03x05 - Diddle Diddle Dumpling

Episode transcripts for the TV show, "Inside No. 9". Aired: February 5, 2014 - present.*
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Dark comic tales, each of which takes place inside a building or apartment marked number nine.
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03x05 - Diddle Diddle Dumpling

Post by bunniefuu »

You haven't thrown away
those jam jars, have you?

I was collecting them
for the spring fair.

No, they're under the sink.

You've gotta fill them with
stuff for raffle prizes.

What's wrong with the jam?
That's a good prize.

Well, try telling that
to the PSA.

There's a list of approved items.
It's on the fridge.

- What like? iPhones?
- Yeah, probably.

And remember, Sally's got
a play-date with Gertrude.

Gertrude? Isn't that the cow
from the Magic Roundabout?

No, that is Ermintrude.

Ridiculous.

Well, you did say you wanted
her to have more friends.

Yeah, but I'd rather they
weren't Shakespeare characters,

Greek goddesses or French wines.

Fine. I'll tell Sauvignon's mother
we're cancelling, shall I?

- You are joking?
- Maybe.

How was your run?

Yeah, it was fine.
It was weird though.

Weird?
Why?

Well, coming in just now, there
was a shoe on the pavement.

- A shoe?
- Yeah, just one single black shoe.
Looks like it's been placed.

It's not old!
It's like a brand-new shoe.

Right...
You haven't seen my keys, have you?

I put it up on the wall anyway,
see if anyone comes back for it.

So odd.
What's the story behind it?

Right, I am off.

Make sure she brushes
her teeth, won't you?

And if you get a chance,

will you sneak a peek
in Gertrude's book bag?

- Why?
- Just to see what she's reading.

Seriously?

- I don't want Sally falling behind.
- She's seven.

She should be reading
Janet And Whatsit Have Two Mummies,

or whatever they
read these days.

Right, see you later!

Yeah, OK.

See if that shoe's still there
when you go by.

Bye, Sally!

Bye, Mummy!

I'm so sorry I'm late.

I had a conference call
with Bombay and it took ages

to get everybody on the line.

Better than watching fifty episodes of
Fifi And The Flowertots.

- Is she still awake?
- No, she tried but she fell asleep

- with the book in her hand, bless her.
- I feel awful now.

What's this?

- It's that shoe I was telling you about.
- What shoe?

That shoe from this morning, I
told you it was outside the house.

Well, what's it
doing on the table?

I thought I'd bring it in.

And put it there?
Well, you don't know where its been.

It could be covered in dog sh*t.

It's brand-new,
that's the whole point.

Well, if it's brand-new,
don't put it on the table, it's bad luck.

All right, I just didn't
want anyone stealing it.

What, so you stole it?

It just felt wrong
leaving it outside, that's all.

Give it to the school for the spring fair
if you're that bothered.
You can put Tiffany earrings in it.

This was nicer two hours ago.

I'm sorry.

I...
I spoke to Chris Hutchinson today.

Oh, yeah?

They're taking over that empty shop
next door to Planet Organic.

He's looking for some new reps.

Oh, right.

Well, it's not a million miles away from
what you were doing at Fraser's, is it?

Yeah, sounds good.
I'll... I'll drop him a line.

I managed to sneak a look
in Gertrude's book bag by the way.

Oh, yeah, what's she reading?

Anna Karenina.
And it was in Russian.

You know what,
I wouldn't be surprised.

I spoke to her mother
the other day.

You know that mean-faced one
with the bad breath?

Jeez, she went on
and on and on

about where
they were going on holiday.

And I know she wanted me
to get to admit that we were going to

Center Parcs again
and I was not going to rise to it.

She went on and on
and on about bloody...

What are you doing?
You mustn't do that! Give it here.

I was giving Suzie a ride.

This is not your property, Sally!

- Whose is it then?
- Well, we don't know, do we?

That's what Daddy's
trying to find out.

Go to your room.
You can play in there.

David?

What's this?

We've got to talk to Sally about
respecting other people's things.

I found these stuck on the
lampposts down the street.

I did twenty of them but the
printer ran out of ink.

"Found: One black man's shoe."

I know, I wasn't sure
about that either.

Cos it could sound like we're saying
the shoe belongs to a black man.
It might do, we don't know,

but do you think
we should change it?

You've put our number on it.

- Well, how else are they going to get in contact?
- Well, I don't want them to get in contact!

I just don't like the idea
of our number being displayed

up and down the street.

- So what?
- Well, people can call us,
find out if we're in or out.

I mean, burglars.

You're making too
much out of this.

You haven't even
put a picture on it, David.

It's just a stupid drawing.

Well, I'm not going to give away all the details,
am I? Or else anyone could claim it.

They'll have to describe it
to me when they get in touch.

It is a single
tramp's shoe that you f...

That you found in the street.
Now just give it to Oxfam.

They won't have it. They wouldn't
take those Angelina Ballerina videos.
Nothing wrong with them!

Because they're videos!
People don't have video players any more!

The library does!

Is...?

I'll get it.
No, you get it.

Ask them exactly
whereabouts they lost it.

And don't mention the size!

Hello.

Hello, Mum.

Oh, yeah, did you?
Who'd you go with?

- No, she's fine.
- Hurry up, people might be trying to get through.

No, sorry.

Daddy...
Come and see what Sally's got.

This looks good.
Is it the one you wanted?

What's his name?

You take on a refurb like that,
you're always going to be

looking at some time overspend,
so, yeah, we've not done too badly.

And the footfall from Planet Organic's
going to be really good for us.

All those yummy-mummies
and their yoga mats.

Don't. I should go,
I just don't have the time.

No, you don't need to do
that, you look smashing.

There we go.

You've already got drinks?

Yeah, you just poured them out!

- Dunno what I'm doing.
Trying to get you pissed!
- Hey, I'm not complaining.

Anyway, come on.
Sit down.

- What do you reckon?
- About what?

Well, Lou said you might be ready
to jump back on the gravy train.

Bit of part-time work.

Oh, yeah, no. Sounds good...
But I am a bit busy at the moment.

Other irons in the fire?

Well, it's just I've got
a bit of a project on the go.

- No, you haven't.
- Yes, I have, the shoe.

David.

What?

Not now.

What's this?

- Well, about three weeks ago...
- More like three months ago.

All right, well,
whenever it was.

A few weeks ago I found
a shoe outside the house.

It wasn't like a thrown
away discarded one.

This was black, slip-on,
good quality leather.

Hardly a mark on it.

And you're trying to find
a retail outlet for them?

You see them as a new range?

No, no.
I just found a shoe.

Someone lost a single shoe.

Well, no, we don't know.
That's the whole point.

We don't know what
happened, do we?

Could be an accident, someone's
fallen over, the shoe's come off.

Could be an older gentlemen
with Alzheimer's, say.

He's gone for a wander,
doesn't know where he left it.

Could be kids dressing up...
They've taken their dad's shoe out of the house.

- Maybe penny for the Guy.
- What, in March?

- Right, so it's a bit of a mystery.
- Exactly.

Do you want to see it?

- Yeah, if you like.
- Yeah, OK.
- David, don't.

What? I'm just showing Chris...
He's intrigued.

Have you moved it, Louise?

It was under here.
Where is it?

It's gone, David.

No, I know its gone.
I can see it's gone. Where is it?

I threw it away.

You f*cking what?

I got rid of it.
I threw it in the bin!

It was too much, you were
getting obsessed by it.

- I'm not obsessed!
- Of course you are!

He's created a website.

He's been badgering the police
for CCTV footage.

It's public spirited!
You know Mike Evans, don't you?

It's insane!

You can't go for more than
two minutes without banging on

about a bloody shoe you found!

- Course I can!
- You can't!

All right, then, time me!

Come on, Chris, time me!
Two minutes.

- There's no need...
- No, she thinks I'm insane.

No, I didn't say you're
insane, I said it's insane!

We'll see who's making
an absolute mountain out of a molehill!

Do it.

Do it.
I want you to see this.

OK...
Two minutes.

You going away this
summer, Chris, or...?

I might go and see
my mum in Hastings.

I've got to be around
for the shop really, so...

How long?

- Just three or four days.
- No, I mean, how long?

Thirty seconds.

This is very cruel what you're doing,
you know.

I don't mean it to be.

I just want to help you, David.

Which bin is it in?

Well, that was barely a minute.

- Which bin?!
- The green one!

I'm so sorry about this, Chris.

It's OK, Lou, no problem.

You know he's...

he's not been well.

It's fine.
I understand.

But you've been through
a lot too, you know.

I can't.

Here you go, Chris!
Sorry about that.

Panic over.

Now then, if you
saw that in the street,

you wouldn't think it'd been thrown,
would you? You'd think it'd been lost.

I see what you mean.

Careful.

So... You're just trying to find
the rightful owner. Like Cinderella.

Exactly! We need to do
a proclamation throughout the land.

Get the media involved.
Have celebrities talking about it.

We need it trending on Twitter:
#TheLostShoe.

You know what I mean though,
don't you, Chris?

I'm not going mad.

A pair of shoes, they...

they deserve to be together.

Have to be.

How they belong.

I understand.

Let me have a word
with Laurence who does my PR.

We'll see what we can do.

Thank you.
Finally, somebody gets it!

But look, you've offered a reward,
is that right?

Yes. Yeah, I thought it would be
some incentive there for people

to come forward, you know,
with any information.

Well, listen if you've got any old shoes,
listen to David.

If you've got any old shoes
lying around your garden,

bring them to his place,
he'll turn them into hard cash!

Well, no, no.

The reward would be specifically for
the pairing of the shoe in question.

I don't want time wasters.

I could have done with you this morning, David.
I was sorting out my sock drawer.

Anyway, look, we've had an e-mail
from Jacqueline in Barnet and she

says, "Why don't you just
give the money to a homeless shelter?

"Why are you concentrating
on this one shoe?"

Jacqueline, someone somewhere
is missing a shoe and if I can bring

that person and that shoe together,
then I will have achieved that.

All, right, David.
Let's say this for a second, yeah.

Say I'm the person
that lost that shoe.

Now I go back to look for it,
but it's not there because you,

you've got it in your house.

Now what do I do?

Well, as I say, it's all,
it's all on the website and...

Stupid question.

Daddy!

You have no new messages.

Hi, I've come about the shoe.

Sorry?

The missing shoe.
I think it's mine.

Right, well,
you'd better come in.

- Come through.
- Thanks.

- Do you want to take a seat?
- No, you're all right, thanks.

Yeah, so can I ask
how you heard about us?

My wife heard you on the
radio, whenever that was.

Right.
You live locally?

No, we live up in Norfolk.

We were down here for a wedding.

The shoe must have fallen
out the bottom of my suit bag.

We were parked just
out there by the tree.

Right.

Whose wedding was it?

I don't think you'd know them.
What's that got to do with anything?

Oh, nothing.
I'm just trying to get a full picture.

OK, well, I'm going to ask
you a couple of questions.

- I'm sure... I'm sure you understand.
- OK.

What size was the shoe
you claim you lost?

Nine.

Correct.
Good start.

Next, I'm going to show you
some photographs and I want you

to tell me which one is the correct tread...
A, B, C or D?

Can I see B again?

Yeah.
There you go.

Take your time.

OK, I think it's C.

C.

And what colour are the laces?

It didn't have laces,
it was a slip-on.

Actually, I've got the other
one here if you need proof?

Just let me...

Yeah, it looks the same.

Correct tread.

And, what, it just fell out
of your suit carrier, you say?

It can't have been
zipped up properly.

Sounds plausible.

Looks like we've got a match.

Well done.

Can I have it then?

What, you want to take it now?

That's what I'm here for.

Right, yeah.

Do you want a drink or anything?
Celebrate?

No, I'd best get off.
My car's on a meter.

OK.

Here he is.

I've looked after him.

I... I won't make you try them on.
That'd be weird, wouldn't it?

- Yes.
- Yeah.

Could you just give me a minute, please?
I'm finding this really hard.

Sure.

Can I use your loo?

Yes. It's just...
It's by the front door.

All right?

Yeah.

Yeah, here you go.

They're both in there.

So that's that done now.

Mission accomplished.

Well, thank you.

I need to get you some
money for the reward.

No, I'm not bothered about that.

I just wanted the shoe.

- Thanks again.
- No, thank you.

And you know where
we are now so...

That's right, and autumn
has a silent "n" at the end

like column or hymn.

Who?

No, like a hymn
that you sing in church.

Like a funeral?

Yeah.

Yeah, or a wedding
or the harvest festival.

Where are my girls?

- Daddy!
- Hello.

Have you done an autumn picture?

Yeah, look, there's falling leaves,
a bonfire and there's Mummy, look.

It's a pumpkin.

Cheeky! Go and put it
in your book bag, darling.

You can take it in tomorrow.

How was today?

Fine, yeah, we got those...
tiles in from Italy and Chris says

there might be a trip out there
in a couple of months.

Very nice.

Wives invited?

Well, we'll have to see,
won't we?

Daddy, can I show you my assembly?
I've got lines.

Yes, go on!

We're doing nursery rhymes.

Darling, let Daddy get in.

I'm going to make him
a cup of tea first.

No, I don't mind. Go on, Sal.
I'll be the audience.

Well, I'm here and Annabel's here,

and Christian's here and he says,
"Diddle diddle dumpling,

"my son, John," and Annabel says,
"Went to bed with his trousers on."

And I say, "One shoe off and one shoe on,"
then we all say,

"Diddle diddle dumpling,
my son, John."

Encore! More!
Well done.

David?

What have you been doing?

Well, I could ask you that,
Louise, couldn't I?

What do you mean?
What's this doing outside?

What do you think?
It's back where it belongs.

What are you talking about?

You said the owner came
and took it weeks ago.

You said it was all sorted.

Who's that?

I don't know.
People from college?

Your college?

Yeah.
What is this?

I was doing you
a photobook for your birthday.

Thought it'd be a nice surprise.

And I got all your old pictures out
and I found...

Him...
Your friend.

What's his name?

Ted.

It's Ted, is it?

When did you last see Ted?

Dunno, it was a while ago.

Really? Cos I saw Ted six weeks ago
when he came round,

pretended he owned the shoe.

- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Well, this'll really confuse you then.

Cos after I found that picture,
I got your VAT file out,

went through your
receipts and I found this.

From Stead and Simpson:
Black slip-on, size 9.

- Oh, David.
- Dated two days before Ted came to see me.

How do you explain that?

OK.

He was doing me a favour.

I was trying to help you.

By lying to me?
By giving me false hope?

Listen to yourself, David!

I just wanted it to be over.

Who cares?
Who cares who took the f*cking stupid shoe?!

It's not about the shoe, is it?

It was never about the shoe.

No.

No, it isn't.

And it's not healthy, David.

For any of us.

It's been six years.

I'm sorry, is that
the time limit?

Should I be over it now?

No. No, that's not what I'm saying,
but we still have Sally.

We... We have to live our lives,
for her sake.

She doesn't even remember
having a brother.

Not a brother...

A twin.

Two halves, Louise...

and one of them's gone.

Yeah, I know.

And I understand now
what you're trying to do,

but we can't do that, David...

because Joseph is dead.

He d*ed.

They should be together.

David, you're bleeding.

No, I'm not.

Where did you get that shoe?

I went to see Ted.

- In Norfolk?
- Yes, in Norfolk.

He didn't want to give me it.

He said something about
me being unreasonable.

What did you do?

David, what did you do?

I can't remember.
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