Scene One

A field, harvested, the corn in sheaves. Dawn light. Thomas Chichester, in farm worker’s clothes, walks about the field. He smokes.

Chichester Dawn. Waiting. Near the Irish border.

Who are you talking to? You Tom. Right Tom? Dawn near the Irish border.

He turns a full circle on his heel, scanning the countryside.

Who are you waiting for, Tom?

A man called O’Rourke.

Come on, Sheamus Naill O’Rourke.

He is startled. He crouches down. He looks about him nervously. He takes out a drinking flask.

Got the hoojahs, Tom. Because of the field. Four pine trees. The dead likeness of the Old Acre. A field back home, on the family farm.

Could see my mother – coming out of the trees now. Telling me to get my hair cut – that I’m drinking too much.

And where is home, Tom?

England, Tom.

Four pine trees. Traces of banks.

Hard men can weep for home, Tom.

Shut up.

Yes shut up you bloody idiot.

He is about to take another swig of the flask when a whistle blows. British Army Soldiers come into the field at the back through the trees.

No! No!

Chichester scrambles into a hollow, trying to hide.

You bastards.

Corporal We go from this field. Right down through the woods, to the track.

Chichester (to himself) No, No, no, no, no.

Corporal And anything. Anything. A fucking blade of grass pointing the wrong way – you call an NCO.

First Soldier Our Corporal is jumpy this morning.

The two Soldiers near him laugh.

Second Soldier Your first time on the border, in’t it lad?

Third Soldier You don’t know yet.

First Soldier Know what?

Third Soldier Look at it. Little fields, little hedges. Hills in the pale blue yonder. Pretty, in’t it?

First Soldier (shrugs) Yeah.

Third Soldier Could be anywhere. Well it’s not. ’Cos you are a Brit and a Squadie and to you what you are walking on is the surface of the moon – and very, very dangerous.

First Soldier Still. Nice day for it.

Second Soldier Oh dear oh dear, a little hero.

Third Soldier We’re moon men. We should have space suits, oxygen, the lot.

First Soldier I joined the Army ’cos I liked canoeing.

Second Soldier Oh we all joined the Army ’cos we liked something.

Corporal (walking past them into the trees) Stop talking over there!

Two Soldiers, downstage, see Chichester.

Fourth Soldier Corporal!

All the Soldiers in the field stop. The Fourth and Fifth Soldiers cover Chichester with their guns. The other Soldiers are dead still.

Fifth Soldier Do not move or I will have to open fire!

Chichester Piss off.

The First Soldier raises a whistle and blows it. The Corporal comes running out of the trees.

Corporal Oh my God.

As he runs he takes out a pistol. He reaches the Fourth and Fifth Soldiers.

(To Chichester:) Get up on your feet, slowly.

Chichester Why does the British Army have to be so bloody British. Brains like boots. Balls like King Edward potatoes. Thick as pigshit.