Episode 8 - The Subtext

—Cold bugger out there today, Joe. 

—Nesh bugger. It’s fresh is all. 

—Fucking fresh? Mate, it’s baltic. 

—Yer getting old. No. Yer are old. 

—Piss off. 

—I need yer notebook. 

—What for? 

—I’ve come up with one of those yabba-dabba-do’s. I’ll write the bugger before I forget it. 

—What’s Fred Flintstone got to do with it? 

—Eh? 

—Yer said yabba-dabba-do’s. That’s Fred—

—I meant whatever that fucking word was yer called them 100 word stories. 

—Yampy bugger. Drabble, Joe. Drabble. That’s the name. 

—Oh, aye, that’s it. 

—Yer’ve come up with one? 

—I have, yeah. 

—Here are then, write it down. 

(It goes quiet while Joe scribbles in Bob’s notebook.)

—There yer go. 

(Quiet again while Bob reads)

—Mate, that’s not it. There’s no subtext. 

—Why would I write anything under it?

—Eh? 

—Why would—

—Ah, no, yer numpty. Subtext means the unspoken meaning, like. 

—How d’yer write something that nobody is saying? 

—I’ll show yer, if yer like. 

—zzzzzz

—Funny man. It’s not boring. 

—Fucking sounds it. 

—Nah, it’s the key to storytelling. It ain’t what they are saying. It’s what they’re not saying. 

—Sounds bloody complicated to me. 

—It ain’t when yer get used to it. 

—I bloody did it though, didn’t I? And bang on 100 words. 

—Yer did. 100 words to tell a shite joke. 

—Fuck off, you. It’s what you did. 

—Yeah, maybe. But mine had subtext. 

—Yours had bullshit. 

—Whatever. Anyway, I’ll—

—Arghhh.

—What’s wrong with you? 

—Argghhh. I’m bloody gagging ‘ere. 

—Bloody hell! The counter is that way. Look, young Penny is on. 

—Right, I’d better go. Yer’d frighten the poor lass with that ugly mug. 

—Fuck off.