madgarlickThe Night-watchman
A short film about a man and his dog, who search the sky for aliens after hearing a local radio news report.
CHARACTERS
JACK:
A man in his late 50s, he is old school, used to be a miner, but he was made redundant years ago. Last year his wife, Irene, died.
FRANCO:
Franco is a Jack Russell terrier, his owner is Jack. Franco is very sarcastic.
MRS BOSSTLETWAITE:
Mrs Bossletwaite is one of Jack’s neighbours, she often checks up on him since Irene’s death.
HAROLD:
Harold is an old man; he is thin and drawn. He was an old man when Jack first met him, when he started as an apprentice down the mine.
The Night-watchman
Jack is in his Kitchen. It is a very small affair, he makes a brew and has almost finished preparing a fry up, his dog is watching him cooking the food, he pours the contents of the frying pan onto a large plate and then sits down, dog sits beside him and looks towards food. The radio has been playing in the background and as he tucks in he realises that he has left his cup of tea on the side next to the kettle. As he gets up to retrieve it a news ‘and finally’ item is heard, saying that there have been reports of strange shaped aircraft (UFOs) being seen flying over the moors, he turns the volume up and stands attentively listening.
Once the bulletin is over he takes a slurp of his tea and leans over to a unit handle where a dog lead is kept. He takes the dog lead, turns to his dog and says:
JACK
Come on Franco, Time for a walk.
Franco troddles over to Jack, and the pair exit the kitchen and head down the hall towards the front door. Once at the front door, Jack unlocks five bolts and Yale locks and goes to turn the door handle. He stops, looks at Franco, mutters something and re-locks all five of the locks he has just unlocked, turns back towards the kitchen and walks back down the hall. Franco remains at the door and looks longingly at the handle.
Back in the Kitchen jack boils the kettle, takes out an old flask, makes about a pint of tea and pours it into the flask, Whilst this is happening, he also makes some ham and cheese sandwiches and wraps them in an old sheet of grease proof paper. He also takes a small tin of Butter beans out of a cupboard and places them, along with the flask and the sandwiches into an old nap-sac and once again, heads towards the door. Jack reaches the door and Franco starts wagging his tail.
Jack once again starts unlocking the locks, goes to open the door, looks at Franco and once again re-locks all the locks and heads back into the kitchen. Franco lies down, looking very sullen.
Back in the Kitchen Jack goes to the radio (which has been playing all this time, the station it is tuned to plays old style archers music) switches it off and picks it up. Jack takes it with him. He heads back to the door; Franco stands up and once again wags his tail. Jack unlocks all the locks for a final time and opens the door. He puts Franco’s lead on and turns and locks the door from the outside.
Jack and Franco walk down the path to the front gate and go through it. Jack has the radio in on hand, Franco’s lead in the other and his nap-sac over his shoulder. They head down the road.
Jack and Franco walk down numerous roads of a small town. On their journey they bump into a couple of locals.
At different points along the way, the following interactions take place.
MRS BOSSLETWAITE
Good morning Mr Ramsay, good morning Franco.
JACK
Good morning Mrs Bosslethwaite.
(Franco looks up at her)
[Followed a little later by:]
HAROLD
Morning Jack, nice day for it
JACK
Yes, I suppose it is.
Come on Franco.
The walk then continues and we see Jack and Franco leaving the town and head up a country lane towards the moors.
The journey takes quite some time, until they reach a gentle hillside. They walk up the hill and find a nice spot in the middle. Once there, Jack takes the lead off Franco, who has a little walk around and starts emptying the nap-sac. Once he has removed the flask, sandwiches and tin, we see him pull out a small tartan rug and a pair of small binoculars. He lays the rug flat and sits down placing the sandwiches, flask and tin back in the bag. He switches the radio on and pats by the side of him for Franco to come and sit down, Franco does so.
We leave this scene with some more archers type music floating over the hillside with man and dog sat next to each other; Jack is looking through the binoculars towards the sky.
Some time later
Its approx. 3pm in the afternoon.
We return to the same scene, only this time Franco is asleep with his head on Jacks lap.
Throughout the next conversation we are unable to hear what Franco says, we are not even aware that he can talk, so we only, in effect, hear and know that Jack has spoken.
JACK
Time for a drink I think. Come on Franco, move over.
FRANCO
I was just getting settled then!
JACK
[Pouring a drink from flask]
Plenty of time for sleep later on. Were on duty now you know.
FRANCO
I don’t think they are going to show… bright lights in the sky! Ha, what a load of tosh!
JACK
There are millions of planets in the Universe, Franco. There must be life somewhere. If they show again I want to be the first person to great them, and you’ll be the first dog. What do you think of that mate?
FRANCO
Bollocks!
JACK
Well please yourself! But one day they’ll arrive, you’ll see.
The scene ends until we return to the same scene at a much later point, its about half four.
Later Still
(We are still unaware that Franco talks)
FRANCO
You’ve never been the same since Irene died; I don’t know why you don’t see a doctor or something.
JACK
I really miss her you know.
[Pause]
Anyway, we can’t all go to get medication as soon as a little trouble bubbles up into our lives.
[Pause]
No, Irene was strong, and I must be strong as well. She used to adore you, you know.
FRANCO
Like bugger she did! She couldn’t stand me, Many was the time that my backside felt the toe of her slipper! Miserable old trout.
JACK
Franco!
[Pause]
I’ve still got them you know,
her slippers.
[Long pause]
What do you think, I bet they’re up there somewhere, watching us, watching them.
Just you wait. I bet they show.
[Long pause]
[Jack reaches into his nap-sac]
Cheese or Ham?
FRANCO
Cheese.
JACK
[Hands Franco a cheese sandwich]
I thought so.
This scene ends and we leave the pair munching on their respective sandwiches.
We return to the same scene at a much later time. It is darker now (about 7pm) and Jack is lying on his back, binoculars in hands looking up to the sky. Franco is lying next to him.
[Much Later]
(The last of Franco’s lines in this section is the one we can hear.)
[‘all the time in the world' by Louie Armstrong, can be heard playing quietly on the radio]
JACK
I like this tune Franco It’s possibly one of my favourites.
[Pause]
In fact, I’m going to say that it is my favourite.
FRANCO
Whoopie-doo.
JACK
There’s no need for sarcasm. I was only stating a point.
FRANCO
Well, I’m bored.
JACK
MMmmmmn…
FRANCO
They’re not going to show you know. Come on, Its getting late, lets go home.
JACK
Yes, You’re probably right. Come on then.
Let’s go.
Jack packs their stuff, has one final look at the sky and then we see the pair of them walk down the hillside back to the town. The Camera stays where they were sat watching them from behind. It then pans up to the sky and we see a bright blue/white circular fuzzy light shoot into shot, stop, spin around a bit and then rocket off, back into space.
The End
© simon garlick
