The Perch

(A Sunday. Glorious weather. The New Student and the First Student in a small rowing boat on the lake. The First Student holds a fishing rod.)

The First Student

I can feel something.

(They both look at the line. It begins to move.)

The First Student

I think it's a little one.

(The line goes slack and still.)

The First Student

Let's wait for a bigger one.

The New Student

I feel like I'm on the hook.

The First Student

Because of that surprise visit the other day?

The New Student

Yes. It was such an embarrassment. I can see it in the others' eyes.

The First Student

Papperlapp.

The New Student

Easy for you to say.

The First Student

I only speak the truth.

(A beat.)

The First Student

Always.

The New Student

Don't tell me you never lie.

The First Student

Not in the common sense.

The New Student

She told me she had only accepted because she wanted to look after me. To see if I'm happy here.

The First Student

Are you?

The New Student

I'm not sure. Right now, on this lake... with you... I am.

The First Student

Good to hear.

(The line begins to move violently.)

The First Student

Oh, that's a big one!

(The line pulls hard. The rod bends. The boat rocks. There is a struggle for a minute.)

(The line goes slack.)

The First Student

Gone.

The New Student

I thought this would be easier.

The First Student

It's always a struggle.

(A beat.)

The First Student

Everything is.

The New Student

You make it look so easy.

The First Student

The fishing?

The New Student

It's as if... you belong here.

The First Student

Me? The scholarship boy?

The New Student

Yes. You.

The First Student

I'm taking in as much as I can.

The New Student

I hope I'm going to survive next week.

The First Student

You will.

The New Student

You are always so... so confident.

The First Student

When it comes to you and your mum, I am.

(A beat.)

The New Student

Didn't you find her small... next to Catherine?

The First Student

Not at all. She's the future.

(A beat.)

The First Student

And you will get your horse. I'd say there will be a trailer coming next week.

The New Student

For a new movie?

The First Student

With your horse.

The New Student

I very much doubt that.

The First Student

You wanna bet?

The New Student

A tenner?

The First Student

It would be unethical of me to accept this.

The New Student

I don't see why.

The First Student

Do I really have to spell it out?

The New Student

I'm quite lost. Why don't you?

The First Student

I talked to a certain someone.

The New Student

To him?

The First Student

Yes. To him.

The New Student

And he will buy me a horse?

The First Student

Don't be so thick.

(The line begins to move. Not quite as violently as before, but the rod bends. A brief struggle ensues. The First Student brings out a fish, some thirty centimetres long.)

The New Student

A perch!

(The First Student takes the fish in his hands and holds it up.)

The First Student

Look at these colours.

(He unhooks it carefully.)

The First Student

Shall we give him back his freedom?

The New Student

I think we should eat him.

(The First Student kills the fish with a sharp blow to the head.)