by Rolf De Heer
SCENE 14 INT. BUBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Bubby is still sitting at the table when he hears a key in the padlock outside. Tears form in his eyeSy trickle down his cheeks.
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The door opens and Mom walks in, wearing the gas mask. She closes and padlocks the door and takes the mask off. She puts her hag and a half empty sherry bottle on the table.
BUBBY: Bubby naughty...
MOM: Oh Christ. What you done.^
Bubby doesn't move. Mom sees the puddle underneath the chair comes over to Bubby and starts flaying him across the shoulders.
MOM: You filthy little cunt. You dirty little shit! I’ll send you to hell, just you see, you’ll go to hell, and your eyes will fall out and your prick will fall off you filthy little slime!
Bubby sits and takes the blows, the tears still falling down his cheeks.
SCENE 15 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Mom is washing Bubby from the waist down, standing next to the sink. Bubby looks across at the door.
SCENE 16 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Mom is screwing Bubby again. Bubby is lying back, playing with her over-sized breasts almost as if they were toys.
MOM: You’re such a good little boy... Mummy does love her little Bubby... You like ‘em, don’t ya Bub... beautiful, ain’t they? Good little boy...
Bubby continues to play.
SCENE 17 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Mom is at the stove. She basically ignores what Bubby is doing. Bubby is near the door. He has make-up and lipstick on, and he's wearing one of his mother's dresses, with padding underneath to approximate her breasts and belly. He's got the cat on a chair, tied to the back of it with a piece of string around its neck so that it's nearly choking. Bubby's bowl and spoon are on the chair with the cat.
BUBBY: [to cat, as Mom'] Be still.
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The cat struggles. Bubby slaps the helpless animal.
[as Mom] Be still! Be still you little cunt! By Christ I’ll beat you brainless.
Buhhy^s demeanour changes to a more compassionate Mom.
[to cat] Can’t come outside, ‘cause no gas mask and Bubby die!
Bubby emphasises the point with a sharp choking sounds hand around his throat. Bubby picks up a gas mask from next to the door. Just before putting it he addresses the cat again.
[as Mom] Now be still.
He puts on the gas mask and play-acts unlocking the padlocks with an imaginary key hung around his neck on a string. He pretends to open the door' and steps through the doorway'. He looks over his shoulder at the caty then takes the gas mask off.
[coughing Poison! Poison!
Bubby sinks dramatically to the ground. Mom looks up from her stirring.
MOM: And if the poison don’t get you?
BUBBY: Then God will!
MOM: Don’t you bloody forget it!
Bubby addresses the caty mimicking his mother.
BUBBY: Don’t you bloody forget it!
SCENE 18 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Mom has a pot of boiled potatoes on the table. She strains some boiled carrots in the sink and throws them into the pot with the potatoes. She starts mashing them together.
Bubby is sitting next to the table. He has the cat on a long piece of string. The cat is pulling violently away. Bubby lets it pull awayy then reels it dragging back in. He lets it pull awayy then drags it back in.
BUBBY: Where Kat from?
Mom mashes a bit before answering.
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MOM: Outside.
Buhhy reels Kat back in.
BUBBY: How come he ain’t... no gas mask? >
Mom mashes some morey inscrutable.
MOM: Don’t need it. Don’t breathe.
Bubby considers matters. He gives Kat a bit of a kick and watches him.
BUBBY: How don’t breathe?
Mom drops the masher in the poty strides round the table behind Buhhy and grabs him. She clasps one hand over his mouth and nosey pinching it violently closed.
After a momenty Buhhy starts to struggle through lack of airy hut Mom holds him firmly. Buhhy lashes out in panicy hut Mom grimly hangs on.
When he's about to black outy Mom releases himy gasping.
MOM: That... ain’t breathin’.
She slops some orange mash into his howl.
MOM: Eat!
SCENE 19 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Buhhy and Mom are sitting at the table. Mom is engrossed in her own thoughtSy drinking sherry and tea.
Buhhy is experimenting with Kat. He has Kat on the table in front of himy wrapped entirely in cling wrap plastic except for its head and tail. This way Kat is immohilisedy can't scratch or claw.
Buhhy tries to cover Kat's mouth with his hand and pinch its nostrils closed to see if Kat breathes or not. Kat struggleSy and the experiment is inconclusive. Kat hisses at Buhhyy Buhhy hisses hack at it.
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SCENE 20 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Mom is still drinking tea and sherry, Kat is free back in its cage, Buhhy is sitting at the table with the clingwrap, thinking.
Buhhy leans forward and breathes against a piece of the clingwrap, causing condensation. He puts the clingwrap right against his face, and finding it difficult to breathe, wraps the clingwrap right around his own head.
He sits up straight. Mom continues her drinking. After a moment Buhhy frantically tears the clingwrap off his head.
SCENE 21 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Buhhy is staring at Kat through the clingwrap. Mom tries to pour herself another sherry but there^s none left. She slams the bottle down onto the table and gets up.
She walks unsteadily to the door, puts on the gas mask and leaves. Buhhy continues to stare at Kat through the clingwrap.
SCENE 22 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Buhhy is staring at dead Kat on the table. Kat's head is completely wound round with clingwrap.
Buhhy doesn't know what to make of it. He hisses at Kat, hut Kat doesn't move. He pokes at Kat hut Kat doesn't move. He pulls the clingwrap off Kat's head, holds Kat up to his face and hisses again. Still no reaction.
There is a sudden knocking at the door. Buhhy freezes, terrified. More knocking, then loud hanging. Buhhy looks at the headless Jesus, then at the door. He is frozen to his chair. More hanging at the door, then silence.
Suddenly a voice, loud and rasping. Buhhy almost jumps out of his chair with fright.
VOICE: [05] I know you’re in there Florence!
Buhhy moans softly to himself he is so scared. Footsteps are heard departing.
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[05] I’ll be back!
Buhby sits frozen for a long, long time.
SCENE 23 INT. BUBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Bubhy is still sitting at the table as Mom comes in carrying a bottle of sherry.
Buhby tries to look behind her as she comes through the door wearing her gas mask. She closes the door quickly, suspicious.
MOM: What? You want to go out do you?
Still wearing the gas mask, she strides over to Buhby and grabs his ear.
You want to go and see what it’s like, do you? You want to go outside, cough, choke, die? Do you?!
She drags Buhby towards the door, starts to open it. Buhby is terrified, he starts coughing and choking, sinking to his knees as Mom still pulls his ear.
Mom releases Buhby, slams the door shut and padlocks it, leaving Buhby on the floor recovering from his coughing fit. Mom takes her gas mask off and hangs it on the wall near the door.
BUBBY: {mimicking voice perfectly' I know you’re in there Florence. I’ll be back.
Mom stops dead. A look of fear overtakes her.
SCENE 24 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Buhby is in bed, watching Mom prepare to come to bed. He is playing with his erection under the sheet, courting Mom with his words.
BUBBY: Bub
by a good little boy. Mummy’s little boy.
MOM: Shut up.
Mom has taken her clothes off hut is searching for something. Buhby, still playing with himself, watches her curiously. She finds what she's looking for, a lurex nightie which she puts on, despite the fact that it's much too small.
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Buhby is confused. As she passes by the bed he lifts up her nightie to look at her cunty but she slaps his hand away hard. She leaves the room and returns with a cup of water which she throws onto the sheet where Bubby*s hand and prick are.
Don’t be disgusting.
She switches off the light and gets into bed, turning onto her side away from Bubby.
SCENE 25 INT. BUBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Mom is sitting at the table in a black and sombre moody drinking tea. Bubby is poking dead Kat in his cage with the wooden spoon. There is a knock on the door. Mom spills her tea with the shock. Another knocky then silence. Bubby scuttles behind Mom.
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VOICE: [05] Anybody there?
Neither Mom nor Bubby move a muscle.
[05] Come on, I know you’re in there.
The voice is rough and gravelly. Mom gathers her courage.
MOM: Go away!
Bubby mimics immediatelyy hiding behind Momy scared.
BUBBY: Go away!
VOICE: [05] Florence? Open up or I’ll bust the door down! I know it’s you, I’ve seen you come and go!
Mom whimpers to herself. She goes to the doory still whimpering, unlocks it. She opens it to a shorty derelicty bearded man of about sixty. He has short grey hairy has a smally battered old suitcase with him and is wearing a clerical collar.
It is Pop.
SCENE 26 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Pop is sitting in one armchairy Mom in the other. Bubby is standing behind Momy fascinated.
Pop is a garrulous and lively old codgery with a broad range of
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gestures to illustrate whatever it is he's talking about. We come in on him laughing raucously^ laughing almost to tears. He blows his nose with a dirty handkerchief.
POP: Oh that’s funny, that’s funny! All these years and I didn’t know I had a son...
He blows his nose againy shaking his head.
MOM: [hesitant] Not so funny...
POP: Christ Florence, you got to see the funny side of things...
MOM: I been waiting here thirty five years for you to come back...
POP: Yes... well... I... I meant to come back sooner, didn’t I... just... well just I didn’t get round to it before. I’m here now, ain’t I?
MOM: Yes... yes you are. You’re here now.
POP: God, thirty five years, gone quick. You still look good Flo. You always were a good looking broad.
Bubby is fascinated by Pop. He is copying his gestureSy in small ways at firsty then more committedlyy not knowing he's doing it.
MOM: [shy] You always were the charmer...
Mom too is fascinatedy but in a different way. We can see a completelyy astoundingly different side to her charactery perhaps as she might have been thirty-eight years before... shyy girlishy almost sweet.
POP: Yep. Charmed a few girls in my time... yet I never knowed I had a son. Good healthy lookin’ specimen too. You done well Flo. Hey, son, you can call me Pop. I’m yer Pop! Pop.
Bubby looks suspiciously at him. Pop points to himself.
Pop.
BUBBY: Pop.
POP: He’s gettin’ the idea.
BUBBY: Pop! Pop Pop Pop. Pop! Pop Pop...
POP: Yeah yeah, all right, don’t go makin’ a big thing of it. Listen Flo, I... I know 1 should have been back sooner and I’m sorry and all that, but do you reckon, you know, you and me... you
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know... Will you still have me Flo?
Mom blushes,
MOM: I don’t know... you bein’ a man of God now...
POP: Oh that!
Pop quickly takes the collar off and throws it down.
Do a bit of preaching part-time, nothing in it. How about it then, make an honest woman of you.
Buhhy has snuck round and picked up the clerical collar. He's putting it on himself.
MOM: Don’t know if I can trust you Harold.
Pop laughs raucously.
POP: Hahahahaha!
Buhhy finds himself copying him perfectly.
BUBBY: Hahahahaha!
Pop is taken aback.
POP: Hey, what’s up son? Have you got a mental condition or something? If you and me are gonna learn to live together, we gotta have some respect. Comprendez? [To Afom] I think he comprends. How about some refreshment, love?
MOM: Sorry Harold.
Mom starts hustling nervously at the kitchen bench.
SCENE 27 INT. BUBBY’S PLACE - DAY
Pop sips his tea. Buhhy is at the table, carefully watching Pop. Buhhy is eating toffees.
POP: Hey son, me and your mother would like to have a bit of a talk. How about going outside?
Buhhy looks at the door in panic.
MOM: {quickly' Bubby ain’t used to going outside... by himself.
POP: Son, you ain’t a poofter, are you? I don’t want any son of mine growin’ up to be a homosexual. I’d disown him first.
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MOM: [pleading You got to try to understand, Harold. Me and Bubby, we been here... by ourselves a long time... but he ain’t like other kids. He was such a difficult birth... me... all alone in here, no-one to help me. I didn’t think I’d pull through. So you gotta try to understand.
Bubby looks at tbe gas mask.
POP: As long as he ain’t a poofter.
MOM: Oh no, he ain’t.
Bubby looks at dead Kat.
POP: Dry old conversation Flo.
MOM: Pardon?
POP: Dry old conversation.
Bubby looks at Pop.
MOM: Oh I’m sorry. We don’t get very many visitors. Would a sherry do?
POP: Any port in a storm. Any port in a storm.
Bubby looks at the gas mask again.
SCENE 28 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE - NIGHT
Mom and Pop are preparing dinner and drinking sherry. Pop is mashing potatoeSy Mom takes a pot of boiled beetroot off the stovey drains it and pours the contents into the potatoes. Pop mashes them into the potatoes to make a sort of pink/purple mash.
While this is going ony Bubby is a few paces awayy behind Popy seeming to be getting ready to do something.
POP: [as Mom pours the beetroot] I can see right down your dress Flo. God you’ve got great tits. They were big before, but now they’re great big whoppers of things.
MOM: [coy] You’re just being nice.
POP: No, seriously Flo, they’re the sort of tits a man can really lose himself in, bury his face and forget about the troubles of the...
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Buhhy has sneaked up close behind Pop. He grabs himy clasping one hand around his mouth and nosey pinching the nostrils violently
closed.
Pop struggleSy hut Buhhy has lifted him almost off his feety and Pop is no match for the larger Buhhy.
Mom has her hack turned and is unaware of whaPs happening.
MOM: What troubles, Harold?
POP: Mmm!
MOM: What troubles can a man forget?
POP: Mmm!! MMMM!!!
Mom turns to see Buhhy suffocating Pop. Pop's eyes are nearly popping out of his head as he struggles. Mom strides round the table and grabs Buhhy hy the hairy pulling him hack.
MOM: Let go!! Bubby let go!!
Buhhy releases Popy who turns and immediately starts belting Buhhyy who is still being held hy Mom.
POP: Jesus, he’s mad! The fucking bastard!
Mom releases Buhhyy who falls to the ground. Pop gives him a final kick.
Ya mad bastard!
Mom pacifies Popy drawing him away.
MOM: It’s all right Harold, it’s okay.
..
POP: He was trying to kill me! You’re mad, you bastard!
MOM: He didn’t mean you any harm, he was just trying to see whether you breathed or not.
POP: What?
MOM: It’s not his fault he’s got some strange ideas. You can’t blame the kid. He can’t help it, he never had a father.
POP: Nearly killed the only one he’s got. Christ kid, you’re a weirdo.
On the groundy Buhhy tries the line out a few times to himself until he's got it.
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BUBBY: You’re a weirdo... Christ kid, you’re a weirdo... Christ kid, you’re a weirdo!
SCENE 29 INT. BOBBY’S PLACE-NIGHT "
Buhby is sitting on the ground in a corner^ sulking. He watches Mom and Pop play up to each other on the sofa. Mom and Pop ignore Buhby *s presence.
Mom and Pop are like two young lovers playing around^ giggling a loty occasionally whispering, laughing. Pop runs his fingers up and down Mom's bare arm.
POP: You’ve got lovely skin Flo. Soft and sexy. You’re a sexy woman. You make it hard for a red-blooded man to keep his hands off you.
MOM: [giggling You’ve got lovely hands, Harold. Be a pity not to be using them.
Emboldened, Pop puts his hand directly on Mom's breast. Mom peals with laughter.
What’s that you’ve found then?
POP: Don’t know... don’t know what this could be.
He squeezes and kneads the breast. Bubby continues to watch. Mom laughs again.
MOM: It’s me dress, that’s what you’ve found.
POP: Yes... but what’s this... under the dress? Is it... is it...
MOM: You’ll have to wait and see...
Pop begins to undo the buttons on the front of Mom's dress until one large naked breast is revealed.
POP: Gates of paradise... ohh... one of the seven wonders of the world.
Mom looks proudly down at her breast as Pop strokes it reverentially.
MOM: You really think so?
POP: Yes.
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MOM: It’s not... too big?
POP: It’s perfection Flo...
SCENE 30 INT. BOBBY’S PL7CE - NIGHT
Bubby is spending an uncomfortable night on the sofa^ listening to Mom and Pop joking and whispering and screwing in the other room. He rolls off the sofa and makes his way hands and knees to the curtained doorway.
