The Anniversary

"The Anniversary" By Dominic Jenkinson

INT. BEDROOM - DAY An ornate birdcage. A Love-bird hops from one perch to another and joins its mate. Their green and yellow plumage merges as they nuzzle and CHIRP. A tabby cat sits below the cage. He watches, licks his lips. Old hands lift him up and away from the cage. ERIC (82) holds the cat to his chest and tickles under his chin. ERIC Your breakfast’s downstairs, Monty. Lil first. You know what day it is! Eric’s smile accentuates a straightens a few tufts of black horn rimmed glasses, dressing gown. He turns to

lifetime of happy wrinkles. He silver hair, straightens his and tightens a belt around his a double bed.

Beside the bed, a wooden vanity table, draped with crocheted doilies and peppered with a sprinkle of knick-knacks. LILY (82) lies under a mound of patchwork quilts. Mouth slightly ajar, hairnet around her grey perm. Eric carries Monty over to her and places a light kiss on her forehead. ERIC (whispers) Happy anniversary, gal. Stay in the warm, my love. He carries Monty to the window and looks out at the iron grey sky, drizzle falls against the window pane. ERIC Bugger. INT. STAIRS - DAY Eric carries Monty downstairs. Pauses at a framed picture. Black and white. Eric in armed forces uniform, Lil in plain wedding dress, caught off guard, they laugh heartily. ERIC (to Monty) Sixty four years ago today... And one year later, guess where I was?

2.

Eric strokes Monty’s head and tickles his chin. Monty purrs. Eric looks to another framed photo. Himself, in the uniform of a Royal Marine Commando, he salutes the picture. ERIC That’s right. El Alamein. Standing over a dead Nazi officer with a pistol in my hand. Some first Anniversary! He passes a blur of pictures, happy times. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Eric puts Monty on the floor and rummages through a cupboard. ERIC Thought the bugger was going for his gun. Couldn’t have been much further from the truth! Still, would have cooked my goose if he had the chance. He takes a tin of "Goose Treat" and pops the lid. He empties it into a bowl as Monty paces impatiently. ERIC Some first anniversary. Dunno what sixty four is. Diamond plus four? Ha! Here you go. He places the bowl on the floor and smiles. Monty tucks in. INT. BEDROOM - DAY Eric walks to the birdcage and smiles at the Love-birds. They twitter slightly as he opens their cage. He holds a finger to his lips. ERIC (whispers) Shhh! Princess is asleep. He pours some seed into their feeder and closes the cage. Lil lies silent. He walks over and delivers a gentle kiss to her cheek. He looks at her, a melancholic smile on his face. He walks over to the window and stares at the grey mist.

3. EXT. GARDEN - DAY A portly POSTMAN (55) opens the garden gate and spies Eric. He raises his hand. Eric raises one back. EXT. FRONT DOOR - DAY The door opens as the rotund Postman approaches. Eric smiles and looks at his watch. ERIC Privatisation my arse! The Postman chuckles. He holds out two envelopes. POSTMAN ’Appy ’versary, Eric. What is it? Sixty odd? He hands Eric the envelopes. Eric holds them up, a slight snort and a faint smile. The envelopes are old and worn. ERIC Four... Sixty four. POSTMAN (sings badly) "Will you be sending me a Valentine, when I’m sixty four." ERIC Bloody hippy. POSTMAN Well, s’about time you bought some new cards. ERIC Aye, these are too precious for your mob to lose! They both chuckle. Postman holds his hand out. Eric is a little taken aback. He shakes hands, tight lipped smile. POSTMAN ’Gratulations, Eric. Say ’ello to Lil for me. ERIC Aye. I will. Thanks, Bob. look after yourself. The Postman nods. Eric smiles and closes the door.

4. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Monty licks his bowl. He looks up at Eric and MIAOWS. Eric fills an electric kettle with water and clicks it on. He takes a teapot and drops in two teabags. He places two china cups next to the pot and walks out the kitchen. Monty MIAOWS. Drizzle blows against the kitchen window. Water drips from the kitchen tap. Two china cups sit next to a teapot. Steam rises from the kettle. The ON button automatically clicks to OFF. Eric walks in, fully dressed. He wears a white shirt and navy tie, covered with a smart grey pullover. He pours boiling water into the teapot. He looks at the two cups. Takes his glasses off. Tears appear and he makes a small noise, a hint of a sob. He rubs his eyes and snorts. ERIC Silly bugger. Come on. He pours the tea down the sink and walks over to Monty. He picks him up and gives him a kiss. ERIC You behave yourself, General. Eric picks up a telephone and dials. ERIC (into phone) Ambulance, please. He takes a deep breath and leans against the table. ERIC Yes, hello. This is Eric Harris. I live at sixty, Hurst Street. I’d like to -- My wife, Lil. She’s passed away. Could you send somebody, please.

5.

He takes some more deep breaths. Looks up at the ceiling as he listens to the phone. ERIC Yes. Number sixty... Yes... I understand. There’s no rush. Thank you. Thank you. Goodbye. He replaces the receiver and walks to the back door. He opens it and Monty whizzes out. INT. UPSTAIRS LANDING - DAY Eric places a step ladder under a loft hatch and climbs carefully. He pushes the hatch and his upper half disappears into the loft. ERIC (muffled) Where the bugger is it? INT. KITCHEN - DAY Eric places a dusty beige suitcase on the table. He pops the clasps and lifts the lid. He stares at the content for a moment. Shakes his head. He takes out a Nazi officers cap and holds it up. He shakes his head. He lifts up a dagger, a swastika emblem on the handle. He shakes his head again. ERIC Where is it? I’m nearly as bloody slow as he was! He rummages through the case, and finds a small leather pouch. ERIC Ha! He closes the case and exits the kitchen.

6.

INT. BEDROOM - DAY Eric opens a wardrobe and takes a navy blazer. He puts it on in front of the mirror. Adjusts the lapels. A row of medals hang from his chest. He turns to Lil, who lies in bed. Mouth closed, hairnet removed, she looks serene. He turns to the birdcage. The Love-birds nuzzle each other. He places the cage on the window ledge, opens the window and opens the cage door. The Love-birds hop from perch to perch. Eric climbs into bed next to Lil. He leans over and places a kiss on her cheek. ERIC Goodnight, my Princess. He takes the brown pouch and opens the drawstring. He empties it into his palm. A small round glass ampoule. He places it in his mouth, chews and swallows. He puts the leather pouch on the vanity unit, next to two antique anniversary cards. There is a skull emblem on the pouch. He takes Lil’s hand in his, and lies down. EXT. GARDEN - DAY The rain has stopped. The window to a modest suburban house is open. Two green flashes emerge from the window. The Love-birds flutter around each other and upward, towards a blue sky above. FADE OUT: