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Recharging the batteries

Red Box

Published 31 July 2006

Tony produces the perfect gift for Baby James, Cherie's Italian lessons go to waste, but the Blairs still find a place in the sun

Scene 1: Tony and Cherie’s flat. The Blairs are getting ready for the holidays. Cherie is on the phone to her Italian tutor.

Cherie: And how do I say, "Good evening. Beautiful yacht. Would you like to buy a signed copy of the Butler report?"

Tony is going through his diary trying to cadge a five-star villa. No one is returning his calls.

Tony: Bloody billionaires. They collect their peerages and you never hear from them again.

Cherie [on phone]: OK. I'll keep practising. Ciao.

She puts down the phone.

Cherie: Can't we go to Cliff's place again?

Tony: Dunno. He's gone all quiet on me. I've got a feeling he thinks I'm a warmonger.

Cherie: What? But we haven't invaded anywhere for three years. Let's try Silvio.

Tony: Too depressed to throw a house party.

Cherie: What about Chirac? I bet he could rustle up a nice château.

Tony: Yeah. For Saddam. Listen, I was thinking. Let's have a complete change this year. We could do something simple, you know, a short package holiday.

Cherie: Urgh, Tony. Did you just say "package holiday"?

Tony: It'll be good for my image as an ordinary kind of guy. Spain or Greece or wherever the chavs go.

Cherie: Spain! No effing way. I want a freebie in a posh villa with sea views and mountain air. Somewhere exotic. Sort it out.

Tony: Er, righto, sweetness.

Scene 2: The Browns' flat. It's Baby James's first night at home. Tony and Cherie enter.

Cherie: Hi there. Congrats and all that. Brought you a few prezzies.

They hand over armfuls of gifts all blatantly recycled from foreign visits. Sarah opens them politely.

Sarah: Er, lovely. He'll really appreciate . . . a bust of Gandhi, a samurai sword, a laminated ostrich egg and - ooh lovely - a framed copy of the Iraqi constitution. Thanks so much.

Tony: Don't mention it.

Cherie: And how's that dishy husband of yours? Bet he's lurrvvvin being a dad.

Sarah: Adores it. He talks to him all the time. Says the baby should get used to the sound of his voice.

Cherie [aside]: We all should. [To Sarah] So where is he?

Sarah: Next door. Burping.

A massive belch erupts from the bathroom.

Tony: That's Gordon empty, the baby'll be next.

Gordon enters with Baby James cradled in his arms.

Gordon: Now, then -

Tony: Well, done Gordon. Still producing hot air.

Gordon: Please don't interrupt. Here are your milk quotas for the next two quarters, James. The target is 95 millilitres delivered every four hours during the first month, rising to a maximum of 120 millilitres in the second month, producing net bodily growth by the third month of at least -

Sarah: Give him to me, darling.

Gordon: What?

Sarah: Let him meet Cherie and Tony.

She passes the baby to Tony. Tony looks at Baby James, pulls silly faces and pokes out his tongue.

Tony: Hello baby, boo-boo.

Baby James wriggles and gurgles.

Tony: Googi goo. Coochi coo!

Baby James: Coochi coo!

Sarah: Hear that, Gordon? Tony can actually talk to babies.

Cherie: He gets lots of practice at the White House.

Tony: Coochi coo . . . Oh dear, he's turning pink. I think he's going to -

The milk quota gets redistributed all over Tony's shirt.

Scene 3: Blair Force One. Cherie is wearing a blindfold. Tony is peering anxiously out of the aircraft window.

Cherie: Tell me where we're going, Tony. I can't stand the suspense.

Tony: It's everything you asked for and more. An exotic villa with sea views and mountain air.

Cherie: Oh goody. We're not paying for it are we?

Tony: Don't be silly. It's Lord Levy's place.

Cherie: Oh, you should have said. That's on Mount Carmel isn't it?

Tony: Yup.

Cherie: Smashing!

Cherie pulls off her blindfold and looks out of the window.

Cherie: Hang on. Mount Carmel - overlooking - oh my God - Haifa!

Tony: It'll be lovely, darling. Once they've agreed a ceasefire, which won't be long now.

The navigator rushes in.

Navigator: We have incoming fire! The pilot's re-routing.

A Hezbollah rocket sweeps past. The plane banks steeply.

Navigator: We're heading for the nearest RAF base.

Tony: Where's that?

Navigator: Cyprus.

Cherie: Cyprus? No way am I spending my summer holiday in . . .

Another rocket sweeps past, narrowly missing the wing.

Cherie: OK, Cyprus.

Scene 4: The seafront at Ayia Napa. The tavernas are full of pink English people. A middle-aged couple walk furtively past. The wife is wearing a Marilyn wig and dark glasses.

Cherie: Jeez, I hope no one recognises us.

Her husband is sweating behind a novelty George Bush mask. A heckler spots him.

Heckler: Dictator! Madman! International terrorist!

Tony: Better than "poodle", I suppose.

Heckler: Death to Bush!

A bottle hits Tony on the head.

Tony: Ow! Next year, darling, let's go to the Green Zone.

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