Remembering Lines

	Hugh and Stephen are on set.


Hugh		We'd like to do a sketch for you now entitled,
		quite simply, "Jack Nimnock Goes Shopping In the
		Heart of Norwich".

Stephen		That's right.

	They each go to one side of the the set and start to walk 
	towards each other. As they pass they recognise one 
	another.

		Jack! Jack Nimnock! How are you?

Hugh		Neville! I'm fine, fine. How are you?

Stephen		Oh mustn't grumble. So what are you up to now?

Hugh		Oh this and that.

Stephen		Right. Right. So tell me, how's Mary?

	Hugh looks blank. Stephen speaks sotto voce.

		Mary and I are divorced.

Hugh		Mary and I are divorced.

Stephen		Divorced? I'm sorry to hear that, Jack. When did
		this happen?

	Hugh again looks blank.

		When did this happen?

Hugh		A couple of days ago.

Stephen		(Sotto voce) Years.

Hugh		Pardon?

Stephen		(Sotto voce) You were divorced a couple of
		years ago.

Hugh		A couple of years ago. Not days, Neville, as I
		initially suggested, but years.

Stephen		Well this is terrible news, Jack, terrible. Whose
		idea was it, if you don't mind me asking?

	Hugh looks blank again.

Hugh		What?

Stephen		The divorce. Was it your idea or Mary's? (Sotto 
		voce) Mine.

Hugh		Mine.

Stephen		Yours?

Hugh		Yours?

Stephen		Mine.

Hugh		Mine.

Stephen		So it was your idea?

Hugh		So it was your idea?

Stephen		I see. How did Mary take it?

	Hugh looks blank yet again. Stephen starts to look 
	annoyed.

		(Semi sotto voce) Not too badly at first.

Hugh		Not too badly at first.

Stephen		(Semi sotto voce) But I think she's pretty low at the
		moment.

Hugh		But at the moment I think she's pretty low.

Stephen		And how about you?

Hugh		Erm ... don't tell me.

Stephen		You had a nervous breakdown.

Hugh		Oh yes, I had a nervous breakdown and went
		into shock and when I recovered I found I'd
		completely lost my voice.

Stephen		Memory!

Hugh		Memory, I'd completely lost my memory -

	Pause.

Stephen		(Under) And now I can't remember a thing ...

Hugh		(Under) I know, I know, that was a pause. (Out 
		loud) And now I can't remember a thing about that
		period of my life.

Stephen		That's terrible, so had Mary been cheating on
		you then?

Hugh		Well ...

Stephen		(Whispering) I've forgotten.

Hugh		(Whispering) So have I.

Stephen		No, you've forgotten.

Hugh		Oh I see. I've forgotten. She might have been but
		I just can't ... um ... persuade?

Stephen		(Hissing) No, remember!

Hugh		November. I'm a ...

Stephen		(Walking off) Git.

Hugh		I'm a git. I'm a git, that's right -

	Embarrassed at Stephen's disappearance.

		- right, well cheerio then Neville. It was good
		seeing you after all these ...... er ...

Stephen		(Off yelling loudly) Years!!!

Hugh		Years! That's right.