Cast: GARYSTEPHEN
A motorway service station café somewhere in the Midlands, Sunday lunchtime. GARY, 49, is already seated with two coffees. His younger brother STEPHEN, 45, arrives with a carrier bag. They have not spoken in eleven years
SFX: café clatter, a coffee machine hissing, a child whining somewhere
GARYGot you a coffee. White, no sugar. That right?
STEPHENBlack, now.
GARYSince when?
STEPHENAbout eleven years.
GARYRight. I'll get another.
STEPHENIt's fine. I'll drink it.
GARYYou found it all right, then.
STEPHENIt's a service station, Gary. It's got a sign the size of a house.
GARYI know. I'm making conversation. It's what people do.
STEPHENIs that it?
GARYIs what it?
STEPHENThe bag. On the chair.
GARYOh. Yeah. That's him. That's Dad.
STEPHENIn a carrier bag.
GARYIt's a bag for life. It's a good bag. What was I going to bring him in? A briefcase?
STEPHENI don't know. Something.
GARYThe urn's in there. It's a nice urn. Oak effect. I chose it.
STEPHENOkay.
GARYYou could've chosen it, if you'd come.
STEPHENI know.
GARYI rang you four times.
STEPHENI know. I got the messages.
GARYSo why didn't you come?
STEPHENI don't know.
GARYYou do know.
STEPHEN...What does the will say? About the ashes.
GARYIt says "my sons to decide." That's it. Four words. He couldn't even be bothered to be difficult about it.
STEPHENWhere do you want to put him?
GARYMum's grave, I thought. Or Skegness. He liked Skegness.
STEPHENHe hated Skegness.
GARYHe went every year.
STEPHENBecause Mum liked it. He sat in the car and did the crossword. For thirty years. He never once went on the beach.
GARYThat's not true.
STEPHENEvery year, Gary. You were on the beach. I was in the car with him.
GARYWhy were you in the car?
STEPHENBecause if I was in the car, he wasn't shouting at Mum.
GARY...
STEPHENYou were older. You were always out. You don't remember what he was like when it was just us.
GARYHe wasn't that bad.
STEPHENNot to you.
GARYI thought you just didn't like him. I thought you were being... I don't know. Being you.
STEPHENI was frightened of him. My whole childhood. That's why I didn't come to the funeral. Not because of you. Because I didn't know what I'd feel, and I didn't want to feel it in front of you.
GARYYou could have told me that.
STEPHENYou'd have said he wasn't that bad.
GARY...Yeah. I would have.
STEPHENSo.
GARYSo what do we do with him?
STEPHENI don't know. I don't want him on the mantelpiece.
GARYNor do I, if I'm honest. Our Kelly says he's creepy.
STEPHENHow old's Kelly now?
GARYNineteen. She's at college. She asks about you.
STEPHENDoes she?
GARYShe's got your nose. Poor girl.
STEPHEN...Mum's grave. Next to Mum. That's where he'd want to be.
GARYThat's not where you'd want him.
STEPHENIt's not about me. She'd want him there. She put up with him. She can keep an eye on him.
GARYAll right. Mum's grave. Next Sunday?
STEPHENNext Sunday.
GARYYou'll come?
STEPHENI'll come.
GARYI'll get you a black coffee after. In the café by the church. It's terrible.
STEPHENGood. I'll drink it anyway.