Arthur dear, don’t fret.
Papers, papers, get your papers.
I have never been to the sea. I always wanted to go to the sea.
No, never since my husband died.
Oh aye, a sight to behold.
The rascals of Ballydrim out in force.
The maid peept out the window.
The fryar and the nun.
An old man is a bed full of bones.
Is he not, is it not, is it not?
Rose is red and rose is white.
New new nothing.
Row well ye mariners.
I have never seen the sea.
The pauper and the layman, the priest and the scoundrel, all moving
with intent.
Sometimes, fleetingly, never anything less.
Profound, very, yes dreadfully profound.
Labour in vaine.
In great concentric circles about the time your husband died.
Biting the bullets one by one, out on the green fields of Amerikay.
Interest rates climbing on the national stew fund. Spiralling into a new dawn of exoneration of traditional values.
Gracie did all those things and more.
And the quaker danced.
Rose is red and rose is red.
For judge and jury.
Very very far.
Quite near actually.
Further than strictly possible.
In all reason dear.
75 miles from the sea. Exactly.
And another.
And another.
AND another.
Drawing to a conclusion.
Bliss.
Seemingly.
Fleetingly.
(pause)
Have at thy coat old woman!
SUMMARY OF LIFE IN MIDDLE ENGLAND
