DANNY BOY

This ten minute two hander play was performed as part of the Short And Sweet festival, in Sydney, in 2019.

It’s a drama about two brothers, one visiting the other in goal, and is based on a true event.

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OLLIE, early twenties, sits at a table and waits.  He looks tired.  He changes demeanour a bit when he sees his younger brother, CHESTER, walk in.  OLLIE wears prison overalls. 

OLLIE:  Hey.. good to see you

They both sit down together.

CHESTER:  You too.  (pause)  You’re still working out?  It’s showing now.

OLLIE:  Yeah.

CHESTER:  How’s it –

OLLIE:  Okay.  It’s okay.  Same old.

CHESTER:  Bought you –

He passes him something in a packet.  OLLIE opens it.

OLLIE:  Thanks.

CHESTER:  Mum – said to send her love.  

OLLIE:  Tell her thanks for these will ya?

CHESTER:  She made em specially.  

Pause.

OLLIE:  So how’s the old man?

CHESTER:  Good.  Treatment’s pretty heavy.  But he’s back home now taking it easy so..

OLLIE:  Taking it easy – that’s a newie.  Dad – sittin’ back taking it easy.  Old prick.  Yeah.  Good anyway.  Do they think it’s – Are they gonna continue with the treatment then or- ? 

CHESTER:  Think they’re gonna wait and see.  See how it goes then decide.  

OLLIE:  Does he ever - ?

CHESTER:  Nah.  But that’s – he’s not thinking right anyway after the chemo and stuff.  

OLLIE:  Yeah.  Nah.  Yeah. 

Silence.

CHESTER:  Mum’s going good.  

OLLIE:  Good.  

Pause.

OLLIE:  How’s the study then?

CHESTER:  Got some deadlines coming up.

OLLIE:  You studying hard or -?

CHESTER:  Yeah. Yeah.  

OLLIE:  Good.  I’m even picking up some skills round here, you know?   

CHESTER:  Like what – how to pick a lock?

OLLIE:  We run our own in house courses, you know.  I’m teaching guitar.  One of em is really taking to it.  

CHESTER:  Yeah?

OLLIE:  He’s better than me now.  Smart bastard.  And cars.  

CHESTER:  What about ‘em?

OLLIE:  Some of the guys in here don’t even know how to drive a manual. One guy’s in here for getting stuck in a manual Merk – reckons he would’ve got away with it if it’d been an automatic.  Got stuck with the alarm going in the middle of town – while he’s trying to work out how to get the car into first.  Big guy.  Throws his weight around trying to wrestle ten cops to the ground you know – all bloody got tasers on em. Talk about an optimist.

CHESTER:  How long’s he in for?  

OLLIE:  Only about another month.  Could’ve done a shorter sentence if he’d agreed to do community work.  One tough dude.

CHESTER:  So you got him changing gears now?

OLLIE:  Yeah we sat there for a bout three hours, you know…first..second..third..

OLLIE imitates changing gears.

OLLIE:  Reckons he’s right now.  All set to go.  High end vintage is next. 

They laugh a little.

OLLIE:  And how’s the liddle lady?

CHESTER:  Sasha’s good.  

OLLIE:  Sasha.  Posh.  Exotic.

CHESTER:  She’s half Indian so –

OLLIE:  I know.  I saw the photo.  She’s very pretty.

CHESTER:  And smart.  

OLLIE:  Oh yeah?

CHESTER:  Works in I. T.

OLLIE:  Don’t they all?

CHESTER:  What?

OLLIE:  Just kidding.

CHESTER:  Going back to India for six months soon.  Parents reckon they’re looking for a husband.

OLLIE:  Bit of a bummer.

CHESTER:  Yeah.  Well.  

OLLIE:  Shit happens.

Silcnce.  OLLIE looks at the food his brother passed him earlier.

OLLIE:  They x ray these?

CHESTER:  ‘Course.

OLLIE:  So no files eh Mum?  Lemon cake.  My favourite.

OLLIE starts eating.  CHESTER watches for a long moment.

CHESTER:  She had to get permission.  To get that in.  Took about two weeks for ‘em to give it the okay.  

CHESTER stands, paces a little.  OLLIE keeps eating, watching him.

OLLIE:  Wassup?

CHESTER:  Hmm?

OLLIE:  You’re all – 

CHESTER: Just hungover.

OLLIE:  Drinking a lot are ya?  Throwin’ a few back?

CHESTER:  Who’s jealous?

OLLIE:  You’re hungover every time you visit.

CHESTER:  What’s this, AA?  I had a big night last night.

OLLIE:  Does  Sasha drink?

CHESTER:  I wasn’t with Sasha.

OLLIE:  Who then?

CHESTER:  I was having a few on me own alright?

OLLIE:  Your life.

CHESTER:  Don’t do the smarmy act it gives me the shits.

OLLIE:  I’m not doin’ anything.NNWhat’s wrong?

CHESTER: Nothin.  Nothing.  Nothing’s wrong with me.  Ya prick.  

OLLIE:  Talk to me.

CHESTER:  Aah.  Ya prick.  I’m going.

He goes to exit.  OLLIE watches him.

OLLIE:  Suit yourself then.

CHESTER:  I will.

OLLIE:  You always do.

CHESTER stops and stares at him.  

CHESTER:  Do you think of it?

OLLIE:  Of what?  (pause)  All the time.

CHESTER:  I keep having nightmares.  Just keeps coming back to me.  In these flashes.

OLLIE:  Yeah. Yeah.

CHESTER:  His cries.  As he was …

OLLIE (nodding):  Yep.  Yep.

CHESTER:  Do you -?

OLLIE nods.

OLLIE:  Every day.

CHESTER:  It’s so weird at home – just even walking past his room.  Mum’s left it – she won’t throw anything out.  I found her the other day on his bed, holding one of his footie jumpers.  Just sobbing into it.

OLLIE:  What about Dad?

CHESTER:  Comes home.  Pulls out a beer and stares at the wall.  I can’t – I can’t even sit at the dinner table wiv ‘em now.  I take my food up to my room.  Tell ‘em I’m studying you know?

OLLIE nods.  CHESTER sits down again.

CHESTER:  I’ve made a decision.

OLLIE:  Oooooh.

CHESTER:   I know you’re gonna –

OLLIE:  Sounds dangerous.

CHESTER:  It is.  But it’s right. 

OLLIE:  Really?  (teasing)  RIGHT.  It’s RIGHT.  

CHESTER:  I’m gonna tell ‘em the truth.

Silence.

OLLIE:  What truth?

CHESTER:  I’m gonna hand myself in.

Silence.

OLLIE:  Why the fuck would you do that? What the fuck are you thinking?

CHESTER: You can’t stay in this place for me.  I’ve got to do it myself.  I’ve got to do the time.

OLLIE:  I’m happy here. 

CHESTER:  Bullshit.

OLLIE:  Really fucking happy.  I can defend myself in ways you couldn’t imagine.  No one gets me.  I’m tough.  I’m a fucking legend.  You’d be – you’d be – 

CHESTER:  I might not look tough but –

OLLIE:  You would be a play thing for about ten of the guys in this place.  

CHESTER:  Stuff off.

OLLIE:  They’d treat you like - .  I’m not letting you.

CHESTER:  You can’t stop me.

OLLIE:  Listen to me boyo.  You’re a dud when it comes to self defense.  I was born for this place.  I am thriving in ways you’d never guess.

CHESTER:  This is bullshit.  

OLLIE:  Mum’s happy with you around.  The business is going okay without me.  That new guy..?

CHESTER:  Yeah.

OLLIE:  He’s going okay in my place?  Hasn’t lost any customers..?  (CHESTER shakes his head)  Dad probably prefers him to me anyway let’s face it.  And I’m happy here.  

CHESTER:  Yeah right.

OLLIE:  You’d get so much shit for studying.  Most in here can’t read.  They’d kick your head til it looked like raspberry jam.  Best job you’d get at the end of this is workin’ in a bloody laundromat.  (pause)  And what about Sasha?  That’d go down well with your future in laws, wouldn’t it?  Fiance spending time inside for -.  You told her?

CHESTER: What?

OLLIE:  Sasha?  You told her about it?

CHESTER shakes his head.

OLLIE:  Good.  Good.  Don’t.

Pause.

CHESTER:  With a bit of luck I won’t have to.

OLLIE;  What’s the supposed to mean?

CHESTER:  I just mean – we’ll probably break up anyway now.  With her folks taking her -.  Anyway who gives a shit?

OLLIE:  Yeah.  Right.  Who gives a shit.  (sarcastic)  You don’t deserve to be happy anyway do ya?  Do ya?

SILENCE.  An impasse.  CHESTER squirms at the truth of this comment.  

CHESTER:  Do you know what day it is today?

OLLIE:  Hmm?

CHESTTER:  It’s four years today.  

OLLIE:  No it was November –

CHESTER:  He would’ve been seventeen.

(PAUSE, a moment – a glimmer of angst and anger)

OLLIE:  I don’t keep a birthday fucking diary.  Thanks for reminding me.  (softening)  Can you get some flowers for me on the way home?  For Mum?

Silence.  CHESTER nods a little.

OLLIE:  Had him in the cell a while back. No kiddin’.   Just – like he was there you know?  Just - Sitting there – just looking at me, smiling.  I could feel the weight of him on the end of the bed, you know?  I could feel it.  It was kind of - freaky.  But I woke up in the morning real happy you know?  Like he’d dropped in to say – he was okay.  (pause)  One of the guys here – he got nabbed for dealing – he’s real good to talk to about this stuff you know?  Said it definitely woulda been him, you know?  Said they drop in whenever you need ‘em.  (pause)  Anyway this guy’s pretty – pretty sharp.  You heard about this thing called reincarnation?

CHESTER:  Car what?

OLLIE:  REINCARNATION.  He give me a book on it.  This Buddha guy reckons we come back.  We keep coming back til we’ve done our time down here and then he reckons we all join the universe again – like stars or some bloody….So I reckon he just dropped in you know?  Before maybe –.  They reckon you know someone’s from a past life when you get that spark – ya know – when you meet someone and feel like you’ve met ‘em before?  They reckon that’s your spirits recognising each other.  

CHESTER looks at OLLIE for a long moment, as if he might be a bit nuts.

OLLIE:  Yeah okay.  It’s bullshit.. (pause) How’s Mum doing?  I mean, really?

CHESTER:  Not that good since -.  I told her.

OLLIE:  Told her what??

CHESTER:  That I grabbed the wheel.  

Pause.  OLLIE is a bit stunned, but then stares at his brother suspiciously.

OLLIE:  No you didn’t.  You haven’t told her.  You’re just trying it on so I give in to your bullshit confession idea.  You wouldn’t do that to her.  You wouldn’t.. (pause)   

CHESTER:  I will.  

OLLIE:  You wanna kill them both?  Hmm?  You know it’d wreck them both don’t you?  Having two of us responsible for - .  

CHESTER:  You’re not –

OLLIE:  Anyway, SO FUCKING WHAT YOU GRABBED THE WHEEL?  I was driving wasn’t I?   I’d done the handbrake hadn’t I?

CHESTER:  But I grabbed the wheel I grabbed the wheel I grabbed the wheel.

OLLIE:  Listen to me.  Please.  I was the oldest..  I was the one in charge.  I was doing wheelies all over the fuckin road for hours before you - joined in.  It was my fault.  You know it.  (he watches as Y starst to break)  Ohh now don’t fuckin’ – don’t fuckin’ cry you -.  Stop bloody - 

OLLIE:  I need to tell em.  I need to -.

OLLIE:  You are –/

CHESTER:  I need to serve time.  I need -

OLLIE;  THIS – THIS is – (looking around, going quiet) –THIS is the punishment you dick.  Seeing me in here is your punishment.  Just like being in here is mine.  Missing our little brother is punishment.  

CHESTER:  It – was -  my – fault.

OLLIE:  We’re both responsible, okay?  

CHESTER:  But I was –

OLLIE:  IT’S DONE okay?  It’s over with.  Okay?  We both have to live with this.  And one day when I’m out and looking for a job and on the bare bones of my arse and you’re some bloody – professional academic in some poncy suit and corduroy bloody pants - you can bloody put me up – in your garage – and Sasha can cook me bloody – bloody Saag paneer - and when I’m not going on Tinder dates, I can babysit for you while you go out for a romantic bloody meal together.  We can live with this, you know?  If you just hold on and don’t let this get any worse, we can deal with this.  But not – not if you go blabbing and blaming yourself and making Mum and Dad go through it all again – cos that’s what’ll happen.  You know it too.  They’ll go over the whole thing again – they’ll have to listen to it all again – in court.  And we don’t want to do that do we?  Hmm?  Do we? So you got to be brave.   You got to toughen up.  And do what he’d want us to do.  Hmm?  You reckon Danny would want us to – put them through any more? Do you?  (Y shakes his head)  No.  You know it and I know it.  He’s up there wanting us to shut up and get on with it.  You confessing like some hero wanting to be punished isn’t going to help anything.  So shut the fuck up and let’s get on with it.  Hmm?   (Y nods)  We’ve both got to live with this.  Both of us, okay?  

CHESTER:  But you shouldn’t be –

OLLIE:  I’m here.  I’m here.  Okay?

CHESTER:  Okay.

OLLIE:  And I’m going fine.  Agreed?

CHESTER nods.

OLLIE:  I can’t hear ya.

CHESTER:  Agreed..  Agreed.

OLLIE stares at his brother for a long moment, as if to make sure he’s with him.

OLLIE:  So Danny boy would’ve been seventeen eh?  He’d be – Jesus if he was round now he’d be a handful hmm?  Jesus.  The wild one, eh?

CHESTER:  He wasn’t wild.

OLLIE:  Yeah but – he had it in him.  He had plenty of –

CHESTER:  Whatever.  (pause)  He was a good kid.

OLLIE:  Remember Mum in the kitchen – holding him when she’d got back from hospital?  And singing – remember her singing?   (singing softly):  ‘Oh Danny boy’

OLLIE and CHESTER (singing together): ‘The pipes, the pipes are calling.’

OLLIE:  And we’re both “shut up Mum” and she’s just holding this little bloody butter ball –

CHESTER:  Remember how fat he was?  

OLLIE:  As a baby he was fuckin’ huge, yeah.  

CHESTER:  Remember we called him Hippo?  Mum’d get real pissed off.

Pause.

CHESTER (singing continuation of the song): ‘From glen to glen and o’er the mountain side…(O joins him now)  The summer’s gone..and all the leaves are falling..’Tis you ‘tis you (O can’t sing any further, he reaches over and grabs his younger brother’s hand as Y keeps singing) - must go and I must bide..

OLLIE (singing softly):  But come ye back…

Long pause, as OLLIE gathers himself again.

OLLIE: Wrapped up like an overweight baby Jesus or something  - Mum swaying with him singing…and we’re both staring and grinning at our new baby brother and I’m thinking ‘Yes – three’s much better for war games –and - ‘

CHESTER and OLLIE  hold onto each other’s hands for a moment.  Then OLLIE  pulls away and wipes his tears.

OLLIE:  Haven’t done that for a while eh.  (under breath)  Don’t let ‘em bloody see I’ll have the shit kicked outta me later.  Jesus. 

CHESTER smiles sadly.  OLLIE gathers himself together again and looks up.

OLLIE: Reckons he’s here now.  Sittin’ right here with us.  Grinning that bloody wide mouthed  froggy grin of his.. Just – sitting here..

CHESTER looks at OLLIE for a moment as if doubting his brother’s sanity.  Then he finally relents, willing himself to believe it as well.

CHESTER:  Happy birthday Danny Boy.

OLLIE:   Many happy returns mate.

They both lean in towards each other, staring into space, as..

Fade lights to black

END.