S01E01
Transcript
00:00You
00:30And
00:51Welcome folks tonight talk with me Lawrence bright way the late-night radio show for those of you who live in the twilight hours
01:00the hinterland
01:01When the rest of our beautiful city sleeps
01:04So if you just clocked off you can't sleep. I don't know. You just want to get something off your chest this my friends
01:10He's your safe space get involved get dialing on night talk
01:30I don't think like what you'd see in a portal. All right, mate. Steady on. Let's not get carried away
01:36Sure off for the most of it on cocaine Lawrence. They don't even try and hide it anymore. They're just selling it in our faces
01:43I also wouldn't be able to go in their town anymore. Love it. I'd be scared. I wouldn't come home
01:49Sometimes as many as 20 of them
01:52Swearing drinking urinating right outside the front door goes on until all hours
01:57Dorian it sounds like your prisoner in your own home. Try calling the police the council the house and Association
02:05They just thought me off. It's a dereliction of duty. Our city's ruined. Nobody seems to give a shit anymore
02:10I tell you no, I feel powerless to do anything about it. I feel helpless
02:16Lawrence you're the only person who seems to listen to people like us. Well, you know me Dorian. I turn no one away. I
02:24Always find the time to help people that need it, but
02:27Thank you so much for your cool. I love and you look after yourself. Okay, right folks keep those calls coming in
02:37Cross you please, please
02:48Okay
02:54Sights you see don't know if in the dress is trying to get out of the dress is trying to get in
03:01So busy nice so so
03:08Tony Conroy
03:15So this is what you're doing now driving a cab, yeah
03:18Yeah
03:22It wasn't right, you know the way they treated you the way they just bombs you out
03:29Yeah
03:32Yeah, don't play me
03:35We want to talk about it
03:48You
04:19You
04:32Sometimes it can feel like we're just going through the motions right eat sleep work repeat a
04:39constant grind
04:41Existing rather than living
04:44And that's for those of us lucky enough to have jobs now, I know how many of you are struggling with one thing or another
04:53Money
04:55Relationships, I know how hard it can be to cope how hard it can be just to keep on going
05:13I
05:15Kind of intrigued me and I got me thinking how in this day and age someone can lose their job because their face doesn't fit
05:36It makes you think that isn't it folks makes you think you don't know what you got until it's gone
05:43I
05:48Mean you can find yourself on the edge you can find yourself on the margins
05:56But I am here for you, I understand I get it because you know what I
06:01been there
06:03And your instinct may be to tune out close the curtains hide away
06:08But that just makes things worse
06:10That's one of the friends we all need to stick together
06:19We need to listen to each other
06:23And protect the vulnerable
06:26And those who have no one to look out for them, you know, I've been in this business quite some time
06:30So I've been called many things over the years
06:35He's sad sack
06:40a
06:42Boring tosser a complete waste of space
06:50Just makes your blood
06:56Good night mates and good riddance
07:10You
07:16It's what we used to refer to
07:19Being study, you know soldier on whatever you do
07:24See as a problem
07:26We've all been told to put a brave face on it to keep calm carry on but sometimes
07:32You just have to express yourself
07:34You have to let it out because you know what happens when it's really all
07:38History
07:42Just
07:51Take a deep breath
07:54Dial back
07:55Let's talk about it
07:57If you're out there call me, I'm always here for you
08:02Ready to listen
08:08I
08:18Get through there's some kind of bloody robot on the other end of the line
08:22Am I right because essentially they are not interested in us the little people they don't engage
08:28Or they don't want to hear our woes. They just do
08:32Hi, who's calling and where you calling from? I'm Tony a cab driver and I'm in Bootle. Okay
08:38I will put you through now. Make sure your radio is turned out, please
08:41Yeah, okay
08:43Hello and welcome back and tonight. We've got a first-time caller. We have Tony and he's calling in from Bootle
08:50You're live on air Tony. Welcome to the show
08:53It's
09:00Okay, Tony
09:03You're amongst friends. I am I
09:08Was
09:11It's okay mate you're doing well you're doing fine
09:14Take your time. I was a teacher
09:16Okay, because some of the quarters have been calling in earlier on I've been saying that teachers are actually part of the problem
09:23Yeah, I was
09:24You know, we were all paralyzed with fear
09:28Sorry
09:30Being told how to teach and what to teach right so what you're saying is it's the system at fault
09:37Yeah, and when you say that you were paralyzed with fear, it's only
09:42Fair of what? Oh, yeah, you know saying the wrong thing being off message
09:48Wow can't be healthy for the teachers or the kids but when you're not sure of yourself your standards drop and
09:56You know, you let yourself down you late you let other people down the kids, you know, the kids they pick up on them
10:03Well, they start taking their like that
10:04You know what, you know, because I remember when I was at school if you missed around you were out on your ear mate
10:09quite literally
10:11Yeah, but I was the one I was out on his ear
10:1427 years loyal service so they could just throw me on the scrappy. So they
10:21Okay, mate just take a minute
10:26It's obviously been a very difficult time for you man
10:30And I'm guessing is still quite raw. Yeah
10:36Probably hasn't been easy to talk about
10:44You know what's only I'm gonna call it in I think maybe we should just leave it
10:52That was that was the thing the fact that that's what frustrated me most the fact that that you couldn't talk to them
10:59Then yeah the leadership team talk about a misnomer. They were so off themselves. They couldn't be bothered to listen
11:07Well, I must have been tough Tony teacher for 27 years
11:11I mean the one thing you're used to the one thing presumably you'd expect is that people would listen
11:20Yeah, would you think so wouldn't you
11:24But when your face doesn't fit
11:27You lost your job because your face didn't fit. I
11:31Think there must have been something more to it than that Tony
11:33I
11:37I'm really sorry mate. I'm gonna have to leave it there and go straight to the news, but I really hope you're calling again
11:46And listen you rest assured I hear you I really do me
11:55It's been really nice talking to you my friend, yeah, yeah and and and you maze
12:00Yeah
12:02Take care, Tony
12:04Appreciate you
12:07And you know where we are
12:10Yeah
12:30I
12:49You sure yeah, please
12:52Slow night homework. I'm doing a foundation course
12:58I'm a bit of a science nerd
13:01I'm not sure I'll ever get my head around the properties of matter
13:13A cup of tea when you're ready, please. Oh, yeah. Thanks
13:31I
13:33Was a girl
13:35It's okay
13:38Yeah
13:42You know, I've I've seen you around and about
13:47How long you been in the job a few months
13:52Five years for me
13:55It feels like 20 years now
13:58I
14:00Used to think that Hellman was a shit show
14:04yeah, two tours of Afghanistan, so
14:15What about you I was a teacher so we've all been on the front line kind of thing
14:23I
14:32You know her face lightens up every time you walk in this place, yeah, I get the tease
14:40Please
14:47Thanks, you know, it's funny but you know night workers they remind me of the the fellas in the army
14:56There are those who have troubles and there are those who are true
15:02Which are you
15:11Oh, yeah
15:20Maybe you know, they're not allowed to be imaginative
15:23It's always negativity and it's easy to forget the impact that a great teacher can actually have
15:31You know, we had a new caller just last night tell me he was a teacher for
15:3727 years and he was telling us how teachers are being told exactly how and what to teach
15:44So, you know, I maybe it's a system. That's a fault
15:48not the teachers
15:55Yeah, great
15:57look
15:59A good way to start thinking about matter is to think of all the different materials and substances that it can be made into
16:07Well
16:09That's all science you never said
16:16Okay, so
16:18How about I pick your brain sometime over a coffee or a beer maybe I
16:25Buy it
16:30Okay, right great mobile I'll give you my number
16:36Oh
16:42Thank you
16:50Thanks, thank you
17:06Roger let's not forget one thing. That is also a Christmas Day staple
17:11Too great. That's absolutely right my friend, you know, honestly, I can't tell you the amount of times
17:17I've sat fatly on my couch with a cheeky little something in my hand made on this thing
17:23See with Cowboy films and why they were so popular back in the day
17:26You knew who the good guys were and who the bad guys were you to pull for yeah
17:32When did life become so complicated my friend don't get me started we're gonna be here all night
17:39So to wrap things up, here's a thought folks
17:43Maybe we should all believe in ourselves a little more be a bit more John Wayne
17:48Bit more Clint Eastwood
17:51And maybe just maybe life would be a little less complicated
17:55I
17:57I
18:24Always tell me
18:26Just ringing about the coffee, yeah.
18:28OK, OK, OK, OK, OK.
18:38Hi, you've reached Rosa's phone.
18:40Please leave a message after the beep.
18:42Hello, it's, erm...
18:44It's... It's Tony from the cafe.
18:47I'm just ringing about that, erm, that coffee.
18:51So, erm...
18:53If, er, if you pick this up, then, er...
18:57Yeah, OK, bye. Bye. Bye.
19:11Hello?
19:12I'm calling because you've been randomly selected to take part...
19:15Take my name off your list and don't...
19:18And don't call back.
19:23OK.
19:53HE CHUCKLES
20:24And, er, we have a new caller.
20:26We've got Tony's in Liverpool City Centre.
20:29So, what's on your mind, Tony?
20:31Erm...
20:32We, er, we spoke last night.
20:34Yes, of course we did, Tony.
20:36You're the teacher of 27 years, am I right?
20:39Hey, you remember!
20:40Yeah, of course I remember, yeah.
20:42Because, you know, you said something, Tony, that really stung me.
20:46It was you saying that, er...
20:48That your face didn't fit.
20:50It kind of intrigued me, you know, got me thinking.
20:53Er, well, you know, I'm touching 56, top of the pay scale.
20:56OK.
20:58I'm not quite sure I follow, mate.
21:00Well, erm, they can get some kids straight out of teacher training college,
21:05pay them after money.
21:07So, it's about the money?
21:11Well, money's just a stick they beat you with.
21:14But they keep beating you and they keep beating you...
21:17..until you don't know who you are anymore.
21:21You know, you...
21:23You lose your self-respect.
21:26Your self-worth.
21:29And everything that goes...
21:31And everything that goes with it, you know.
21:33I'm very sorry to hear that, Tony.
21:35So, this wasn't really about money.
21:38It's about your age, right?
21:41Yeah, well, that's part of it.
21:43Nowadays, you know, you have to be, erm...
21:46You've got to be a what?
21:47Well, you have to be a certain type of person.
21:50And what type of person is that?
21:53Erm...
21:55Well, how about someone who's the complete opposite of me?
21:59OK, fine.
22:00SHE SCREAMS
22:02Florence, mate, I'll have to go.
22:05I've got a fare.
22:07You know, folks, this is what I absolutely love about this show.
22:10It's completely bonkers, you know.
22:12You never know what's coming next.
22:14Where's Bobby? Rob? Rob?
22:19Hello, Robbie.
22:20I really don't want to know what's going on in the back of the taxi, Tony.
22:23Tony, Tony, listen, mate, you have a good one.
22:25Yeah. It's been lovely talking to you.
22:27Yeah, all right, mate, don't you?
22:33What's the old saying, Lawrence?
22:35Lucky in cards, unlucky in love.
22:38Right, well, that sums me up.
22:39Oh, mate, it sounds like you've had a right old time of it.
22:42Yeah.
22:43Hey, what's on the card?
22:44Oh, bloody hell.
22:45Well, you know what? Hang in there, big fan.
22:47Plenty more fish in the sea than I can stand.
22:49Yeah.
22:50The right one will be coming on soon, I guarantee it.
22:52Oh, mate, I hope so.
22:55Oh, and, you know, by the way, Jack, do you play a lot of cards, mate?
22:58No, not really, no.
23:00I'm a bit fresh in the game.
23:02Well, maybe you should take up poker,
23:03cos if you're another life, there's only need to go by you.
23:06My son and I are going to clean up.
23:08Oh, yeah.
23:10Get out!
23:40Get out!
23:59Because you know what happens when you keep it all in.
24:03There comes a point when you just explode.
24:10Yeah.
24:29There you go.
24:35OK?
24:37Piece of shit.
24:39Who is he?
24:43Steve, my ex.
24:44Oh, right.
24:45I know.
24:53I'm sorry I didn't call you.
24:55Oh, no, that's OK.
24:58I had to turn my phone off, cos he was being a dickhead.
25:03Where's your meeting?
25:05When I first came to Liverpool, I was working behind a bar.
25:10I had no friends, I was lonely.
25:13He was nice to me to begin with, and then he became this fucking...
25:18I told him it was over, but he won't leave me alone.
25:22Have you got hold of the police?
25:28There was a fight outside here the other night.
25:31I fell out a knife, called the police, it took them over an hour to come.
25:34Why would they be interested in me?
25:36The police can't help.
25:39It'll be different for us back home in Wales.
25:43What, cos of the local police?
25:45I go to the police and I've got two brothers to protect me.
25:55Thanks.
25:57Thanks.
26:09They're painting frigging rainbows on panda cars instead of taking criminals off the street.
26:14So, if rainbows don't appeal to your sense of aesthetic, then I take it.
26:18Only there's a pot of gold at the end of them, Lawrence.
26:22Thanks, mate.
26:23Now, listen, folks, keep those calls coming in.
26:26Oh, and welcome back, Tony.
26:28Lawrence, we all know there are good guys and bad guys.
26:31Yeah, but it's not as simple as that anymore, is it, Tony?
26:34That's my point, it should be.
26:36I bet the average bobby on the beat, right, just wants to get on with his job and lock up the bad guys.
26:41Well, that's my point exactly, mate.
26:43There are no bobbies on the beat.
26:45Yeah, that's because the people who make the rules and all the other stuff they ram down our throats,
26:49they've forgotten that the police aren't there to serve them, they're there to serve us.
26:54The taxpayers.
26:55Exactly.
26:57Did you know who I worked for when I was teaching?
26:59The kids.
27:01If they thought I was doing a good job, that was good enough for me.
27:04And, by the way, I was doing a bloody good job.
27:07Listen, my friend.
27:08Listen, Tony, I don't doubt it at all.
27:10You know what? You've absolutely nailed it yet again.
27:13Because at the moment I started this job, my job, I've been saying exactly the same thing.
27:18It's you lot out there that I work for, the listeners of the station.
27:22Not the controller or some accountant somewhere that might be paying my checks every month,
27:26but it's you lot who pay my wages.
27:29Yeah, and we'll be the ones who'll judge if you're doing a good job.
27:32And that's exactly how it should be, mate.
27:34And we'll let you know when it's time for you to go by switching off the radio.
27:40It's steady on, Tony.
27:42Listen, let's not get carried away here.
27:44Speaking of jobs, Tony, I mean, you've got to have some story.
27:47So go on, go on, don't be shy, give us your best one.
27:50God, mate, I don't know.
27:53Mate, teaching in a Liverpool secondary school, it must have been a riot.
27:57I mean that quite literally.
28:03Well, I suppose it was a time that the Year 11s locked me in a store cupboard for an hour and a half.
28:09There we go.
28:11Cheeky little scallywags.
28:13They were leaving due present to me before they went off and did the GCSEs.
28:17How many years ago was this?
28:18It was about, I don't know, about three years.
28:21So that would make them about, what, 19, 20 now?
28:26So come on, Tony, give us a name.
28:29Who is the ringleader, just in case they're listening?
28:37Got to hear their side of the story.
28:39Give them the right to reply.
28:42Tony.
28:43Tony.
28:45Oh, I think we've lost him, folks.
28:47Interesting chance.
28:49Tony, if you get the chance, mate, call me back.
28:52You know where we are.
28:54Honestly, guys, you simply must, must, must tune in tomorrow night.
28:58Now, folks, I've got a special treat.
29:01A remarkable man.
29:03And we've got him.
29:04He's truly inspirational.
29:06And when you listen to him, Dave, he's got a story for you.
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32:04No one's gonna miss her, are they?
32:11No one who cares.
32:21See you later.
32:26Stop here.
32:34Stop here.
33:04Shit house.
33:34We all need to stick together on this and protect the vulnerable.
33:53Hi, you've reached Rosa's phone. Please leave a message after the beep.
33:56Hi, Rosa, this is me. Look, I just let Steve in the back of the cab.
34:00I don't know if he was on something, but just stay clear, okay?
34:10Hi, you've reached Rosa's phone. Please leave a message after the beep.
34:14Hi, it's me again.
34:17Look, I'm just heading over to the cafe, so just sit tight, yeah?
34:21Oh, and best not go outside. I'll be there in ten.
34:31Fuck!
34:35Fuck!
34:38Fuck!
34:42Fuck!
34:56Oh, shit.
35:00Oh, shit.
35:23Oh, fuck.
35:25Hi, you've reached Rosa's phone. Please leave a message after the beep.
35:29Rosa, Rosa, yeah, it's me.
35:31Look, just give me a call when you get this message, okay?
35:37Well, Lawrence, if we didn't stand up for each other on the battlefield, people died.
35:43Our friends died.
35:45My friend died.
35:48I mean, you often hear people talk about the matter of life and death,
35:51but this truly was a case of exactly that.
35:54You either do something, or someone really will die.
35:59Hey, why's the cafe closed?
36:03I don't know. One of the lads said Rosa didn't turn up for work, so...
36:08Oh, shit.
36:10She might be in trouble.
36:13What sort of trouble?
36:15Her ex. This fella called Steve. Bad news, mate.
36:18Do you know where she lives?
36:19No, I'm not sure. Somewhere up past Hope Street.
36:23What about a bloke who owns the place? Will he know?
36:26I don't know. It's the middle of the night, and I'm fucking shattered, okay? So, good luck.
36:35Is that it? You were in the forces?
36:41And? I thought that...
36:43Whoa, whoa, hang on. You thought what?
36:44That you'd know how to deal with someone like this Steve fella?
36:50I don't... I barely know you.
36:53Please, mate, just tell me what to do, eh?
36:57Hey, listen. You know, when I close my eyes in the dark,
37:02I see things that I don't want to see.
37:07Right? And I don't want to ever see them ever again. That's why I work nights.
37:11That's why I work nights.
37:16You know those two types of people that I told you about the other night?
37:20This other fella, he needs trouble.
37:23And I don't know whatever trouble you've got. I have no idea, but...
37:31Do you really want to answer?
37:35Do you?
37:36You need to turn around, get in that cab, sit in the rank and keep your head down.
37:42Do you hear me?
37:45Do you hear me?
37:52We're still being absolutely swamped with texts about the incredible World War II vet,
37:58the indomitable Mr. Albert Collins.
38:01Great interview, and the work Albert still does for charity in his local community is amazing.
38:08We've got one here, it says Moira from Crosby.
38:13Albert, what a man.
38:15An inspiration, and proud to be able to call him one of our own.
38:19Here, here, Moira, nice one.
38:21Tell me from Kirby, if there were more fellas like Albert, the world wouldn't be in the mess it is in today.
38:27I second that, mate, I second that.
38:29Now this one, this one really, this one struck a chord.
38:33And a lot of you are saying exactly the same thing.
38:36If a man in his nineties can still help those in need,
38:39then maybe, just maybe, a few more of us should get off our big fat backsides and follow by his example.
38:46And that's the crux of it, isn't it?
38:48What we desperately need is more people like Albert.
38:51More people to stand up for those in need.
38:54People willing to fight for what is right.
38:56If you see someone struggling, reach out.
38:59If you see someone in danger, don't stand idly by.
39:02Do something.
39:04So what gives him the right to tell people how to live their lives?
39:08Oh, here we go.
39:10You know, I don't think he was telling anyone actually how to live their lives, mate, you know.
39:13Oh, shut up, it's not what it sounds like to me.
39:15You know, Peter, there is such a thing as giving people the benefit of your experience, if you know what I mean.
39:18What, because he fought in some poxy war years ago.
39:21What do you mean some poxy war, mate?
39:23He fought against Hitler, right?
39:24And Nazi Germany, for Christ's sakes.
39:26He fought for your freedom, son.
39:28He fought for your freedom, my freedom, all of our freedoms.
39:31So jumped up little twerps like you could go on radio shows and speak their mind without fear of persecution or prosecution.
39:38Oh, why don't you piss off?
39:40Seriously, piss off.
39:42Anyway, what is it exactly you do, you non-entity, apart from sitting around on your fat arse all day doing absolutely nothing.
39:47And you've got a bloody cheek to go ahead and judge people.
39:50You've got no respect for anybody or anything.
39:52And I, for one, have stood up to loudmouths.
39:56Don't stand idly by, do something.
39:59Do something.
40:01Do something.
40:22No, no.
40:24Oh, please, God, no, no.
40:51He doesn't deserve this.
40:53Do you know the victim?
40:55The only way to deal with rats is to exterminate them.
40:57And you're saying that that makes him fair game?
40:59Two bloody lighted doors, yeah.
41:01Need some body work done.
41:03Yeah, it was a dog. Must have been a big dog.
41:05So what's going to happen now?
41:07What do you care?
41:09There is a genuine bond between me and my audience.
41:11I could be that person they could talk to.
41:13This I could be that friend in me.
41:15I was just thinking about the person who did this to him.
41:17What do you mean?
41:19Well, they need to be found.
41:21What do you mean?
41:51What do you mean?