[***]
[WHISTLE TWEETS]
[HUMMING]
Hm.
[HUMMING CONTINUES]
All right.
We're out of tea bags.
[HUMMING]
Any delays?
A slight snarl-up in Basingstoke.
[INHALES SHARPLY]
Fuck Basingstoke.
[BOTH LAUGH]
ED: This-- This i-is not an airport.
Th-th-that's the trouble.
[SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE]
Yeah, yeah. Well, we're in Woking.
[STUTTERING] Uh, I don't quite--
Well, you've done it, but we're in Woking.
You guys should really get a lift.
Yeah, we really should.
[PHONE RINGING]
[WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA]
Hi.
No, of course I can't come home.
Of course I can't.
Because I'm at work.
[TOILET FLUSHING]
Of course I do.
No, of course I do.
Please don't shout.
[DOOR OPENS]
Toilet's blocked.
Yes, sir. Yeah. It is.
[GRUNTS]
Five day return, please.
Yes, coming right up.
Uh, where to?
You look like you're having a worse day than I am.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Do you want one?
Uh, no, thank you.
Uh, I need the destination of your ticket,
and I'm afraid I need you to extinguish that cigarette. Ha.
Ha. Didn't I say? That's why I need this.
Calms my vastly overheating brain.
Macon Heights.
Macon Heights?
That's right. Macon Heights.
Um, ha.
There's no such station.
Check the computer.
A ticket to Macon Heights.
I've worked here over 20 years, madam.
M-A-C-O-N Heights.
Uh, what train were you considering getting?
Uh, do you know the time?
5:19. I can also take the 1:19 or the 9:19.
Well, there you go. That's the Alton train.
You see?
Stops at Brookwood, Ash Vale,
Aldershot, Farnham, Bentley, and then Alton.
There's no Macon Heights, I'm afraid. Heh.
[TRAIN PASSES]
[***]
BOB: Then she was gone?
ED: Yeah, some sort of trick, I think.
A sort of light thing.
Okay.
No. No, it's okay.
Still keeping that up, are you?
I dream of passive smoking.
[BOTH LAUGH]
Macon Heights.
Yeah. I keep feeling I've heard the name before somewhere.
Ed, Listen.
I know I don't have kids,
but I mean to ask, you're okay?
Never better.
See you tomorrow.
[MUFFLED RAP MUSIC PLAYING INDISTINCTLY]
[PEOPLE SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER POLICE RADIO]
Shit. They called the police?
MARY: She did. I phoned you.
I didn't think she'd call the police.
OFFICER: She'll not be pressing charges.
ED: Oh, good.
Th-that's good.
But she is very upset.
A 15-year-old girl, you understand?
Well, we're very sorry.
Aren't we, Sam? She laughed at me.
There is gonna come a point--
No, there won't. No.
We won't let it.
OFFICER: --where we can't excuse him.
I just got angry.
ED: And I understand that it's just--
I shouldn't scare people.
Sam, I'm trying to talk to you here.
SAM: I shouldn't scare people, but I do.
But I do, I do scare people.
[JAZZ SONG PLAYING ON RECORD PLAYER]
Hang on, have you been raiding my, um--
Oh.
Pray silence for Louie Bellson.
You used to listen to this when you were little.
Count how many notes he plays in the next five seconds.
L-listen to that sax. Go on. Go on, then.
Phew-phew-phew. Go on, count. Go on.
Go on, count them. Come on. Count them.
You can't, though,
because it's physically impossible, it is.
Too many notes to count.
[LAUGHS]
This, um-- Did she say anything
or-or do anything to provoke you?
I've forgotten, so...
[RECORD SCRATCHES, MUSIC STOPS]
Well...
Okay, kiddo.
Okey-doke.
[TRAIN PASSING]
Come in.
Please sit down, madam. Please sit down.
Please sit.
I just want to buy a ticket.
Why do I feel like I'm being interviewed by Special Branch?
Ed says you take the Alton train.
That's correct.
The 9:19 train to Alton.
The 9:19, or the 13:19, or the 17:19.
But mostly the 9:19.
How long is the trip? How long does it take?
Twenty-eight minutes, precisely.
It's supposed to,
though it's recently become less reliable.
BOB: What sort of place is Macon Heights?
How many live there?
Five thousand. I don't know.
And does it have a large employer?
A brewery? A power station? A call center?
No. Nothing big like that.
I work accounts at Bradshaw Insurance.
What's the problem?
This is a map of our local network.
I'll show you in particular Farnham, and then Bentley.
Do you notice there are no stops in between?
[TRAIN PASSES, THEN SILENCE]
[SIGHS]
Okay, how the fuck did she do that?
WOMAN [OVER PA]: The train now standing at Platform 6
is the 9:17 serving
Billingham, Farnham, Bentley, and Alton.
[***]
MAN: Are you on duty?
Uh. No. No. No.
Thanks.
[DOORS BEEPING]
[DOORS CLOSE]
[WHISTLE TWEETS]
[SAM SCREAMING]
ED: Sam, don't you hurt your mother!
That's enough! Don't hurt him.
Sam, please. Please, please, please, Sam.
DOCTOR: When you lose control, does it feel like anger?
SAM: No.
Yes. It's, um--
DOCTOR: Does it feel different
from what normal anger feels like?
Yes.
DOCTOR: And how does it feel different?
Does it feel sad?
Yeah.
DOCTOR: Okay. That's interesting, isn't it?
SAM: Is it?
Dad.
What? S-- Uh, sorry.
Sorry. Sorry.
Well, shall we leave it there for now, yeah?
Ed, Mary, can I have a word?
A-a word about what?
DOCTOR: Just some forms I want them to sign.
[SIGHS]
Form a queue for the forms.
Too many notes.
[LAUGHS]
Okay. Um.
I'll just wait outside
with all the other crazy kids.
[***]
I'm concerned about Sam.
With the psychotic episodes becoming more frequent,
and the violence getting worse,
it seems likely that his condition is deteriorating.
We need to start talking about how to prepare for this.
[***]
MARY: Does he frighten you?
Well, I'm frightened for him.
But does he frighten you?
Sometimes, yeah.
Does he frighten you?
He's my son.
My son doesn't frighten me.
Do you remember, um--
Do you remember when-when we first met?
Um, we were introduced by, uh--
Fuck, I f-forgot her name.
On a train.
She said, "This is Ed. He works in trains,
and this is Mary, and she's on a train."
Then she burst into hysterics
even though it wasn't that funny.
[LAUGHS]
It took me almost two months
to convince you out for a coffee.
But I knew.
I knew you that were somebody
I could build something with and it--
He reminds me of you.
That's why I can talk to him.
The true you.
Not the one with the fake smile spread across your face.
Okay.
And actually,
I'm more frightened of you
when you've got that fake smile on
than I am of him.
[SNIFFS]
Okay. Good.
[HUMMING]
MAN [OVER PA]: The train now approaching Platform 6,
the 9:19 train, boarding at all stations to Alton.
[***]
[WHISTLE TWEETS]
[DOORS BEEPING]
[***]
[CELL PHONE BUTTONS BEEPING]
Uh, no, I'm not collecting tickets.
I'm just a passenger.
MAN: Yes, sir, we're all passengers here.
[***]
ED: Excuse me.
You-- You can't--
[PHONE ALARM BEEPING]
[***]
[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
GIRL: Wait! Wait!
Wait for me!
[JAZZ SONG PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
We do a table service.
Take a seat. What can I get for you?
Tea.
WAITRESS: How do you like it?
Ahem, m-milk.
One sugar.
I'll bring it right over.
White. One sugar.
And a piece of some apple cake I made.
No charge. You look like you could do with it.
Right, uh, thanks.
Uh. Very much. Yeah.
I've never seen someone look
so frightened by my cooking. Ha!
Yeah.
Well, actually, it's, uh--
It's divine.
Divine? Yeah.
Ha-ha-ha. I like divine.
It's delicious.
New in town?
Yes.
Well, not that I speak on behalf of the town or anything,
but I think you'll find a lot of things divine around here.
[SERVICE BELL DINGS]
Oh, my.
[CHUCKLES]
[GIGGLING]
Sorry, we're just engaged.
It's kind of-- It's glorious!
Oh, well, congratulations.
MAN: Thank you. Thank you.
She said yes! We're engaged!
[ALL LAUGHING]
[CHUCKLES]
[***]
MAN: Hello.
[BIKE BELL RINGS]
[CHILDREN LAUGHING, CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
WOMAN: Man sits alone watching children play.
In another world, I'd be worried.
He reminds me of my boy.
WOMAN: Which one?
ED: The one at the back there.
Not very physical, is he?
Am I ill?
Are you are a symptom of my illness?
You see, that's a classic negative response
from a classically negative man.
Why not see the possibilities of the place?
What is this place?
Macon Heights.
But Macon Heights is--
It's not supposed to be here.
Did that apple cake taste imaginary?
Do those kids look imaginary?
It exists, Ed.
You just don't want to believe it can exist.
Because it makes you happy,
and you're not used to being happy.
Maybe this is the world as it should be.
Cigarette?
Maybe this is the world that you need.
Your train home leaves at 20 past 7.
Try to enjoy Macon Heights until it does.
[***]
[GRUNTS] Up we go!
[TRAIN HONKS]
[***]
MARY: Hiya.
MARY: Good day?
Strange day.
Oh.
Go put your feet up.
I'm making a chicken pie for dinner.
Bit of a treat.
Oh, yeah.
[***]
Remember when we painted this room?
[CHUCKLES]
Always thought we'd have a boy.
Things happen, I guess.
Or they don't.
I love you.
[CHUCKLES]
Still...
I seem to remember we had fun trying, though.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
Mm.
[BOTH GIGGLING]
Oh!
WOMAN: Thank you.
Thank you all.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
[PA BEEPS]
[WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER PA]
[***]
[PHONE RINGING]
[ED SNIFFS]
ED [STUTTERS]: Yeah. I'm trying to locate a reporter of yours.
Uh, you don't seem to have a-an e-mail contact.
Uh, well, I wouldn't know. Her name is Martine Jenkins.
I need to know everything I can about the place.
MARTINE: Why?
Eh-- Um...
It's, uh, for a project.
[CHUCKLES]
You do understand I'm a journalist?
We're a dying breed, but we generally
have an unerring sense of smell where bullshit is concerned.
[CHUCKLES]
MARTINE: How many times have you been?
Um... Ahem.
Once. Oh, I'm impressed.
Normally people have been eight or nine times
before they look me up.
I'm not the first, then.
In my experience,
the less I explain...
the better this is.
[MURMURS]
[ED SCOFFS]
This is still a town that doesn't exist.
It's a town that almost existed.
I think that's somehow different.
There was such a lot to say about it.
The pity was I just couldn't get a big piece printed up anywhere.
Well, who stopped you?
Oh, no, no, there's no conspiracy.
They just didn't think it was interesting.
A dreamer dreams big.
It blows up.
He dies.
He died?
He won the bid,
but there were financial irregularities.
Not corruption, just incompetence.
I've tried to visit, you know.
Of course I have.
An ideal town...
[INHALES SHARPLY]
...that stays ideal...
that can exist untouched by reality.
But the door wouldn't open for me.
Um... Who's this?
That's his daughter,
Linda.
She found him in the woods.
Overdosed.
Two weeks after they took the project away from him
and gave it to the next bidder.
[***]
You're just saying nothing, are you?
What?
BOB: You fuck off just before rush hour, leave me on my johns.
And you're just saying nothing.
Where'd you go?
You doing something you shouldn't?
No.
Once a family's broken...
it doesn't get mended.
Three kids by three different mothers, remember?
[CHUCKLES] Three kids?
Yes. I think I know how many children I've got.
I have to go.
I'll take it as annual leave.
What?
Ed! Ed, it's too late for me to arrange cover.
You can't just go.
[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
Ed! Ed!
Stop the train!
Ed.
[***]
MAN: Gets quite addictive, doesn't it?
Sorry?
Watching the world go by.
You came back.
I did.
I am so pleased.
I made a ginger cake today that you're gonna love.
Then I will have that and a...
I was about to say a cup of hot chocolate.
Hot chocolate and ginger cake is a tasty combination.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
[JAZZ SONG PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
[SIGHS]
[CHATTER, JAZZ MUSIC FADE AWAY]
WAITRESS: Feels better, doesn't it?
Warning...
this can get quite addictive.
[MOUTHS]
My ginger cake. Ha.
Oh, ha-ha-ha. Thank you.
[INDISTINCT CHATTER, JAZZ SONG RESUME]
[BOTH LAUGHING]
Sorry. We're just engaged. It's kind of--
It's glorious.
[MAN LAUGHS]
I-I-I don't understand.
MAN: Thank you. Thank you.
[CHUCKLES]
[ICE CREAM TRUCK PLAYING MUSIC]
[CHILDREN LAUGHING, CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
[***]
VOICE: Dad.
[MARY SOBBING]
Mary.
What's the matter?
Just...
thinking about what could have been.
What could have been doesn't exist.
[BREATHING SHAKILY] There's only what is, and that's you and me.
And that's good enough for me.
[UPBEAT SONG PLAYING ON SAXOPHONE]
[SAXOPHONE MUSIC DISTORTING, SLOWING]
[RECORD SCRATCHES]
[CLOCK TICKING]
[***]
[LATCH CLICKS LADDER CLATTERS]
[***]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[BOTH SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[LAUGHS]
[SONG PLAYING INDISTINCTLY OVER STEREO]
WOMAN: Sammy!
[CRYING]
MARY: Couldn't you sleep?
What are you doing with all these?
What are all these?
Do you remember when we first met?
On a train.
Woman introduced us and she said:
"Here's Ed. He's in trains.
[CHUCKLES] And here's Mary. She's on one."
And what happened after that?
We fell in love, didn't we? It's as simple as that.
Ed?
Are you okay?
Ed?
Where are you going?
BOB: Ed.
Ed, there's been a problem at Basingstoke.
Fuck Basingstoke.
Yeah, but it does need sorting.
Can we get some ETAs on it?
I said fuck Basingstoke.
MAN: Ah, you're angry.
Or upset.
Or mad.
Or sane?
[TRAIN SIGNAL RINGING IN BACKGROUND]
What are you, Ed, do you think?
Excuse me.
I'm looking for Linda. Do you know who-- Linda?
No, she wasn't called Linda. She was called Jane.
Lung cancer, you see.
What?
MAN: Lung cancer. ED: This is important.
I'm looking for Linda. Do--
I'm sorry, you have me mixed up with another man.
"Go home," they said. And then I found home.
WOMAN: They said you'd be able to help.
They said you were new. And helpful. A new helpful man.
They're gonna let him die, aren't they?
Why would they let him die?
[PEOPLE CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
It's you. Thank God.
Please help me.
I'm looking for Linda. A mistake has been made.
Well, you're looking in a bit of mess, aren't you?
I'll fetch a cake and one of your hot chocolates.
[JAZZ SONG PLAYING OVER SPEAKERS]
Please. Please help me.
Do you know where I can find Linda?
No, love.
I'm not sure I can
find much at all, really.
What is this place? Macon Heights.
But what's happened to it?
You did.
The truth did.
[ANGRY TONE] And we want it back the way we had it.
I just want to find Linda. I just want to get my boy back.
He told me he had a knife. He told me I had to follow him.
This older man took me off of the path.
I was 14.
I was walking home, just through the park,
and there was a bit in the fence that was broken.
And he pulled me through, pulled me by the rail tracks.
He started to touch me. He started to touch my breasts.
No one had ever touched me there before.
I think I need to tell you my story.
No. No, I don't want to hear your stories.
I think that part of you does.
A part of you has to understand it.
Understand what this place is.
She took my son.
I need to get him back.
Was he in pain?
She's very good with pain.
When later, I fell in love, and I tried to...
It just didn't work, and this--
This is better.
What was your son's name?
[VOICE CRACKING] Sam.
S-S-Sammy.
A nice name.
[SOBBING] I was frightened of him.
No.
No more of that. Not here.
Coffee and walnut cake,
made just the way my mum used to make it.
You'll remember where to find her.
[BOTH GIGGLING]
Sorry, we're just engaged. It's kind of--
It's glorious.
Stay out of my way!
Thank you. Thank you.
WOMAN: We're engaged. MAN: Congratulations.
WOMAN: Thank you. Thank you. MAN: Fabulous. Fabulous.
[***]
A lot of people forget I work at Bradshaw Insurance
so kudos for that.
I always tell them, but they generally forget.
How can I help?
You've made a mistake.
I'm not one of these people.
And I need everything back just the way it was before.
[***]
[KIDS LAUGHING, CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
[***]
I take it they're not real.
Aren't they?
And nor are your engaged couple,
who have bashed into me in the street three times now.
Bit disingenuous...
claiming your son reminded you of the kid at the back.
LINDA: As I understand it, he'd be at the front,
probably ripping the kite to pieces.
Sit down, Ed.
I want my son back.
I'm not sure you do.
People can't just be extinguished.
I have three rationalizations I always give.
First, is the damage that's been done to yourself.
Okay, enough with-- Second,
is the damage that's been done to others.
And third, perhaps most important...
is the damage that's done to him or her,
the subject, if you like.
Fuck you.
Husbands wanting their wives
to go through that final round
of painful chemotherapy.
Children wanting their mums to go on living,
despite the pain.
[SCOFFS] What, so the answer to life's problems
is to stop living in reality?
Your son was a shit son,
and you were a shit father to him.
LINDA: What's great about that reality?
ED: You don't understand.
There were moments of joy.
There were moments of incredible happiness,
when Sam was happy.
There was joy.
Don't deny you dreamt of another life.
Dreaming is not the same as wishing it's true.
I want to see my son grow up to be a man.
I can tell you his story
will just get sadder and sadder.
Then that should be my story too.
It'll break you.
And it'll break your wife.
He'll go to jail.
He'll do terrible things.
You'll do terrible things.
You'll all be so unhappy.
Then that is how it shall be.
Adopt. Foster.
Find another child that needs you.
Engage in new possibilities, a new life.
You can rewrite everything.
We had a child.
I'd like him back.
This is just guilt.
No.
This is love.
He's what I made.
We made. This is love.
You almost sound convinced.
I can force your hand.
No, you can't.
They all have to come and travel through my station
to get to Macon Heights.
I'll tell them what they're gonna lose.
A life without truth.
That won't stop all of them.
It will stop some of them.
How many is too many?
You would deny them the possibility of happiness?
Of all there is here?
You think that this is happiness?
I think it's as close as some people can get.
You included.
And me.
I love my son.
You made the wrong choice, Ed.
LINDA [SIGHS]: I wish I could have saved you.
[***]
[TRAIN SIGNAL RINGING]
[***]
MAN: I tried to leave once.
I couldn't do it.
I pity you.
And I envy you.
What's your story, then?
What did this place fix?
I did damage to children.
Does that make you want to hurt me?
It makes me want to hurt myself.
I want to see my son again.
MAN: Good on you.
Some of us...
have no choice but to need this place.
[TRAIN CHUGGING]
[***]
[MUFFLED RAP MUSIC PLAYING INDISTINCTLY]
[KEYS JINGLING]
[DOOR CLOSES]
Hiya.
It's just me.
[SILVERWARE CLANKING]
[TRAIN CHUGGING]
[***]