Book to film Text: lan McEwan’s Sour Sweet GRANDPA: Tell iy English friends i's time to 0 out into garden now. I've got somerhing to show them LILY: What is it? You can tell me now. (But GRANDPA smiles and curns away.) (Cur) (Moments ler. LY and MU are ushering the old folk ou ofthe room towards the back orden. LILY is helping on old lady with tic words the door.) LLY: Come into garden, please. Something very special for you ro look at. (Cutto:) (The garden. The thing GRANDPA has Been constructing i large and leans agains he wal. I is covered with sacks, He limps up and dou bese it ‘waiting forthe last of he old people to come into the gard. GRANDPA wants to make a speech. MUL “ands ot his side ond act as translator. He ruters his ines int her ear, she calls out ers tothe crowd.) ‘ORANDPA: Say welcome to my foreign devil fiends. MUL: Honourable friends, welcome! (There is applause.) GRANDPA: Say, they are not here o eat food ‘and drink tea and use the cole, but for a very important purpose. Mul: Ah ....we hope you enjoyed the banquet. (There is. maar of assent.) Gaanpras Say, we ace all very, very old, weak people who will not live much longer Mut: And... we wish you long life! (More applause.) GRANDPA: Some of us might die tomorrow « suit Ah... very long life Gaawoea: Tell hem, i's time to stat making arrangements for death, sur Grandpat We hope you all come again crm Tele om nemenettne | built something they sl al be needing (oRANDPA, with aselfimporian flourish, pulls the sacks awry. MU has her back to him and continues co translate ina stunned sence.) Mur: Grandpa is a campenter and he has made something specially forall of you... and hopes i will be useful (uur tums. LILY covers her face with her hands Propped against the wali coffin and coffin lid in smooth unvamnished wood. Undeterred, GRANDPA continues his speech imo Us ear.) GRANDPA: Tell chem, its very good wood, very ‘g00d wood (There i gathering hum of protest, anger, fear. GRANDPA goes forward and takes the sleeve of an old ‘man in the front row. He tres to entice him nearer the coffin, pointing at the man and then a the coffin co indicate an appropriate ft. He's grinning encouraginly. The flock is edging away, and now is ‘moving as one towards the house. GRANDPA continues to pluck at sleeves, ering t pul some ofthe ‘other od people cowards che coin.) Don't be shy... don't be shy (The od lady whom Lity helped sears to sing “Abide with me’. There is now a general move towards the house. GRANDPA stands by his coffin, genuinely ‘astonished that no one is taking up his offer.)Text: Timothy Mo’s Sour Sweet ‘Speak for foreign devil fiends to hear we go outside now:he told Mui Have something to show old people ‘0 make them happy.’ Grandpa hopped out sprly, in his enthusiasm without 2 stick, while Mui marshalled the elderly folk (no mean task) for their breath of fresh ait (Grandpa had jst throvna tarpaulin over whatever it was he hao show as Mui ushered his guests into the yard. Contrary to what Lily had ealir supposed. there were muttered complaints amongst the old people about being tumed out into the open, especially at such short notice. Lily brought up the rear, shepherding two or three elderly malcontents who clutched their shawls or jackets meaningfully. She was gentle but firm with them, ‘You go into garden, old people. Good and nice thing to see.’ She was supporting the nodding old lady with the stick, moce or less carrying her tiny weight in fac, while che old person cast bewildered, frightened looks around her with the big watery blue eyes of her race and age. ‘Grandpa was limping up and down, just about beside himself with glee, in front of three rows of ‘murmuring people. Lily urged forward the old folk at the sides so thac they made a rough semi-circle, a friendlier and more informal configuration. ‘Ready, Grandpa,’ she called Grandpa stepped forward. Wh as mu ofa flourish as his artsitic shoulder permieted him, he whipped off the tarpaulin, Lily blinked. She knew the shape of what she was looking a: itjust rook a moment to absorb and digests significance. Propped against the wall ata 45 degree angle were a coffin and cofin-lid in smoothed bot unvamished wood Mui sucked in her breath. There were three seconds of silence before a selling murmur of angry protest arose from the onlookers, ‘The old lady Lily was supporting plucked at her sleeve. What sit? What is it” she demanded agicatedly, at last showing some interest in what was going on around her. Grandpa, beaming, oblivious co even the rosibility of unfavourable reaction, wrung his gnarled carpenter’ hands, bowing his head into hunched shoulders. Taking the grace-saying old gentleman by the arm, he dragged him forward. Grandpa pointed to him, then to the cofn, indicating it was long enough to accommodate his English height and trying to get Iie to step in and ty i¢ out fo si ‘The old gentleman pulled away, beating at Grandpa's hand. He backed off, banging into others in the row behind who were already eying to squee:e throueh the kitchen door all at once “Don'c be shy!" Grandpa called. ‘Don't fear. I'm making one forall of you. Not dear at all He tried to seice another retreating old gentleman who beat him off “Tell dhera, Mut” Lily’s ld lady, now able to see the coffin, began to sing in her trembling voice ‘Abide with me’ Mui forced her way against che general direction to the front and was scolding Grandpa. He brushed her aside, sil witha big beam on his face, and tied o capture another flecing pensioner. Instead he found Mr ‘Constantinides who, presented with the exhibits by proud Grandpa, said something strange but appropriate- sounding lke ‘Far kin aid her.”