Trash Town ONE

Set in Blackpool, England, the story focuses on the lovelives of a group of gay and lesbian characters, namely Steve, a bisexual man and Lou, a lesbian woman in her thirties.

Trash Town

ONE

Steve orders two pints from the bar and sits back down with Lou.

Steve: I’m telling you I’m not a puff, I like men yeah but I’m not gay, I don’t want to settle down with a bloke, how can I be in the closet if I’m not gay?

Lou: Alright, alright Steve, I just don’t’ think it’s cool to have a girlfriend and sleep around with blokes, can’t you just choose? Wouldn’t it just be easier all round to just choose?

Steve: Yeah I guess so, I just don’t wanna be with a bloke, I don’t want the lifestyle and I got Janey to think about now, I’m a Dad. I wish I’d got out of here before Janey, I was going to make a new start but I’m stuck here now in this dump and I know you don’t think I am but I’m happy with Stella, she’s good for me.

Lou: I don’t think Stella would be around if she knew you got off with James the other night. I know you met her in the club but she thinks you’re straight as a die, I know it. How would you feel if she was shagging around?

Steve: I wouldn’t care Lou, sex is sex, whatever, I don’t think it’s such a big deal.

Lou swigs down half a pint of beer and then splutters.

Lou: Such a big deal? Of course it’s a big deal, what do you think monogamy is eh Steve? We got marriage and civil partnerships; I don’t think either are designed to embrace polygamy, we’re supposed to settle down with one person Steve, aren’t we?

Steve: How the hell do I know? I’m safe and I only play around a little, it’s nothing, really it’s nothing.

Lou: Maybe to you Steve, maybe to you. Shall we go over to the club when you’ve finished that? I don’t fancy going back to that bloody lonely flat just yet. It freaks me out. I need to find a woman Steve, I haven’t been with anyone since Cara, and I’m still not totally over her you know.

Steve: You went out with her for six months Lou, get over it. She’s told you to get over it, everyone thinks you should be over it, just get laid Lou, it’ll do you good, stop whining about Cara. She doesn’t give a s**t about you.

Lou: What do you mean she doesn’t give a s**t about me? Why did she meet up with me then yesterday?

Steve: To give you your stuff back and to make it clear she’s not interested in you like that anymore, she’s said it how many times she only wants to be mates with you.

Lou frowns looking mournful.

Lou: I guess you’re right, I just don’t see how she loved me one minute and then it was over. It’s done my head in, I could go meet that girl off gaydar but I don’t know if I’m ready.

Steve: It’s a date Lou, you don’t have to think so seriously about it. Why don’t you just have a bit of fun for a while?

Lou: What like you you mean, I just wanna settle down, I’m nearly 37 Steve, I’ve been around the block and back. I really thought that was it when I met Cara. I thought I was going to settle down. I was just a rebound. I hate seeing her so indifferent, like there was never anything between us.

Steve: I told you Lou, get over it.

Lou: I am, I am for f***s sake, it’s just done my head in.

Steve: If she had been all over you like a rash you wouldn’t have given a s**t. You only ever whine over the ones that aren’t so bothered about you. What is that? It’s gotta be a woman thing. She loved you, she stopped loving you. Simple. You should just get laid and put it to bed.

Steve finishes his pint and looks down at his watch.

Steve: Come on, let’s go to the club, if I see James I’ll tell him the truth, I’ll tell him I’m with Stella, will that do you? How much you got left? Enough?

Lou checks her back pocket and feels for a note.

Lou: I got a twenty left, can we head to doubles bar in there? F**k, I hope Cara isn’t there.

Steve: I’ve told you, f**k Cara Lou, s**t happens, it wasn’t right.

Lou: She said I was more bothered about looks, I said I liked looks and brains, she said she just wanted somebody to make her laugh, she said I never made her laugh, that I wasn’t a joker. I’m funny right Steve?

Steve: Yeah you can be funny when you wanna be, you’d be funny if you stopped whining about that f*****g woman who doesn’t love you. I’ve had it, don’t mention her name for the rest of the night or I’m heading home.

Lou: OK, OK, point taken, maybe creative people just aren’t supposed to go out with practical scientific people.

Steve: Jesus, can we talk about something else, come on Lou, sort that god damn head out, let’s go over to the club, besides I’m gagging for a f*g.

Lou reaches for her jacket, they both head for the stairs. Outside Price’s bar, Steve lights up a cigarette. They head off down Station Road towards the club.

Lou: Do you reckon there’ll be anyone in there? Nobody seems to do a Friday these days. Everyone seems to go out on a Saturday, you noticed?

Steve: I dunno Lou, I’m not f*****g Mystic Meg. It was alright last Friday, I saw that rugby girl you fancy.

Lou: Yeah, she’s lovely but she aint interested Steve, I can tell.