SHEILA ASHTON
Are you sure you've got enough?

DAVID ASHTON
What?

SHEILA
Butter.

DAVID
Oh, yeah.

SHEILA
Good. That's half a week's ration you've got there.

DAVID
(teasing)
Only half a week's? I'm sorry, love. Do you want it back?

SHEILA
Don't be daft. Get to eating. I do all right.

DAVID
Huh, never thought I'd be glad to be sitting at this table in this room.

SHEILA
Things must be getting bad, in that case.

DAVID
Any more tea?

SHEILA
Are they, David?

(She pours the tea.)

SHEILA
What's the worst part?

DAVID
Look, there's no point in going into it, love, because whatever I say, you'll only worry yourself sick.

SHEILA
I've worried myself sick anyway. Please, David, I want to know.

DAVID
The waiting, I suppose. It's like holding your breath.

SHEILA
How do you mean?

DAVID
Well, you know, once you're up there, and it's all going on, you don't have time to think about it. There's nothing to it.

SHEILA
Do you go up often?

DAVID
No, of course not.

SHEILA
You liar. You wouldn't tell me anyway, would you? Every plane that goes overhead has you in it, as far as I'm concerned. Oh, it was awful at first. I couldn't sleep. Now I don't even try. When I know the planes are up, I get up, and I clean the house. You wouldn't know it some nights.

DAVID
(smiling)
Well, I'll have to go up more often then, won't I?

SHEILA
Don't, David, please. Don't say that, not even in fun.

 

(from "The Night They Hit No. 8" by John Finch)