(extract)
LARRY(calling):Hey-ho, Piglet.
Bring that line into me now, Florence.
FX: CLAMBERING INTO THE BASKET; ANOTHER BLAST FROM THE BURNER –
And we’re off. Snifter?
FLORRIE: Not yet – Oh my God – Mrs Piglet – Piggot,
she’s very keen.
LARRY: She likes to get me up. Likes to get on
with the job.
Florrie confides in us –
FLORRIE(V.O.):When Larry let go, we rose up effortlessly
from the meadow.
Over the roof of the grand house – the sun
glinted in the water that was trapped in the gullies.
Over the church spire, over the adjoining
graveyard – there were rabbits in the briars.
Just over the tree tops, birds taking
flight, coming out from the branches
then back into the canopy in a great loop behind us.
Over the lanes and the hedges – a car
passed under us like a giant slater.
Larry had been drinking, and like all
drunks, he was trying to be sober. He
was very good at this. There was not a
word out of him while he got us safely aloft.
FX: ANOTHER BLAST FROM THE BURNER
LARRY: There now.
FLORRIE: This is amazing.
LARRY: You can still see Mrs P in the follow car?
FLORRIE: Ehhh – yes. There she is.
LARRY: Hanging above scenes of great natural
splendour, and I must constantly keep track of my wife.
FLORRIE: It’s good the way she’s – so involved.
LARRY: It goes beyond good. My wife, with whom I
speak very little, is a fully integrated, fully bonded member of this little team.
FLORRIE: Bonding. Yes.
LARRY: Do I detect a sneer?
FLORRIE: No-no. And it’s good that Justin is there
with her.
LARRY: You saw – a sack of potatoes would have
been more useful at the launch.
FLORRIE: Does your wife ever come up?
LARRY: Certainly not. You have to get the
distance right.
FLORRIE: Of course you do…what distance, exactly?
LARRY: Between you and them.
FLORRIE: Them?
LARRY: Women, mostly.
FLORRIE: Ah…
LARRY: I’ve tried to teach Justin, but his
mother…
FLORRIE: She’s not big on distance?
LARRY: Don’t act the fool with me, Florrie.
FLORRIE: Sorry.
LARRY: I do what I want. I’m no slave. I have
wings because –
FLORRIE: Because you’re a success. I wish Justin
was like you.
LARRY: Now you’re being a cheeky pup. I like
that.
FLORRIE: I’m in tune, Larry.
LARRY: Young men who have trouble with their
women make trouble in business. That’s my
experience.
FLORRIE: And you think Justin –
LARRY: Justin is a disaster. Question is – is
there any hope of nailing the bugger.
Getting him thinking right.
FX: LARRY HAS SWIG FROM HIS HIPFLASK
FLORRIE: If we get the seed money.
LARRY: Me – I’m never out of range.
FLORRIE: I’m going to have a serious talk with
Justin. Get his personal life sorted.
LARRY: Get the distance right.
FLORRIE: We’ll get the distance right, Larry.
You’ll see.
FX: SHORT BLAST FROM THE BURNER
LARRY: We talk on the walkie-talkies, me and
Mrs Piggott. That’s essential.
FLORRIE: Would it matter if you lost sight of the
follow car?
LARRY: It’s their job to be watching us.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t be following,
would they?
FLORRIE: No.
LARRY: She likes to flirt, that’s the thing. We use these at home as well as up here. You
wouldn’t call it flirting, but I know what
it is. Watch this –
FX: LARRY OPERATES HIS SHORT WAVE RADIO –
Balloon One to Mrs Piggott. Over.
FLORRIE(gently scoffing): Balloon One…
LARRY: You think that’s funny?
FLORRIE: No. Sorry.
FX: MRS P REPLIES OVER THE RADIO –
MRS P: Mrs here. Yes?
LARRY: Darling, Over.
MRS P: Yes, Over.
LARRY: Nothing. Just – darling. Over.
FX: RADIO CUTS
You see, Florrie?
FLORRIE: I see. I do.
LARRY: You learn about your relationships – not
too late, we hope.
FLORRIE: It’s simply amazing what you can see from
a balloon.
LARRY: Where is she? Do you see her?
FLORRIE: There.
LARRY: Ha-ha – yes.
FX: RADIO ACTIVATED –
Balloon One to Mrs Piggott.
FX: MRS P REPLIES OVER THE RADIO –
MRS P: Mrs here. Yes? What now? Over.
LARRY: There’s a tractor ahead of you, beyond
that bend. It’s blocking the road. Take
the next left and cut across under me.
Next left. Over, darling.
MRS P: Next left, and under you. Over.
FX: RADIO CUTS
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