is a bit of luck.

This train's generally packed.

l really am very worried about you, dear. You look terribly peaky.

l'm all right. Really, l am. l just felt faint for a minute, that's all.

lt often happens to me. l did it once in the middle of Bobby's school concert.

l don't think he's ever forgiven me.

Well, he certainly was very good-looking.

- Who? Your friend, Doctor - whatever his name was.

- Yes, he's a nice creature. - Have you known him long?

No, not very long.

- l hardly know him at all, really. - Well, my dear,

l've always had a passion for doctors.

l can well understand how it is that women get neurotic.

I wish I could trust you.

I wish you were a wise, kind friend...

instead of a gossiping acquaintance I've known casually

for years and never particularly cared for.

l wish... l wish...

Fancy him going all the way to Africa. ls he married?

- Well, yes. - Any children?

Yes, two boys. He's very proud of them.

ls he taking them with him - his wife and children, l mean?

Yes. Yes, he is.

l suppose it's sensible in a way rushing off...

to start life anew in the wide open spaces and all that sort of thing, but...

wild horses wouldn't drag me away from England...

and home and all the things l'm used to. I mean...

one has one's roots after all, hasn't one?

Oh, yes, one has one's roots.

l knew a girl once years ago who went to Africa.

You, know, her husband was something to do with engineering or something.

And, my dear, she had the most dreadful time.

She caught some awful kind of germ through going out on a picnic

and she was ill for months and months.

l wish you'd stop talking.

I wish you'd stop prying and trying to find things out.

I wish you were dead. No, l don't mean that.

That was silIy and unkind,

- but l wish you'd stop talking. - My dear, all her hair came out,

and she said the social life was quite, quite horrid.

Provincial, you know, and very nouveau riche.

Oh, Dolly.

What's the matter, dear? Are you feeling ill again?

No, not really ill. l feel a bit dizzy.

- l think l'll close my eyes for a little. - Oh, you poor darling.

And here am l chattering away 19 to the dozen.

l won't say another word.

lf you drop off, l'll wake you up when we get to the level crossing.

That'll give you a chance to pull yourself together

and powder your nose before we get out.

Thanks, Dolly.

This can't last.

This misery can't last.

l must remember that and try to control myself.

Nothing lasts, realIy -

neither happiness nor despair.

Not even life lasts very long.

There'll come a time in the future when l shan't mind about this anymore...

when I can look back and say quite peacefully

and cheerfully how silly l was.

No, no, l don't want that time to come ever.

I want to remember every minute...

always...

always to the end of my days.

- Ketchworth! - Wake up, Laura. We're here.

Ketchworth!

l could easily come to the house with you, dear.

- lt isn't very much out of my way. - Thank you.

All l have to do is walk down Elmore Lane

past the grammar school and l shall be home in two minutes.

lt's sweet of you, Dolly, but l'm perfectly all right now, really l am.

- You're quite sure? - Absolutely positive.

Thank you for being so kind.

Oh, nonsense, dear.

l shall telephone in the morning and see if you've had a relapse.

l shall disappoint you.

Good night.

Good night. Oh, give my love to Fred and the children.

ls that you, Laura?

- Yes, dear. - Thank goodness you've come back.

- The place has been in an uproar. - Why? What's the matter?

Bobby and Margaret have been fighting again.

They won't go to sleep until you go in and talk to them about it.

Mummy? ls that you, Mummy?

- Yes, Margaret. - Come upstairs at once, Mummy!

l want to talk to you.

You're both very naughty. You should have been asleep hours ago.

- Now what is it, you two? - Well, Mummy,

tomorrow's my birthday

and l want to go to the circus.

And tomorrow's not Margaret's birthday,

and she wants to go to the pantomime.

My birthday's in June. There aren't any pantomimes in June.