Catch Us If You Can - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Scene in the caravan as they are moving again, travelling north. Granda sit in front enjoying the view. There is a sign, “ALTERNATIVE TOURISTS ROUTE”

Rory : Is that because of us?

Tyrone : No, my pa always uses these roads. You find better places to stop. My pa knows all the best 

places.

Rory : It must be exciting, like having a new adventure every day.

Tyrone : It is. I love it.

Rory : Tell me somebody who wouldn’t? It was a boy’s dream life, I thought. No ties, no school, just adventure.

Tyrone : My sister for one. She ran away to go and stay with my auntie. In a house!

Rory : Is she daft (bodoh)?

Tyrone : Got it in one, Rory.

Tyrone laughs.

Rory : Tyrone, how did you get a name like that?

Granda : He was called after a film star!

Rory : He was not (almost shouted)! According to you everybody is called after a film star. I suppose I was 

as well.

Granda : Indeed you were. Rory Calhoun.

Rory : Rory Calhoun! I never heard of him. You make things up as you go along, Granda.

Granda : See you, boy. You take it out of me, so you do. Talking to me like that.

Rory : And what about you? I suppose you were called after some film star as well.

Granda : Aye, I was. I was called after. . (pause) . . What’s my name again?

Rory : You’re really losing it, old man. What’s your name? You don’t even know your name!

Granda : Well, no wonder. All you ever call me is Granda! Granda this, and Granda that. Everybody calls me Granda. It’s no wonder I’ve forgotten my name!

Rory : Daft old bat!

Granda : Wait till you get to my age, boy, if  you ever live that long.

Rory looks at Tyrone.

Rory : Another pointless conversation with my granda, Tyrone.

Tyrone is laughing, and so is Sammy. Suddenly, Granda starts laughing too. Rory flashbacks some memories. Granda is getting warmer with Sammy as he also admires Ruby.

Sammy : Hey, that’s my woman.

Ruby : You leave Granda be. I love getting compliments from good-looking men.

Back to story. Little newagents (penjual surat khabar) had posters outside with newspaper headlines about Granda and me.

Rory : You’ll get into trouble if they find out you helped us. (sound worries)

Sammy : Why should we? We haven’t kidnapped you. And you’re not escaped convicts. It’s a free country. 

You can go where you please.

They stop at a place, that afternoon. Rory hands some money to Ruby.

Ruby : What’s that for?

Rory : You can’t fed us for nothing. (push the money towards her)

Ruby : For all you eat. Mind you, that old man cold eat for Britain!

Ruby looks at Granda, sitting on a tool outside the caravan. Granda  is slurping and sloshing (mengocak) and grinding (menenyeh) and gnashing (mengeritkan gigi). Ruby’s hand closed around Rory.

Ruby : Keep the money, Rory. You’re going to need it. But it’s a sad day when someone can’t lend a helping hand without getting paid for it.

Different scene. Tyrone with Rory now. Rory confesses all that to Tyrone.

Tyrone: See, we’re not all bad. Some of us are really nice. Not all of us, thought. They’re the ones get us all a bad name. But then, there’s plenty of people give you a bad name too and you don’t judge everybody by them, do you?

Rory promises himself not to judge anyone again.

Tyrone : We’re going to have a brilliant night tonight. A party.

Rory : A party?

Tyrone : We’re going to meet up with my pa’s brother and his family. Up in Forfar. We know a good place there.

Rory stiffened. (menjadi kaku, tersentak)

Rory : A whole family, and they know about us?

Tyrone : Of course they do. He’s my uncle. Totally trustworthy. (diam, berfikir sekejap) ven if he has been 

jail for stealing.

Rory almost fall off his seat after hearing that. Tyrone laughs.

Tyrone : Only kidding. Keep your Y-fronts on.

Different scene.The outskirts of Forfar. The other family is there. The two families greeted each 

other warmly. Rory describes the family. Sammy’s brother, Bernie has a wild, black beard like if he had an electric shock. His wife, isn’t as pretty as Ruby. She has fair hair and is wearing willies (but).

Rory : Is that the fashion?

Tyrone : I’ve never seen her without them. I think she was born wearing them.

A skinny stick of girl (Zara) come towards them with a baby (Joshua) on her hip.

Zara : Oh look, Joshua, it’s your cousin Tyrone.

Joshua immediately began to cry.

Zara : Now see what you’ve done!

Tyrone clamps his hands over Rory’s eyes.

Tyrone : Don’t look at her ugly face, Rory. You’ll turn to stone.

Zara : I beg your pardon. I’m considered pretty.

Tyrone : Yeah, pretty ugly.

Rory : Is she your girlfriend, Tyrone?

They pretend to be sick on the ground.

Tyrone : I would have to be mad, blind or desperate!

Zara : Two out of three’s not bad.

Zara looks at Rory.

Zara : My name’s Zara, since it doesn’t look as if I’m going to be introduced. And you must be the famous Rory McIntosh.

Bernie comes over all smiles to introduce himself and his wife.

Bernie : I see you’ve met Zara. And Joshua, say hello to Rory, Joshua.

Rory feel a bit sill talking to Joshua. However, Granda talks to him as if he is his best friend.

Bernie : We know all about you, Granda. They’re widening the net looking for you. You’re going to have to 

think about you’re going to do next.

Granda : Rory and me have plans, isn’t that right, son?

Sammy : Well, time to talk about all that later. (he slips an arm around Granda’s shoulders) For tonight, we’re just going to enjoy ourselves.

~ END OF CHAPTER ~

Catch Us If You Can - Chapter 19

‘CATCH US IF YOU CAN’
By
Catherine MacPhail

Chapter 19

Scene at one of the room in the van. Rory just awake and as he smells of bacon frying and the sound of pop music on the radio. He tries to memories what had happened last night. He looks at Granda who is still asleep beside him. He draw aside the curtain and watch the scenery of the road. Suddenly, Ruby pops in her head round the door and smile.

Ruby : Let your grandfather sleep. You come and have some breakfast.

Rory moves out slowly not to wake Granda. There is Tyrone’s dad (Sammy) in the kitchen-cum-living room sitting drinking tea.

Sammy: Morning.
Rory: Morning.

Ruby put a roll filled with crusty bacon in front of Rory. Rory eats hungrily.

Rory : This is awful good of you. (He splutters crumbs (tersedak serpih) all over the place.

Sammy shrugged (jungkit bahu) and nodded to Ruby.

Sammy : Thank her. She is the softie in the family.

Ruby turns back and laughs loudly.

Ruby : Don’t you believe a word of that, Rory. This man of mine, Sammy, he cries at soppy films. He can’t resist kittens. That advert with the tiny pun and the toilet paper? He sobs at that one. He’s the one that says. “Oh, we can’t leave them here. We’ve got to help.” As if we don’t have enough trouble with the police.

Rory : Oh, I don’t want us to cause you any trouble with the police.

Sammy glares at Ruby.

Sammy : Ach, don’t listen to that woman. She’s a trouble maker, like most women.

Ruby laughs even more.

Ruby : I’d like to see you do without a woman. You big useless lump of lard.

Sammy tries to smack (tampar) Ruby’s bottom but she dodges (mengelak) it and wallops (membantai) him with her tea towel instead. They are both laughing.

Sammy : What a way to talk to the head of the family. Eh, Rory? What’s the world coming to?

Ruby : The head of the family! You know who the boss is in the family. So eat up and then get on with your work.

Sammy : Yes, boss. (He pretends to be afraid as he winks to Rory)

Rory : I’m sorry my granda wasn’t very nice to you the other day.

Sammy : Ach, he’s an old man. My pa was the same. He was an old ba _ . .

Ruby waves a warning finger at Sammy.

Ruby : Language, Sammy!

Sammy : An old bandit (penjahat). I was going to say he was an old bandit.

At the same time, Granda appeared at the door.

Granda : Do I smell bacon? Where am I? How did I get here?

Rory pulls a chair to Granda has a seat.

Rory : What question do you want answered first?

Granda eyes Sammy suspiciously. Sammy held his stare.

Sammy ; Aye, it’s me, old man. The tinker.

He sputs with indignation (kemarahan).

Granda : I didn’t say that. Tell them, Rory. I didn’t call him a tinker, did I?

Sammy lifts a newspaper and pretends to study it.

Sammy : My name’s Sammy if you’re interested.

Granda hadn’t come round to Sammy. Ruby suddenly put a hand on his shoulder.

Ruby : Do you fancy a bacon roll, handsome?

Granda’s eyes light up.

Granda : That would be lovely, sweetheart?

Sammy glance up at Granda.

Sammy : Sweetheart, is it? That’s my wife, you know.

Granda : Aye, and you’re lucky to have her.

Ruby only laugh.

Ruby : You tell him, Granda.

Granda wants to eat his bacon without his teeth.

Rory : Granda! Where’s your teeth?

Granda : There're in my pocket.

Rory takes Granda’s teeth and washes them. Tyrone suddenly appeared, carrying eggs and potatoes.

Tyrone : Mr. Harrison says we can stay here for a couple of days if we want. We’ve been here before. My dad does odd jobs for him. He’s really handy, my dad.

Sammy put his paper down.

Sammy : That’s good of him, but we’re moving off tomorrow. Up north. We’ve got family up there. It’s your cousin’s birthday.

Sammy turns to Rory.

Sammy : It would be safer for you as well. As far away from here as possible.

Ruby : The other caravan went another way. They’ve gone south just in case we’d been followed.

Tyrone switch on the television.

Tyrone : Have you seen yourselves? You’re famous.

Val Jessup appears on the screen, pleads to them if they are watching to get in touch. Darren’s mum suddenly appears to the screen.

Granda : How did that baggage get on there? Look at her! Loves being on television. Thinks she’s a film star.

Darren’s mum : It was my son, Darren, who gave the keys of my caravan to Rory, his best friend. He didn’t mean any harm. Thought he was doing the right thing. Of course, as soon as I realized the spare key was missing, I knew what had happened. (Pause, glance to the side and nodded as if she was receiving directions) I deduced that Darren had given Rory the key so they could hide out there.

Granda : She deduced! Who does she think she is? Sherlock blinkin’ Holmes!

Darren’s mum moves closer to the camera.

Darren’s mum: Come back, son. Bring your granda. He can’t take this. He’s not well. You know that.
You’ve got to come back.

Rory sat back in his seat. On the screen came the photograph of Rory and granda.

Granda : I’m never going back. I’d rather die of cold and hunger, and be free!

                                                                  ~ END OF CHAPTER 19 ~