PETER MAITLAND
(frightened)
The Demms bloke told me the stuff we loaded in the drums is aviation spirit.

ROBERT ASHTON
I'd keep away from that Demms bloke if I were you. He's just a Moaning Minnie.

PETER
Ninety-five octane...that's pretty explosive stuff!

ROBERT
Now, look. I've been at sea a year now, and I haven't seen a thing...apart from an odd scare. Just a few depth charges here and there.

PETER
My father's on his own. You see, we've hardly any relatives. Well, none that we really see anyway. It didn't really strike me that I'd be leaving him like that until the day I came away. He came to the station to see me off. It was too late then, wasn't it?

ROBERT
Look, you'd have had to join the army sooner or later anyway, huh?

PETER
Mmm, I know. That's why most of the blokes in the wireless school were there.

(First Sparks comes into the radio room, and Peter jumps to his feet.)

FIRST SPARKS
You put those batteries on charge, Peter?

PETER
Yes. Yes, I did.

FIRST SPARKS
Good lad.

(He passes by and exits through the other door.)

ROBERT
Hey! Come on. Let's go and see how many lights we can count in the Yankee blackout. They're having an exercise tonight.

(Deep in thought, Peter does not move.)

ROBERT
Hey! Well, come on! Hey, do you remember that first blackout at home?

PETER
It must be pretty awful these days being a parent, don't you think?

ROBERT
(trying to cheer up his friend)
I'd rather be a parent than a judy on the streets of Manhattan tonight, baby.

 

(from "We Could Be a Lot Worse Off" by John Finch)