He and Pedro have been together for ages, doing this kind of thing, not shaving and being sexy without trying, sleeping under the stars and caving down underwater river systems that lead to the Lost City of Z and encounters with an ancient warrior tribe guarding pyramids and gold and stuff

And when Arty looks at Pedro

He has an intensity, a real shocking intensity that says, ‘I know who I am and I’m a man and I matter’

And Pedro respects and loves Arty and they’ve been friends so long they forgot where they met (some bar in Rio drunk on cachaça over a poker game that got dangerous when Señor Gangster Thug refused to accept he was beat and he wore a wide-brimmed hat

A white hat of course

And a white suit

’Cause that’s what gangster thugs wear in Rio)

And in this life that Arty’s living in his head

He smiles the brilliant white-teeth smile of the movie star.

216 DAYS

LOUISE enters to meet ARTY for the first time.

She is shocked by his appearance.

ARTY: It’s Mrs Jelenic, isn’t it?

Pause.

Um… hello.

LOUISE still cannot speak.

Thanks for coming—I know you don’t normally do house calls but it’s a bit hard for me to get about with um, well y’know, so thank you, Mrs—

LOUISE: It’s Ms.

LOUISE gingerly puts out her hand.

ARTY: You don’t have to touch me, that’s okay.

Relieved, LOUISE retracts her hand.

LOUISE: It’s good to meet you, Mr Arthur… Arthur. You have the same first name and surname. That’s… unusual.

ARTY: Mum went to school with a boy called Saad Saad and the kids called him Sad Sad.

Beat.

LOUISE: Okay. Arthur, I’m here to—

ARTY pulls a seat out for LOUISE with his moving stick.

Oh… thank you. Now, Arthur, we have a lot to—

ARTY: Would you like a cuppa tea? We got coffee too I think. And low-fat milk.

LOUISE: That’s good. The low-fat milk.

ARTY: So you’d like a cuppa milk?

LOUISE: No, it’s good that you have low-fat milk.

ARTY: Mum can’t tolerate lactose. Or chihuahuas.

ARTY laughs.

LOUISE doesn’t.

PRODUCER: Cut to

JoJo eavesdropping

LOUISE: Do you know why I’m here?

ARTY: You wanna get me work so Mum and me can’t have disability any more.

LOUISE: That’s not quite what the letter said.

ARTY: But that’s what it means. Could we offer you a Tim Tam?

LOUISE: I fear Tim Tams are the problem, Arthur.

ARTY: You’re absolutely right. I prefer chocolate teddy bears myself.

ARTY laughs.

LOUISE doesn’t.

LOUISE: Are you happy, Arthur?

Beat.