MISTAKEN PATERNITY

Based on an item of UK home news

SCREENPLAY VERSION

Scene 1.

Astoreroom in a disused factory in an industrial town. Two figures enter by thefar door. Lauren is dressed in ablack T-shirt, jeans and trainers. Her hair is blonde and untidy, worn in apony tail. She is about 14. Bobby isalso dressed in T-shirt and jeans, only his T-shirt is red, with MUFC markings.He is shorter than Lauren, being only 11, and has a round, innocent-lookingface.

Bobby   Why have we come here, Lauren?  It’s scary – I don’t like it!  I want to go home!

Lauren   Because no one will disturb us here,silly!  Don’t you want to have some fun?

Bobby  (hisface screwed up in incomprehension)  What do you mean,  Lauren?

Lauren.  Bobby, have you ever done it with a girl?

Bobby.  Done it? You mean, gone all the way?

Lauren. Well, have you?

Bobby.  No, though I’ve often thought about it.

Lauren. Wouldn’t you liketo do it with a girl?

Bobby. Yes, I would,but….

Lauren   Then, would you like  tokiss me?  For starters?

Bobby’s puzzled expression clears aslight dawns. The kids embrace and French-kiss for a few minutes.

Lauren  Would you like to feel  round my boobs? (She guides Bobby’s hand up inside her T-shirt. Bobby gropes Lauren’sboobs inexpertly).

Lauren  M-mm!  That’s nice!  You’re making me feel a bit naughty!

Bobby.  Me too!

Lauren.  I think I’m going to take my jeans off.

(While Bobby watches, Lauren wriggles herbackside out of her jeans and  pullsthem down her legs. Under her jeans she wears tiny black stretch briefs pulledtightly up between her thighs.

Lauren.  Doyou like my legs?

Bobby. They’re very nice.

Lauren.  Aren’t you going to take your jeans off too?

(Bobby unfastens the buckle of his jeansand takes them off.  He has blue-and-whitestriped cotton undershorts on underneath. The camera zooms in, showing thatbeneath his undershorts he has the start of an erection. Lauren begins tofondle Bobby’s penis through the thin fabric.

Lauren (in a whisper) Doyou like me doing this?

Bobby. Yes – oh yes, it’s lovely!

Lauren. Aren’t you going to let me see it?

Bobby.  Ifyou let me see yours first!

Lauren. Then pull my knickers down.

(Bobby nervously takes hold of thewaistband of Lauren’s briefs, pulling them down off her bottom and sliding themdown her legs. The camera zooms in on Lauren’s plump love-mound. She has asmudge of light-brown pubic hair).

Lauren (kicking her briefs out of the way) Now let me see yours.

(Bobby takes his undershorts off.  The camera shows he has a 3-inch erection,very stiff, and a small hard scrotum, but no pubic hair.).  

Lauren. M-mm!  You’re growing upfast!  Now, then…

(Lauren props her behind against thewall,  spreads her legs and pulls Bobbytowards her.)

Bobby (hesitatingly). Shouldn’t  I be using something?

Lauren.  Acondom, you mean?  Oh, you don’t have tobother with those things. It’s much nicer doing it without. (She rolls his foreskin back)

Bobby. That feels wonderful! (Lauren continues to playwith Bobby’s foreskin).

Lauren. Now, you’re lovely and hard,  so……

(She helps him put it between  her vagina-lips)

Lauren (in a hoarsewhisper) Now shove it rightup, right the way in.

(The camera zooms in on their “privatebits”, as Bobby puts his penis up Lauren’s vagina).

Lauren. (in a hoarsewhisper) Now, fuck me hard!

(The camera focuses on the couple,showing Bobby’s bare behind pumping to and fro as he jabs into her. This lastsno time at all).

Bobby  (gasping) Oh!  OH! OH! OH!

Lauren What’s the matter?

Bobby  Ithink I’ve finished!

Lauren.  That was quick! (She says this in adisappointed voice, having, herself, barely even started)  Did you feel anything come out?

Bobby I’m not sure, I don’t think so.

Lauren  (to herself) Justas well.  Alright, let’s get tidied up.

(Lauren extracts a tissue from her sleeveand  dabs it between her thighs,afterwards using it to dry Bobby’s limp little penis. Both kids pull theirpants on again.)

Bobby. Shall we do this again sometime?

Lauren Maybe, you funny boy. Come on, time to go home. (Handin hand they leave the building).

Scene 2,Next day.

A bus shelter in a quiet street. Twoteenage boys, both about 15, are sharing a spliff.

First teen. Go on, it’s my turn.

Second teen Here you are then (hands spliff over)  Gor, look out, hide it! There’s someone coming – could be the local plod.

Enter Bobby, dressed as before.

Second teen. No panic – it’s only young BobbyRobertson.

Bobby.  Myname’s  Robbie now – to you!

Second teen. My, aren’t we grown up, then!  What’s got into you, sunshine?

Bobby. Gi’s a drag and I’ll tell you.

(The second teen hands Bobby the spliff.Bobby takes a pull at it, pretending to enjoy it, then hands it back).

Bobby  (proudly)  I did it, last night!

First teen. Did you, now!  Who was the lucky girl?

Bobby. Lauren Sutcliffe.  (The first teen gives way to a snort of laughter). Why, what have I said?

First teen (still laughing) Nothing,Bobby – I mean Robbie – only – everyone’s had Lauren Sutcliffe.

Bobby Have YOU had her?

First teen No, but – you know what I mean. Lauren’s easy. The easiest lay in theschool.  She must have a cunt on herlike a horse-collar.

Second teen. And her knickers go up and down so fast, they leave scorch-marks on herthighs.

Firstteen  Just now, they say she’s going with Bozo Fitzgerald.

Bobby. Not – not Bozo Fitzgerald! But he’s – he’s…….   (Bozo is Afro, and Bobby can’t get hishead round this).

First teen. Well, maybe she likes black cock.  Anyway, everyone in the fifth year’s hadher.

Second teen. All except Billy Wilson.

Bobby  What’s up with Billy Wilson?

Second teen. He’s been to get his balls pricked.

Bobby. What’s that, then, had his balls pricked?

Second teen Gor, you don’t know much. Where you been,all your life?

(Bobby says nothing. He just wears apuzzled frown).

First teen (more kindly)Look, young Robbie, you know all about farm animals, calves, pigs and that –how they get their balls cut off?

Bobby Course I do!  It’s to fatten themup, make them easier to manage.

First teen You got it in one. Right then. Boys sometimes lose their balls too. Only  a boy doesn’t get to have them cut out, like animals do. They gettheir balls pricked and then they dry up.

Bobby. How’s it done – just with a pin or something?

First teen  No, dozy!  A doctor injectsa drug into the boy’s balls and then, like I said, they dry up. The effect’sjust the same as having them taken right out.

Second teen (in a more co-operative voice) And after a boy’s had his balls pricked, he cannever fuck girls. You know how spunk comes from your balls – well, withoutballs you can’t “cum” inside a girl. You can’t even wank,  because,once your balls have dried up, you can’t get a hard-on any more.  Your cock just stays limp all the time.

Bobby Oh. I didn’t know that.  Is itdone to a lot of boys?  Why did BillyWilson have it done?

First teen Billy Wilson’s adopted.  He camefrom a children’s home.  Boys inchildren’s homes get to have their balls pricked on admission.  It stops them being a nuisance withgirls. 

Second teen. How did we get on to this?  I thought we were discussing LaurenSutcliffe.  Well,  someone told me the other day……………

First teen And someone told me…….

(The scene fades out, with the boys stillarguing about Lauren’s love-life.)

Scene 3. Sixweeks later.

The flat, where Lauren lives with herMum. It is shabby and neglected. Lauren’s Mum, aged about 40, is aslatternly-looking woman. Her brown hair, tending to grey, needs a wash. Shewears grubby trousers, a knitted cardigan and slippers. She has a cigarettehanging out of the corner of her mouth.

The television set is on, at full volume,showing the well-known soap opera “Emmerdale”.

Enter Lauren.

L auren.Mum!  MUM!  I need to talk to you.

Mum.  Yawha’

Lauren. MUM! Oh, can’t you turn the sound down a bit?  It’s important!

Mum, (to herself,moaning.)  Cor, can’t even ‘ave five minutes to meselfto watch telly. (She turns TV off) Well, what is it?

Lauren. Mum, I’ve missed this month. And last month.

Mum. What you mean, missed?

Lauren (with a sigh of exasperation) My periods – I’ve not had my periods!

Mum. So?

Lauren. Mum,  I think I may be pregnant.

Mum  Ooh ah?

Lauren  Mum, aren’t you interested?  I think I’m going to have a baby!

Mum What you bin doin’ then, to get pregnant?

Lauren  (flings herself into a chair and buries her face in her hands)  Oh Mum!

Mum Alright, alright, I know what you bin up to.  Who was it?

Lauren  Aboy called Bobby Robertson.

Mum Do I know ‘im?  Little fair boy?

Lauren That’s him. Lives on Oakfield Estate with his auntie. His Dad’s on oilrigs. Bobby’s not seen him for years. Nor his mum. She’s up there with his Dad.

Mum Well, what does this Bobby think aboutit, may I ask?

Lauren He wants me to have it. He thinks it’s kind of cool, him being a Dad.

Mum  Cor, fookin’ ell, it’s OK for ‘im, innit?  Who’s goin’ to look after the kid whenyou’re at school?

(Lauren makes no reply)

Mum  You’d best get down to the Doctor and get’im to sort you out. (To herself) Havethe kid, indeed!  I dunno, I’m sure.

Mum switches the TV on again, full blast.Lauren shuffles wearily out.

Scene 4.  Some days later.

The scene is a Committee Room at CountyHall, the offices of the Local Authority. A meeting of the Health and WelfareCommittee is in progress.

The Chair of the Committee, CouncillorDuncalf, is a career politician. He has only one object in mind – to getthrough the agenda as quickly as possible. All the other people present arelay-members.

Commandant Mrs Edna Watson-West OBE  is executive head of the Red Cross and StJohn’s Ambulance for the county. She likes to be addressed by her rank and hasstrong views about the young and how they should be treated.

The Rev. Fr. Michael O’Toole  represents Roman Catholic interests. He is ared-faced, garrulous Irishman.

The Rev. John Havers  represents all the other denominations. Heis a grey personality in every sense.

Lieutenant-Colonel Crawshay, a retiredmilitary man, sits on this committee and many others, for reasons no one canremember. He usually supports   Mrs Watson-West.

Dr Alec McKechnie, the County MedicalOfficer, is a nice slow-spoken old Scot, who doesn’t suffer fools gladly.

Chair (continuing)Well, that seems to be that.  OK – thelast item on today’s agenda is to receive a report from Dr McKechnie on thecase of  (consultshis papers) Lauren Sutcliffeand Bobby Robertson, and make recommendations. There are considerations ofpossible criminal offences as well as those of welfare. Doctor, over to you.

Mrs W-W (interrupting) Excuseme, Chair, but since we all know exactly what happened, do we need the Doctor’sreport? Can we not proceed directly to passing a resolution?

Colonel.  Iagree totally. Kid wants a damn’ good thrashing.

Doctor (icily) If I might say so, nobody knows what’s been going on. Unfortunately the Press got hold of thestory from the girl’s mother, and a lot of speculation and guesswork hasappeared in the papers. To base any decision on those stories would beirresponsible. And it seems hardly necessary, Colonel, to remind you thatcorporal punishment was phased out many years ago.  Chair, may I proceed, please?

Chair Please do, Dr McKechnie.

Doctor. The two principals in this case are, a girl aged 14½,  called LaurenSutcliffe, and a boy called Bobby Robertson, who at today’s date is a fewweeks’ short of his twelfth birthday.

Fr. O’Toole  Sure, and don’t I know him! Isn’t he one of me own altar-boys!

 Doctor  (silencing the priest with a glare) The girl is nine weeks pregnant and  shenames the boy Bobby Robertson as the father of her child.  To deal with the two issues in turn, thereis, firstly, a clear instance of under-age sex as defined by the Criminal LawAmendment Act of 1885. But I would presume, Chair, that this Committee is notproposing to commit these children for trial with a view to getting them lockedup…….

Colonel   Woof!

Chair You spoke, Colonel?

Colonel No, I said nothing, nothing!

Chair Do we all agree that there will be no criminal proceedings?

(There is silence).

Chair.  I’ll take that as agreement. Continue, please, Doctor.

Mrs W-W (interrupting again) Isn’t it just a question of……..

Doctor Gentlemen – I beg your pardon - Gentlemen  and Commandant -  it’s a question of facts!  Facts! Facts! Facts! (slapping his hand down on the table). Firstly if we might consider the girl’s insistencethat Bobby is the father of her child. I have here a letter from her GP, DrRenwick. He carried out the first in the series of pre-natal examinations – aseries that will continue right up to the birth of the child – and states inhis letter that there is evidence of sexual activity over a long period. Inother words the scenario is not, as the papers implied, that of a virgin girland a one-night stand, if you will pardon the expression.

Vicar Very interesting!

Doctor Thank you for that, Vicar.  Now, to move on to young Bobby.  He has been examined too – by me.  Bobby is at a very early stage of puberty –very early indeed; you might say he is still a little boy. Whilst he isperfectly capable of performing the sex act – and there seems no doubt that onone occasion at least, he did perform it – whether he made Lauren pregnant is adifferent matter entirely. Not to put too fine a point on it,  is his body capable of producing viablesperms?  So  his responsibility for the girl’s pregnancy is questionable ontwo counts.

Mrs W-W. Can’t we just recommend that the girl – whatever her name is – has atermination, and leave it at that ?

Fr. O’Toole   Icould never agree to that – it’s murder of a human soul!

Doctor  For once I agree with Father Michael, but for different reasons.There are no medical reasons for aborting a perfectly healthy foetus. Whetherthere are social   reasons  I shall consider presently – if I may,Chair?

Chair,  Please continue, Doctor.

Doctor In addition to the medical reports I have a paper from the Director ofSocial Services.  The home background ofboth children is questionable to say the least.  Bobby lives with his aunt, who is a caring sort of person andlooks after him quite well, but  admitsshe has no idea what he gets up to in out-of-school hours.  Bobby’s parents moved to Aberdeen six yearsago and have not seen him since.  Laurenis the only child of a 1-parent family. Her mother calls herself Mrs Bentley;there seems to have been a succession of men, although she is on her own now.

Mrs Bentley isa self centred person, of not very high intelligence. She relies wholly onwelfare benefits  to support herself andLauren.  The field social worker whocalled on Mrs Bentley reports that the flat was in a very dirty conditionespecially the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, and not at all suitable for amother and newly-born child because of the risks of infection.

Chair. So where does this leave us, Doctor?

Doctor It leaves us with some very grey areas. I have drafted some possible ways forward, which I would now like to putto this Committee.

(Murmurs of “Hear, hear!”  “Yes, please do”  and the like)

Doctor.  The girl, Lauren,  is the easierof the two. Although she is at an early stage of pregnancy,  the home background is so unsatisfactorythat I recommend that she is admitted immediately to the mother-and-baby centreat Studley Bay. There she can continue her schooling as well as receiveinstruction about how to prepare for childbirth and  post-natal care.

Vicar  Asplendid idea. Splendid!  (Dr McKechnie ignores this)

Doctor.  Now for young Bobby. As I said,  there are twounknowns – whether he is the father of Lauren’s child, and whether, at his stageof development, he is even fertile. These questions can only be answered byfurther testing, which I should like to put in hand. Meanwhile I recommend thatBobby is admitted to the Authority’s residential home for children,  at Rose Hill.  That will mean that at least we know where he is.

Mrs W-W (loudly) I secondthat!

Chair  Oh, are we taking a vote? Alright,  are the rest of us infavour?  Father Michael?  Vicar? Colonel?

(Murmurs of agreement round the table)

Chair.  Ideclare the Doctor’s recommendations unanimously approved, and since that wasthe last item on the agenda, I also declare the meeting closed.

Scene 5. TheMembers’ lounge at County Hall,  a shortwhile later.

Mrs Watson-West and Col. Crawshay are ata table for two, with tea and pastries.

Mrs W-W. Well,  Colonel,  the admission of that boy – Bobby – to RoseHill is the best possible outcome, don’t you think?

Colonel In what way, Commandant?

Mrs W-W.  Boys admitted to the Authority’s residential homes are neutered –or as I always call a spade a spade, castrated, on admission. It’s done forwholly practical reasons. The homes are mixed-sex, and castrating the boysmakes them unable to be a nuisance with the girls.

Colonel Just like a riding-stables in fact. Where there are fillies you can only afford to have geldings.  Keeping colts is far too risky.

Mrs W-W.  Exactly right.  I always say thatcastration should be the first resort, not the last, whether it involves friskyhorses, vicious dogs or unruly boys. I’ve seen it too often to be mistaken. The worst tearaways become likelittle cherubs once the cause is removed.

Colonel Really?  You surprise me!

Mrs W-W. It’s quite true. Neutered boys are more attentive in class, they studyharder, they are more respectful,  theytake a pride in their appearance - oh, I could go on and on with the advantagesof having boys “done”. I only wish it could become more general.

Colonel. Well then, dear lady – we will have towait and see!

Mrs W-W. Yes, I’m afraid we will.  Moretea, Colonel?

Colonel  Idon’t mind if I do!

(Fade out)

Scene 6. A weeklater.

The resident nurse’s room at Rose HillChildren’s Centre. This room is part-dispensary, part-consulting room. There isa couch with a cellular blanket on it. It is here that newly-admitted boys areneutered, by a visiting team from the City Infirmary. The team has justarrived.

There are two nurses in the visitingteam. The senior nurse is about 30, the other is a student nurse of 19 – 20.Both are dressed in blue-and-white striped overalls with lapel badges, anduniform caps.

ResidentNurse  Well, here we all are again!  I’ll leave you to it. Just give me a buzzwhen you’re ready.  And I daresay youcould do with a cup of tea before you go on to Belton Grange. See you in a bit.(She goes out).

Senior TeamNurse  Only one to be done here today!  What a shame. I really look forward to theseadmission days.  Still,  we’ve three to do at the next place. (She starts unpacking the neutering kit).

Trainee Why, what’s the attraction?

Senior  Ijust love neutering little boys!  Theirprivate bits are so cute and pretty, just like rosebuds, some of them. Andbeing able to destroy a young boy’s testicles, to make him so he’ll never be able to “do it” with agirl,  it’s fascinating! 

Trainee.  I think it’s rather sad.  Poor little boy, never able to have sex.

Senior Well, it’s one of the regular jobs we have to do, so you’d best get usedto the idea.  Anyway,  the boy we’re just going to do – his name’sBobby, by the way – is no little innocent. He got a girl pregnant.  So don’t you agree he mustn’t be able everto do that again?

Trainee (doubtfully) I suppose so, but…..

Senior. Well, OK then.  Look, we’d betterget started. (She presses the bell).

(A few moments later, Bobby enters. He isdressed in the Home’s indoor uniform, a blue T-shirt with ROSE HILL across thefront in white letters,  white satinisedshorts, white ankle-socks and trainers. The camera focuses on Bobby’s face. Helooks bewildered.)

Senior.  Hello, are you Bobby? You’re looking very smart. Are those your new clothes?

Bobby Yes,  they only gave them to me afew moments ago. They took me old ones away. Why am I here?  Are you a nurse?

Senior Yes,  I’m a nurse, and this isNurse Angelina who is here to help me. You are here to have a littleprocedure.  Now,  do you know what an “inoculation”  is?

Bobby Yes,  I’ve had inoculations.  In me arm, at the top of me leg, and in me –in me bum! (He giggles nervously).

Senior.  Ican see you know all about it.  Now,Bobby, this one’s just a teeny bit different, because you’ll have it in yourprivate area. It’s very quick and – listen – IT DOESN’T HURT A BIT.  Alright?

Bobby S’pose so.

Senior.  Right then, let’s get on with it. Take your trainers off, and slip your shorts down to your ankles. (Bobby does so. The camera zooms in on his “private area”. His penisis hanging limp.)  Angelina, help Bobby on to the couch, thenplenty of surgical spirit,  all roundthe area)

(With Bobby on the couch, the traineenurse pours surgical spirit on to a cotton wool pad  and swabs Bobby’s genitals.)

Trainee (to herself, asshe does this)  Doesn’t look as if he could do much with agirl.

Senior  Now, Bobby, look up at the light – don’t look at me – don’t takeany notice of me ……..there!  (She injects a local anaesthetic into Bobby’s groin. He flinches abit)

Senior  Now that didn’t hurt, did it?

Bobby It did, just a little.

Senior  Well,  from now on youwon’t feel anything – that’s a promise! (To the trainee)  Angelina, willyou do what I showed you?

Trainee  Sure thing!  (She passes an elasticated belt round Bobby’s middle and threads hispenis through the loop that holds it out of the way. The camera briefly focuseson Bobby’s genitals) 

Senior Now then, let’s see. (She squeezes one ofBobby’s testicles) Can youfeel me doing that?

Bobby  No, I can’t feel anything!

Senior OK then. (To the trainee) Hold this for me (handingher a kidney-bowl in which there are two hypodermics) Now watch very carefully how I do it, because you’vegot to  get the angle right. (To Bobby) Bobby,don’t look at me – keep looking up. I’ve nearly finished.

(The camera again zooms in on Bobby’sprivate area. With quick practised movements the senior nurse injects Neutersolinto Bobby’s testicles. The empty syringes clink into the kidney-bowl thatAngelina is holding).

There, Bobby,all done!  You can get down now. (Bobby scrambles off the couch)

Bobby  Nurse, have I just had my balls pricked?

Senior (laughing)  Since you ask, Bobby, yes, you have!  So you needn’t bother any more with thosesilly girls. (She gives him a friendly pat on his barebehind).  Now pull your pants up and put your trainers back on.

Trainee  Are we finished here now?

Senior. Yes, no more to do here. How about a cup of tea?

(The nurses pack their kit away and exitthrough the door they entered by. Bobby finishes tying his shoelaces. Audiblythinking  “I’ve had my balls pricked!  I’ve had my balls pricked!” he  exits through the dooropposite).

Scene 7.  Minutes later.

The camera follows Bobby into the dayroomof Rose Hill Children’s Centre. At the moment this is occupied by a group ofgirls.

The girls wear T-shirts similar toBobby’s, but instead of shorts they wear mini-length skirts in navy polyester.As Bobby passes they greet him with laughter and cat-calls:  “Hello gorgeous!”  “Whywere you born so beautiful?”  “Does yourmother know you’re out?” and more of the same.

Bobby hurries out of here and into thepassageway beyond, where he collides with two boys of his own age, one dark,one fair.

First boy. Oh, hello!  You’re new, aren’tyou?

Bobby Yes,  came in today.

First boy. So you’ve just been having your balls pricked.

Bobby Yes, but how do you know?

First boy We all have it done.  It seems strange at first but you get usedto it.

Second boy No you don’t!  You never get usedto it!  Before I came here there wasthis girl, Lisa, that I used to go with – she was going to let me put my cockup her fanny. And now I can’t do it, ever! I’ll never know what it’s like! (He bursts intotears, turns round and rushes away, weeping).

First boy. You mustn’t mind Tom – he easily gets upset.  That girl, though, Lisa – she dumped him just as soon as she knewhe couldn’t do anything.  Have you got agirlfriend?

Bobby Yes – sort of. 

First boy. Hard luck – for both of you!

Bobby When were you done?

First boy Ten weeks ago – the day I came in. Me and Tom were done together.  So the effect’s just about completenow. 

Bobby What do you mean – the effect?  Iknow that you can’t fuck girls after you’ve been done, but what else?

First boy.  Come in the toilets a moment and I’ll show you.

(The camera follows the boys into thetoilets, where the First Boy slips off his shorts and shows Bobby his dried-upscrotum, and his penis, that is limp, and the size of a four-year-old’s. Bobby says nothing, but his eyes growrounder and rounder.

FADE OUT.

Scene 9  Some months later.

We return to the Committee Room at CountyHall, where another meeting of the Health and Welfare Committee is in progress.The Committee members are the same as before, less Father O’Toole who has senthis apologies)

Chair. Next item on our Agenda is –let me see now – oh yes.  Dr McKechnie is going to give us an updateon the case of Lauren Sutcliffe and Bobby Robertson.  Over to you, Doctor.

Doctor. Thank you, Chair. Well now, Commandant  Watson-West andgentlemen, if you refer back to the minutes of our March meeting you’ll see thatthere was doubt in my mind about the paternity of Lauren’s child – although sheinsisted to all and sundry that Bobby Robertson, then aged eleven years andnine months, was the father. Among other things I initiated certain tests.

(Pause while the other Members shufflethrough their papers). 

Doctor (continuing) The results of those tests are now here in front of me, rather belatedlyI might add. They conclusively prove not only that Bobby Robson is not thefather, but also that he could not possibly be the father.

Mrs W-W. Then if he’s not the father, who is? (glaring atthe Doctor)

Doctor  There, Commandant, I have to disappoint you.  I have no medical evidence to answer your question. Indeed it could onlybe answered by identifying all other boys with whom Lauren might have hadintercourse,  and taking DNA samplesfrom all of them and from her child.  Ihave no remit to set up anything of that kind. We could frame a resolution, Chair, and vote on it, but I should imaginethat the Human Rights people would do their best to block it.

Chair.  Noway forward, then?

Doctor  Ibelieve not, Chair.

Mrs W-W (snorting)  D’oh!

Doctor  (silencing her with a look) Meanwhile I have some other reports thatmay interest the Committee. With  yourpermission,  Chair, of course.

Chair. Please continue.

Doctor. First, a report from Studley Bay. Lauren Sutcliffe  has given birthto a healthy baby boy, without complications. Mother and child are doing well. The Unit Manager reports  thatLauren is proving a good mother and loves her baby.

Also a reportfrom the Director of Social Services. Bobby Robertson has left Rose Hill andhas been placed with a foster-family. He has settled in very well and inparticular is getting along nicely with his foster-parents’ own child. 

Bobby has alsomoved to a new school, affiliated to his local church, and this, too, hasworked out well.  It’s a pity thatFather O’Toole, who is Chair of the School Governors,  can’t be here today.  Ihave a letter from him  commenting onBobby’s good progress at St Brendan’s, but it’s a bit light on specifics.

That’s all Ihave, Chair.

Chair. Thank you, Doctor. In view of the Doctor’s reports,  Commandant and gentlemen, I propose we notethe reports but take no further action. Do we agree?  (Mumbles of agreement all round the table) Right then, next item!

BLACKOUT

Scene 9.  Earlier that month

The lounge at the Vane family home, whereBobby has been placed in foster-care. Bobby has just arrived and is beingintroduced to Miriam, the 12-year-old daughter of the family, by her mother.

Mrs Vane.  Now, Miriam,  I want you tomeet Bobby, who has come to live with us. I’m sure we’ll all get on very welltogether. And, Miriam,  Bobby has had alittle operation, that all nice boys have, so he won’t  ever try to make you do those nasty rude thingsthat some of the boys at school try to make you do.

Miriam Yes, mother.

Mrs Vane Why don’t you take Bobby upstairs, show him the bathroom, and hisbedroom, and help him put his things away?

Miriam Alright, Mother. Come on, Bobby. (they go out)

Scene 10.  Bobby’sbedroom.  Eleven o’clock the same night.

(The scene opens in total darkness, but achink of light appears as the door is stealthily opened.  Miriam comes in. She is holding a very smallpencil-torch. By its light we can see she is wearing only a T-shirt – noknickers. The camera gives us a flash of her bare backside)

Miriam  (in a loud whisper)  Bobby! Bobby!  Wake up!  I want to talk to you!

Bobby. (yawning and rubbing his eyes)  Whatever’sthe matter?

Miriam Nothing, but I want you to listen to me.  We are going to get on very well – very, very  well, if you understand something. Now, repeat after me, “You are thePrincess”.

Bobby  (mystified) Youare the Princess.

Miriam Now say  “I am your sex-slave”.

Bobby  Iam your sex-slave.

Miriam Right then.  It’s the job of asex-slave to give the Princess a nice time. Boys love to become sex-slaves. They all get taken to the doctor, tohave something taken out, to stop them getting TOO naughty,  and I know that’s been done to you too, butwe can have a lot of fun, can’t we?

Bobby Well, yes – if you like.

Miriam  Let’s have a better look at you (pullsback the covers)  Stand up. Take those boxer-shorts off.

(Bobby pulls off his boxer-shorts.  Miriam takes a good look at his shrunkengenitals.)

Miriam   (fondling Bobby’s penis) My God,  I’ve seen some tinyones but yours beats all. You poor boy! Now, let’s  lie down and makeourselves comfy, and then you can kiss mine while I suck yours.  Only you mustn’t pee in my mouth!

(The camera shows the pair lying downhead to toe, and fades out while they are enjoying a “sixty-nine”.

Scene 11.Father O’Toole’s  study at thePresbytery. 

Fr O’Toole is reading the newspaper, witha glass of whisky at his elbow. There is a timid knock on the door.

Fr O’T.  Come in!

Bobby enters, wearing his new StBrendan’s School uniform.  This issimilar to the one he wore at Rose Hill. The T-shirt is scarlet with the words St Brendan’s in Gothic scriptacross the front and a bishop’s mitre. Like those he wore at Rose Hill, hisshorts are white, but much shorter and wider in the leg.

Fr O’T. Oh it’s you, Bobby!  I’m sopleased you’ve come!  I’ve somethingimportant to tell you.  Come over here. Bobby advances to the priest’s chair.

Fr O’T. You’ve been an altar-boy for over a year now. Time you werepromoted.  I’m making you HeadChorister.

Bobby Head Chorister, father?  I don’tunderstand – I can’t sing very well!

Fr O’T Ah, but you will!  I’ve beenlistening, and I can tell.  Now come abit closer and I’ll let you in on a great secret, that you may not know yet. (He pulls Bobby right up to him and lays his hand on the boy’s barethigh.)

Fr O’T (continuing)  Sure, Nature is a wonderful thing, so it is.When a boy has lost that part of him that truly makes him a boy,  then Nature makes up for the loss by givinghim the voice of an angel.  It alwayshappens.

(While saying this, the priest is edginghis hand up the leg of Bobby’s shorts)

Fr O’T (continuing)  Did you know that in Italy, a long timeago,  boys fairly queued-up to have theoperation that you’ve had, Bobby?  Therewere notices in shop-windows showing where they could go to have it done. 

Bobby No, Father, I didn’t know that.

(There is a pause while the priestcontinues to explore inside Bobby’s shorts)

Bobby  (who senses the way things are going)  Father,  I’ve been talking to two boys atschool,  the Murphy twins – Declan andLiam. They say they know you very well and that you’ve taken them to summercamps – with other boys of course.

Fr O’T Declan and Liam?  Sure, they’retwo lovely boys, so they are.

Bobby  (pressing home the advantage) They told me, Father, that you like to (Bobby puts his mouth close to the priest’s ear. His whisperedquestion is punctuated by giggles, but we can distinctly pick out the words “up a boy’s bottom”.

Fr O’T (taken aback) Andthe Murphy boys told you that?

Bobby  (who is enjoying being “fiddled with)  So what doyou say, Father?

Fr O’T (stillstrugglingfor words)   I – er – I…..

Bobby  (fluttering his eyelashes)  So how about it, Father?

(Unable to believe his luck, FatherO’Toole allows Bobby to lead him by the sleeve through the far door, beyondwhich is the bedroom.)

(For decency’s sake the camera remainsoutside, but we can hear snatches of speech- “Slip off your shorts, quick now!”  “Bend over” “This is just ordinary Vaseline” “Ooh, that feels nice!”

(The scene fades out to the sound of the priest’s rhythmic grunting.)

Scene 12.  At about the same time.

(The sea-front near Studley Baymother-and-baby centre)

The clifftoppromenade is deserted. The camera shows a distant figure approaching which onnearer acquantance proves to be Lauren. She is dressed much as we saw her inScene 1 and is pushing a baby-buggy with the hood up. The baby begins crying.

Lauren   Ohdearie me!  Time for milkies then?  All right, sweetie.

(Lauren sits onthe nearest bench, unbuttons her blouse and maternity-bra, and takes the babyfrom the pram. The camera focuses on the baby. The baby is coal-black.

F I N I S