The Mercy Page #2

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I shall claim the prize for you, my love.

5,000 quid.

(Clare chuckles)

Alone on a boat for nine months?

You're either drunk or mad.

We should have another drink,

so that we can rule out madness.

As Chichester said, "Any damn fool

can circumnavigate the world sober.

"It takes a really good sailor

to do it drunk." Same again?

- Why not?

- Yes, please.

- Er, three quid's worth, please.

- All right, sir.

- (Crowhurst) How's business, Mr Best?

- Huh!

Er, these things seem

to sell themselves.

Everyone wants to go somewhere else,

and have somewhere to sleep

when they get there.

Brilliant product, the caravan.

Makes anywhere your home.

Yes, I suppose it does.

- How far are you going today?

- Staying locally.

- Practising for a longer haul, though.

- Really? Any place in particular?

Round the world.

Hmm.

Darling, may I point out a few things

about this particular adventure

that may prove problematic?

Well, firstly, you don't have a boat

capable of such a voyage.

(Crowhurst) Not yet,

but such matter is subject to change.

I didn't have a wife at one time.

- And now I have a beautiful one.

- (Chuckles)

Secondly, you have never been

much further than Falmouth.

I've also never walked to London,

but I imagine the same stride

I employ daily would carry me there.

Given enough time.

Sailing is no different.

Well, then there is the fact that

this man who is "striding to London"

has a wife and children,

who have come to rely on him

for this roof over their heads,

and plates of food in front of them,

three times daily.

Of course.

But those are the givens in the equation.

One's obligations.

How romantic,

says the "obligation" sitting here.

What have I done in all these years?

Don...

(Clare sighs)

You have done so much.

You've served your country.

You've held a post on the borough council.

You've... invented things.

You've engineered them into existence

from pure imagination.

I don't want to make devices that

allow others to have all the adventures.

All right,

but then what about the company?

What happens to Electron Utilisation

if you just sail away?

Well, consider for just a moment

the recognition of such a voyage.

Would not all that accrue directly

to the value of the company?

- Hmm.

- To us?

Larger house, larger bank accounts.

Oh, Don, we hardly need

a larger house.

More than the material gains,

it would result in children

who are proud of their father

for doing what no other man

in the county would even contemplate.

I think I can win this race, Clare.

(Woman) 'Don's not still talking

about making a boat?

- (Clare) 'Yes.

- 'Clare, you have to stop him.'

Stop him from... dreaming?

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