Moment 9 Flashcards
Cosmo: Jesus there’s alive things in this!
Presley: Always like that.
Cosmo: Don’t make it all right.
Presley: Dad used to say tap water was the best drink in the world.
Cosmo: How long he been dead?
Presley: Years.
Cosmo: Yeah, well, a lot can happen in years.
Presley: It can. But sometimes … it don’t.
Cosmo is gazing at Haley again.
Presley: We used to have a car.
Cosmo doesn’t respond.
Presley: Dad used to say there was nothing like the smell of a new car.
…
Can you believe that? Middle of winter and brown as a berry - You listening?
Cosmo: Yeah.
Presley: What did I say then?
Cosmo: … He had a suntan.
Presley: That’s right. Where’d you get a suntan in winter?
Cosmo: Sun-bed. If he’s got a Porsche, he’s got a bloody sun-bed.
Presley: You got a Porsche?
Cosmo: …No.
Presley: What car you got?
Cosmo: An expensive one.
Presley: What color is it?
Cosmo: Metallic wine.
Presley: We had a beige Hillman.
Cosmo: Really.
Presley: Yeah. We’d go for a right every Sunday afternoon.
…
Blanket tucked round our legs. Like a big pocket.
Slight pause.
Cosmo: Tell me. What’s your sister’s name?
Presley: I was so happy in that car. Sometimes I think of those days and I cry.
…
Just for a few minutes. A few seconds even.
Cosmo: What’s you sister’s - ?
Presley: Later, at home, Mum’d make salmon and cucumber sandwiches. Dad would brew a pot of tea. We’d sit down and watch television.
Slight pause.
Cosmo: What’s your sister’s - ?
Presley: We’d all dunk biscuits in our tea.
Cosmo: What’s - ?
Presley: Later Mum’s tell us to go to bed. I hated going to bed.
…
Mixture of soft and crunchy. I’d drift into sleep with sweetness in my mouth.
Cosmo: What’s your sister’s fucking name?
Presley: Why you so fucking bothered?
Cosmo: Because I want to fucking know!
Presley: You don’t know my name. And it’s me who’s awake.
Cosmo: Well, what’s your fucking name then?
Presley stares.
Cosmo: What’s wrong? Forgotten your name?
Presley: Don’t … have much cause to say it out loud. Feels … odd.
Cosmo: Go on. Be a devil.
Presley: You really want to know?
Cosmo: I really want to know.
Presley: Presley. Presley Stray.
Cosmo: Congratulations. Now what’s your sister’s - ?
Presley: What’s your name?
Cosmo: … Cosmo.
Presley: Cosmo what?
Cosmo: Cosmo Disney.
Presley: Disney?!
Cosmo: What’s wrong with that?
Presley: Oh … nothing.
Cosmo: Don’t look like nothing.
Presley: Just surprised me, that’s all.
Cosmo: What your sis-?
Presley: Don’t meet many Disneys.
Cosmo: There’s thousands in the phone book.
Presley: Really?! What a petrifying thought.
Cosmo: What’s your sister’s - ?
Presley: Disneys of all shapes and sizes.
Cosmo: TELL ME HER FUCKING NAME!
Presley: HALEY!
Slight pause.
Cosmo: How old is she?
Presley: My age.
Cosmo: And what’s that?
Presley: Oh … about … er …
Cosmo: About? Don’t you know?
Presley: I’ve lost count.
Cosmo: Don’t you have birthdays?
Presley: Not since Mum and Dad went.
Cosmo: How old were you when Mum and Dad went?
Presley: Eighteen.
Cosmo: And that was how many years ago?
Presley: Ten.
Cosmo: So you’re twenty-eight.
Presley: Must be.
Cosmo: Jesus. You’re ancient, Mr Chocolate.
Presley: Stop calling me Mr Chocolate.
Cosmo: Why?
Presley: It’s not my name.
Cosmo: It’s not?
Presley: No. I told you my name.
Cosmo: So you did!
Presley: So use it. Go on. Call me by my name.
Cosmo: … What was it again?
Presley: Presley.
Cosmo: Presley. That’s right.
Presley: Well, go on. Say something, then put my name at the end.
Cosmo: Why?
Presley: I want to hear you say it.
Cosmo: But why?
Presley: It’d make me feel good.
Cosmo: You a homosexual?
Presley: No.
Cosmo: Because homosexuals like to be called by their first name.
Presley: I’m not a homosexual. I just want you to say my name.
Slight pause.
Cosmo: So. You are twenty-eight years old, are you, Presley?
