Country Music Read online

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Jamie (acting out his driving with his right hand) Fucking hand-break turns. Bouff. Nnnyyyeeeoowwww. Give it! Fucking tell yer.

  Lynsey laughs at him.

  Jamie Mad fucking Max, mate. Fucking Rambo,

  Lynsey Dickhead.

  Jamie You wait till they finish the motorway, Lynse. Gonna build a big old bridge, and everything. See us then, tell yer, I’ll be fucking dynamite. (Beat.) You done the old tunnel before?

  Lynsey The what?

  Jamie Going south, out of Thurrock, you ever done that?

  Lynsey No.

  Jamie Should do. It’s quality. I do it. Bomb it. Fucking overtaking and everything.

  Lynsey You’re full of shit, you.

  Jamie Am not.

  Lynsey Yer’ve never done that.

  Jamie Yes I have.

  Lynsey How come yer never took us, then?

  Jamie Never wanted to. Yer whinge too much.

  Lynsey Shut it, you.

  Jamie laughs. Sits back down. Puts his feet up on the steering wheel.

  Jamie You comfy?

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Jamie You sure?

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Jamie Put your seat back.

  Lynsey I said I’m all right, didn’t I?

  Jamie You gonna go sleep?

  Lynsey Might do in a bit. I’m all right for now.

  Jamie Should do. Just go to sleep whenever you want. I don’t mind driving with people asleep. Some people can’t do it. Doesn’t bother me. I only need a little bit of a break. Won’t be long. Have a quick break and we’ll crack on.

  He pulls a bottle of tequila from under his seat and necks a mouthful.

  You want some of this, Lynsey?

  Lynsey No, thanks. I’m all right.

  Jamie (coughs, half giggles) Should have some. Fucking does the business. Telling yer.

  Lynsey You reckon?

  Jamie Hits the fucking, the spot, the. Tell yer. Hits it. Bang. Like that.

  Lynsey Shouldn’t drink and drive.

  Jamie Fuck off.

  Lynsey Should yer, though?

  Jamie I’m all right. I’m better, me, with a bit of a drink. I see stuff clearer.

  Lynsey Psycho.

  Jamie Bit of coffee and that. Bit of Coke. I’m away.

  Lynsey watches as he slugs another tequila. Puts the bottle back and pulls a can of Coke from under the same seat. Opens it.

  Jamie When we get there. I’m going doing the laundrettes, Lynsey. You coming?

  Lynsey The laundrettes?

  Jamie Go down Poynter’s Lane. Sutton Road. Get some cash.

  Lynsey How?

  Jamie Just smash up the coin slots. Get a crowbar. It’s easy. Nobody says anything.

  Lynsey Could do.

  Jamie Get some chips, couldn’t we, for our tea?

  Lynsey Where we staying?

  Jamie I’m gonna get us a hotel.

  Lynsey Are yer?

  Jamie Get one on the sea front. Be fucking smart.

  Lynsey I’ve never been Southend before.

  Jamie Ain’t yer?

  Lynsey No.

  Jamie It’s quality. Swear. Better than fucking Margate.

  Lynsey You got some money for a hotel, Jamie?

  Jamie Course. It’ll be sound.

  Offers her the can.

  You want some Coke?

  Lynsey No, thank you. I’m all right.

  Jamie finishes his drink. Starts chuckling.

  Jamie Guess who I’m thinking about?

  Lynsey Who?

  Jamie No, go on, have a guess.

  Lynsey Fuck off, Jamie, who?

  Jamie Mr Mackenzie.

  Lynsey (laughing) You should have seen him.

  Jamie I can imagine. Mad bird, you.

  Slight pause.

  It’s funny. If he saw us, I wonder what he’d think.

  Lynsey I don’t know.

  Jamie Probably think. Probably think. Probably think, yeah. That’s fucking typical. I am not surprised one fucking second. Don’t yer reckon?

  Lynsey Probably get dead jealous. Wish he was doing it too.

  Jamie smiles at her.

  A slight pause.

  Lynsey Don’t spend too much money. On the hotel. Will yer?

  Jamie No. Don’t panic. Just get a nice one. Nice B & B or summit.

  Lynsey You gonna get a job, Jamie?

  Jamie Course.

  Lynsey What job you gonna get, you think?

  Jamie Fucking, a good one.

  Lynsey Could we get a flat, you reckon? After a bit?

  Jamie Yeah. Or a house. If we move out a little bit. Get a little house.

  Lynsey Get a garden.

  Jamie Could do. Be good, wouldn’t it?

  Lynsey Be fucking great.

  A slight pause.

  Lynsey What time is it now?

  Jamie Quarter past two.

  Lynsey Funny. I’m not tired at all.

  Jamie You should try and sleep, though. You’ll feel better for it.

  Beat.

  Lynsey Where did you get the car?

  Jamie Up Valley Parade.

  Lynsey It’s good i’n’t it?

  Jamie I think it’s great.

  Lynsey I like the headrests. They’re well comfy.

  She leans her head back on hers to test it.

  Jamie I was gonna ask you something.

  Lynsey What?

  Jamie In a bit. Not for a while. Not for years maybe. You think Matty could come stay with us?

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Jamie Be good, wouldn’t it, if he did? When he’s older and that.

  Lynsey Be great. I like Matty.

  Jamie Can be a bit of a little dick at times but he’s not too bad normally.

  Lynsey He’s only eight.

  Jamie Yeah.

  Lynsey He’s eight, you’re eighteen, Jamie. Course you think he’s a dick. (Beat) I think he’s quite sweet.

  Jamie Be like having a kid.

  Lynsey Fuck off.

  Jamie (smirks) I might get another coffee.

  Lynsey All right.

  Jamie Then I think we should maybe fuck off.

  Lynsey Right.

  Jamie Should only take an hour. Max. If we put a bit of speed on.

  Lynsey Right. Good. Jamie …

  Jamie Yeah?

  Lynsey You reckon your mum’ll notice you’ve gone?

  Jamie I dunno. Maybe. (He chuckles.) Fucking psycho. Sick of her.

  Lynsey You reckon they’ll be looking for yer?

  Jamie Who?

  Lynsey Filth.

  Jamie I don’t know.

  Lynsey Be looking for the car, though, won’t they?

  Jamie I don’t know. I don’t reckon they bother any more. About cars and that.

  Lynsey I think they will.

  Jamie They’ll start looking south, though. Bet yer. They’ll go down Margate. Won’t think about crossing the river. Will they? Won’t think about that. They’re not smart.

  Lynsey Did you kill him?

  Jamie (splutters a laugh) Did I what?

  Lynsey Gary Noolan. Did you kill him, do yer think?

  Jamie (still laughing) Oh for fuck’s sake, Lynsey.

  Lynsey Did yer, Jamie?

  Jamie (still) Course I didn’t kill him. Fucking. I only. ‘Did you kill him.’ Yer monghead.

  Lynsey Well, I don’t know, do I? Might have done. Do my head in if you did.

  Jamie Well, I didn’t. So just.

  Lynsey You reckon you’re gonna get sent down?

  Jamie You what?

  Lynsey Last time they said you might go Borstal. Go East Sussex.

  Jamie laughs at her.

  Lynsey I’m just worried about you.

  Jamie Well, just don’t be.

  Lynsey Jamie. I don’t even know what you did. Not properly. You just turn up. Beep your fucking horn. ‘Get in. We’re fucking off.’ I’m like, ‘All right, Jamie. Nice car.’

 
Jamie I told you.

  Lynsey No you never.

  Jamie I went down Stationers. Looking for Gary Noolan. After he’d left ours. After he’d left our mum’s. After I saw you. And I found him. And I glassed the cunt. I went down the offie. Wanted some fags. And a bottle of tequila. And some crisps. Didn’t have any money. This kid started getting lippy. So I stabbed him. Took all the stuff. Went outside. (About the car) Found this cunt down Valley Parade. Came and found you. I thought you’d be happy.

  Lynsey You never told me about the kid.

  Jamie You what?

  Lynsey You never did.

  Jamie It’s not a big deal.

  Lynsey How old was he?

  Jamie Fucksake.

  Lynsey How old was he, Jamie?

  Jamie What does it matter?

  Lynsey Matters to me.

  Jamie I don’t know. I don’t know how old he was. Sixteen.

  Lynsey Right.

  Jamie pulls the tequila out again and slugs some. Wipes his mouth. Stares at her. Smiles at her.

  Jamie Do you want a bit of this?

  Offers the tequila.

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Takes the tequila. Wipes the neck. Drinks.

  Jamie Do you want some crisps?

  Offers the multi-pack again.

  Lynsey Yeah.

  Jamie Got cheese and onion. Salt and vinegar. Beef. Roast chicken. Ready salted.

  Lynsey Salt and vinegar.

  Jamie Here.

  Lynsey Thanks.

  Lynsey takes a packet of crisps and opens it. They eat. Short time.

  Lynsey I reckon they will find you.

  A slight pause.

  I just thought I’d say that.

  A slight pause. Jamie sits forward again, eyes lit up.

  Jamie sniggers.

  Jamie Should we do a house?

  Lynsey What?

  Jamie Us two. Go and do a house. When we get up Southend. Find a big one, one of the big houses there. Up seafront. Wakering Road. You should see them. They’ve got fucking everything.

  Lynsey Stop it.

  Jamie Hi-fis. Videos. Posh carpets. The works. We’d make a packet. Do a piss. Do a shit on the floor. I’m gonna do that, I reckon.

  Lynsey Stop it, Jamie.

  Jamie Stop what?

  Lynsey You know.

  Jamie No. Stop what? Stop what, Lynsey? Stop what? Come on. Fucking hell!

  He thumps the dashboard.

  Pause.

  Lynsey clocks him before she speaks.

  Lynsey What’d happen to Matty?

  Jamie You what?

  Lynsey If you got sent down. What’d happen to Matty? Who’d look after him? Your mum?

  Jamie He’d be all right.

  Lynsey Can I tell you something?

  Jamie I’d –

  Lynsey I think you’re wrong about the cops.

  Jamie You what?

  Lynsey I think they’ll be looking for you. I think they’ll know to look for the car and I think they’ll know that you’ve been the one who’s nicked it. I don’t think they’re as thick as you think they are.

  Jamie Don’t you?

  Lynsey If you went back, hand yerself, write a statement, a, a, a confession or something.

  Jamie Do what?

  Lynsey I think might make a difference.

  Jamie Fuck off.

  Lynsey To the way they treat you.

  Jamie Fuck off.

  Lynsey To your sentence or, or, or –

  Jamie Fuck off Lynsey. Fuck off. Just fuck off, would you? Christ!

  Lynsey I’m right, aren’t I?

  Jamie No.

  Lynsey I am. Course I am. You know I am.

  Jamie –

  Lynsey I want to go home.

  Jamie Oh!

  Lynsey I want to go back to the home.

  Jamie You got to be kidding.

  Lynsey I wanna go back to Clarence House, I’m worried about what they’ll say.

  Jamie Swear. Lynsey.

  Lynsey It’s all right for you, Jamie. I ain’t got nowhere else to go.

  Jamie Look at me.

  Lynsey They’ve not been as bad to me as they were to you.

  Jamie Do you know what would happen?

  Lynsey I don’t care.

  Jamie You can’t. You can’t go. You can’t go home. You can’t.

  Lynsey I’m going.

  Jamie You want me to smack yer? Do yer? ’Cause I will. I fucking will.

  Lynsey You what?

  Jamie I’ll smack yer face.

  Lynsey Don’t you talk to me like that.

  Jamie I fucking don’t believe you, Lynsey, Christ.

  Lynsey Think you’re so hard.

  Jamie Don’t you push it.

  Lynsey You fucking do, though. Think yer the big man. Yer fucking not. Yer fucking just –

  Jamie hits her head with the ball of his open palm.

  Lynsey Ow. That hurt me.

  Jamie does it again. Makes her hit her head against the side of the car.

  Lynsey Get off.

  Jamie Fuck you.

  He does it again. She starts crying.

  Jamie Stop crying. Stop crying. Stop fucking crying. What they gonna say now? Eh? Fucking cunts. Clarence House. Fucking. You should see your face.

  Lynsey tries the door.

  It’s locked. Don’t try it ’cause it’s fucking locked.

  Long pause.

  Lynsey wipes her eyes.

  Lynsey Take me home, please.

  Jamie Fuck off.

  Lynsey Please, Jamie.

  Jamie Fuck off.

  Lynsey I’ll get back anyway. Go on the fucking train. I’ll tell ’em you hit us if you don’t. Tell ’em all. Tell Ross Mack.

  Jamie (beat first) You wouldn’t.

  Lynsey Things he did to you. Jamie. He’d do ’em again if I asked him to. Mad boy, that one. Do anything I tell him.

  Jamie You fucking wouldn’t.

  Lynsey You could always hang yerself again, Jamie, eh? (Beat.) I wouldn’t lift yer down next time.

  She looks at him.

  Slight pause.

  Jamie looks out of the side window.

  Lynsey Fucking hotel. Are you mental or what? How would you, couldn’t even sign in. Could yer? Thick cunt. Big spastic.

  Slight pause.

  Jamie bites his bottom lip.

  Jamie Go to sleep.

  Lynsey You’re joking, aren’t yer?

  Jamie Ruined it now.

  Lynsey Please let me out of the car.

  Jamie You not talking to us now? Is that it?

  Lynsey I hate you now.

  Jamie I don’t know what you hate me for ’cause this is all your fault.

  Lynsey You what?

  Jamie Could have come up earlier on. Could have come this afternoon. Straight after I saw ’em. Straight after you came out. If you didn’t want to go back Clarence House.

  Pause.

  I even asked yer. Didn’t I? Didn’t I, though?

  Long pause. Lynsey turns away from him.

  Jamie drinks some more Coke.

  Lights another cigarette. Smokes it.

  Jamie Ross Mack’s a fucking pussy.

  Finishes his cigarette. Takes as long as it takes him to smoke it.

  Winds down his window and throws it out.

  Please stay with us.

  Slight pause.

  I’m sorry I hit you.

  Slight pause.

  I’m sorry I hit you, Lynsey, please stay with us.

  Slight pause.

  It never hurt yer, did it?

  He goes to stroke her. Lynsey winces away at first, but then lets him stroke her hair.

  Lynsey Course it fucking hurt me, you thick bastard.

  Jamie I reckon we could get away, y’know? I reckon we could. Dump this car. Get another. Fuck right off. We could go up Scotland or something. The two of us. You looking after us. Me doing driving and that. Couldn’t we, Lynsey? Don’t yer reckon?

 
; Lynsey No.

  Jamie Why not? Why not, though?

  Lynsey I wouldn’t want to. We couldn’t anyway.

  Jamie We could, though, Lynsey, couldn’t we? I reckon we could. I reckon it’d be fucking easy, Lynse. Be a piece of piss, mate. It’d be all right.

  Lynsey Jamie –

  Jamie Fucking hell!

  Lynsey You’re not thinking.

  Jamie I am so thinking. I am thinking like, like, like, like. Please.

  Lynsey No.

  Jamie Yer gonna make me do it on my own, Lynsey? ’Cause I will.

  Lynsey Should have thought about that. Shouldn’t yer? Shouldn’t you?

  Jamie looks away from her. Gathers his breath. Holds his head up to the roof of the car. Squeezes his eyes closed tight. Looks back to her. Some time.

  Lynsey You should go home. All the cops. I think it’d be all right, if you go home.

  Jamie Do yer?

  Lynsey I think it might be.

  Jamie grins. Swigs from the tequila.

  Jamie Yer ever get like yer wanna cut yer eyes out?

  He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Jamie I remember when I was a kid.

  The two stare out, unable to look at one another.

  The lights fall.

  Two

  Tuesday 15 September 1994, 2.15 p.m. The visiting room of Her Majesty’s Prison Grendon, Buckinghamshire.

  A white table with a blue Formica top. Two blue plastic chairs.

  There is a constant noise of echoes. Steel. Shouts. Incoherent. Ever present.

  Matty Carris, nineteen years old, stands above one of the chairs. He has a jacket on over a jumper and black jeans. Jamie Carris stands across the room from him. Jamie is wearing a grey sweatshirt, grey sweatpants, and trainers. He is thicker-set than we last saw him. Tougher. More muscular. He is twenty-nine years old. He is in the fifth year of what will be a fourteen-year stretch.

  The two stare at each other for a short while.

  Jamie You have to sit down.

  Matty What?

  Jamie You can’t stand up. They have to do checks on you if you touch us. You have to sit down. I’m sorry.

  Matty Right.

  Very long pause. The two men examine each other’s face and then, led by Jamie, they break into smiles.

  Jamie Hello, Matty.

  Matty Hello, Jamie.

  Jamie How are you, mate?

  Matty I’m, I’m, I’m.

  Jamie It’s good you’re here.

  Matty Yeah. I. It’s good to see you.

  Very long pause. The two of them stare at each other.

  It’s funny as it goes.

  Jamie What is?

  Matty When I come in. They did a, one of them things, a rub down on us.

  Jamie Oh yeah?

  Matty I got the, the giggles, didn’t I? I couldn’t help myself. It was ticklish.